Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-03
Our Duty Towards lnanimate Things.

Our Uuty toWafoS lnahimate shings.
Morality has always been chiefly. IL not
exclusively. concerned in our duties to
self and 10 others. The idea OF justice
has slowly untoded from the relation o:
man to man, family 70 family, tribe IL
tribc. nation 10 nation, until nov We up
hold it, nominally. al least, as the main
foundation upon which To build all socid!
structures. That our practice falls - far
short Of our IDEAS IS no disparagemcnt Of
The idea itself. All high ana noble con
cepiionS outrun the conduct which they
prescribe. Yet We must cling to them ar
IDENTIFY if Ne would make any progress.
The Idea Of justice IS not only an ascend
ing. but also an expanding one. or LAKE
years i, has come 10 include the animal
creation. Thai We have towards them
certain definite obligations Is becoming
more and more widely acknowledges
and the intiiction OF needless pain "r wan
Ton neglect eXciteS a rightful diSp!casurc
In every merciful heart.
Thai VIC owe any duties To ,n.,nimaic
objects is an idea seldom seriously enter
tanned. when the notion OF suffering or
enjoying is excluded a. it must be from
material objects, the thought Of oblisa-
ton is supposed to bc unnecessary. We
pain. and while in hundreds OF ways they
can be made 10 benefit US We cannot DE-
wise any method of giving pleasure 10
them. AL unconscious as they are. Some
people. indeed. make an exception TO this
in the vegetable world. citing The sensI-
tive plant as a possible example OF semi
consciousness. They are arerse TO pulling
4 flower to pieces, and would feel. with
Emerson thar they loved the wild rose.
and left Il on its stem. We shall prob
ably never be able 10 detect he line in
the realm Of life where consciousness be-
gins nor IS IL needful. There is urdoubt-
eddy large sphere where life and growth
go on. without II: and only BY impercep;-
ible degrees do they merge into anything
r,Sprn bling voluntary action
far as we can Judge. Involuntary sensl-
zion.
Yet there are other and deeper reasons
for our obligations to all material objects.
even to such as can by no possibility De-
cndued with the faintcSt sensation. The
first and most obvious one is involved in
the justice We owe to one another. We
certainly have no right TO use the mate
rial possessions OF another in any way
which We might disapproye. There are
many persons who would be Scdndalize
will yet in indirect ways injurc the prop
erty OF another with hut little self re-
proach- Borrowed books are roughly
handled, umbrellas are lost, the rented
house is abused, hired furniture will have
more than the ordinary wear and tear.
In parks and pleasure grounds. devoted
10 public recreation. there is most sin
Gular propensity in many people TO de-
face what has been constructed for
beauty and for pleasure Picnic parties
Hil leave their debris in the most lovely
tclS. ana cut l1tIE IldfUt-S OF lIlltltlS III
pretty. rustic summer houses. or peel IN"
bark from the b.stutiful birch trees. or
uproot deiicat" wild flowers. and other
wise dishgurc and spoil the charm o:
these popular resorts. All such abuse al
inanirnate objects is rank injustice 10 the
community. who is to that extent de-
frauded of a riGhtful enjoyment.
Resides this however. our duty 10 all
material objects is founded upon q certain
self-respect. An honorable man should
feel asha med Of leaving The world wors-'
OF in any respect than he found il, and
should desire as far as possible to better
its condition. We have within ourselves
various ideals reaching beyond what il
commonly seen or realized. Not only do
lhey relate to human life and conduct,
but also 10 the objects which surround Us
We hdV. within uS for example. men
tai picture Of some of the various forms
which wood. iron or metal may assume.
forms when We meet them We in jurc UJth
them and our own ideal "" admire 4
well KEPT garden, a fourishinS grape
wine. a taSt efully furnished room a fin.
picture, sharp and polished tool. a mag
niiicent structure. a neat and simple cot
taSe, anything. in fact, that reminds US
Of it usc or beauty. # il has flaws Or
as We think il ought - be or may b..
come. Now. If We really respect our own
conceptions We shall never want TO see
to our fellow men. there is an injustice to
the objects themselves. and 20 our own
ideas OF their possible perfection. in low
crinS their value or spelling their beauty
A recent scientific writer OF England. Mr.
Gore. says on this point:
Although we have no outward moral
relations with sticks or stones. We have.
nevertheless. 10 act properly towards in
animate bodies as we'll as animal. ones
and the rudimcntS Of our conduct towards
animate things are implicitly contained in
thus. ne cannot with i;npunity drink too
much alcohol nor stand in ne way of a
railway train. Those rudiments Of moral
conduct are expressed in the general rule
that We should act inteligentiy and ra-
tionally towards all things, and the cs-
sence Of moral conduct is included in IA
tional conduct; 1t is not considered a NOR
al act TO wilfuQy destroy substances. in
1ure ones self or TO commit suicide All
things may be used. but none should BE-
a buscd. In accordance with the universal
Of action and reaction. IL We us.
wrongly We are sooner or later
punished. or our children are punished |
Tor US: thus. We cannot waste anything
without ourselves Or our descendants be
StarveS his land. his land will sooner or
later Starve him; If he overworks hi, |
horses they are the sooner united for |
work: II teacher starves his n-otes |
essions ultimately starves him. Plenty Of |
Illustrations might be adduced TO snow |
nat II We act wrongly towards anything. |
the energies Of nature react upon US or |
upon our descendants, and that the foun- |
dations of moral and social conduct lie !
ueeo IN the proper ties of inanimate bodies /
and may be traced downwards. even to |
the very molecular movements of our !
structures and those of the living and |
dead things around which influence us"
II this be true, and We cannot doubt il. |
II furnishes cogent reason for arouSinS !
pubic sentiment to a duty. which is per- /
maps. new 10 many and as yet difficult of |
full realization. The habit of carelessly !
or wilruily injuring inanimate objects is ,
one very easy to acquire and very hard I
70 conquer. II 1t were regarded in its true
light it would occupy a prominent place
In our systems of education. and our
youth would be trained not only to de
sire to do justice towards individuals.
but 10 such a sense Of obligation towards
in nature and in art that will
lead them sedulously to preserve. and as |
far as possible enhance. all value. all I
beauty ana All perfection in the world
around them.--Public Ledger :