The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-08
SENTIMENT DERIDED.

| There has never been a time when
men were moved by some noble impulse
| that there were not those ready to sheer
| at them for being governed by sentiment
| as if it We're not the highest Inspiration
and Hottest stimulus. There are Thomas
| Gradgrinds outside Of novels whose only
creed is Give 'cm facts" and who regard
as fools those who permit sentiment to
sweeten their own lives and brighten the
lives of others "Does it pay?" is the
beginning and the end of all things with
| this materalistic class. To the man who
holds this low view,
The primrose by the rivers brim
simple primrose is to him,
And nothing more"
Those men who have protested against
the evils of Imperialism, who have not
believed that might made right, have been
put aside with the sheer "they are NOV
ed by sentiment" as if devotion to cnnvic-
lions and belief in doing unto others as
you would be done by was SO silly as
to win contempt. Nothing has appeared
in the American press in short space in
long time that SO effectually answers
this contemptuous idea that it is I'M
worthy to be governed by sentiment as
the following from the Nation:
The Nation has recently lamented, eGi-
torially, the loss CT lofty sentiment Incl
of cru IN
During the last few years, since the
mercenary instinct became predominant
in our people, we have grown accustomed
to look upon all sentiment as weak fool
ish and unmanly. The present political
tendency is manifestation of this loss
81 sentiment. The imperialists are en-
abled through demonstrations of the
words meaning TO treat all sentimental
arguments with ridicule They laud the
practical man, and, naturally securing ac-
qu'escence, they attribute coarseness,
brutality and crime to the practical ma
ture. They charge that political liberty,
equality and fraternity are but the ema-
nations of sentimental dreamers. They
deride sympathy with the poor and OPP
pressed as impractical and useless. They
deprecate popular protests against injus-
tice when practiced by the strong upon
the weak as sentimental gush. To them
nothing is sacred. The teachings of the
Christ the principles of the fathers, the
Inspiration of our heroic past-everyth
that makes the blood run faster and hui
man nature seem grander is judged by
the commercial standard.
What is sentiment? 1t is the semi
divine instinct of human nature-the
speaking conscience of the heart. Only
sentiment, the corpulent pork packer
sneeringly exclaims, and yet without it
life would scarce be worth the living.
The love of the mother for her child the
affection of friendship. the respect for wo-
man, the reverence for scenes immortal
lied by deeds of valor, the fondness with
which the heart reverts to scenes OF for
mcr happiness-in short, the poetry of life
is only sentiment
During the last three years the Amer
lean people have begun to harden them
selves to scenes Of suffering and injus-
ticc. During the struggles OF Greece,
Italy, Ireland and the republics to the
south, the United States has always re-
sponded with sympathy and encourage
mtDt We were not personally concerned.
Our kindred did not bear the yoke. Our
pockets did not suffer from the spoliatiOn.
But the sentiment of justce-which
makes the whole world kin-dictated our
position There was nothing at all prac
teal in our support, We furnished Meth
er men nor ammunition. But the knowl-
edge that in some far distant land the
heart of a mighty people beat time to
the march of liberty meant more to the
forces of freedom than FURNISHED steel
could mean.
Now that we have become practical
the past seems to have been a senti
mental dcbauch The money we have
lost. But that is all over now We have
brushed aside the sentiment OF liberty
and plunged into the commercial scram-
bic Of the world. In the Philippines the
scales dropped from our eyes, and we
burned huts and killed the sentimental
fools who prated of liberty and took pcs
session in the name of trade. We have
no sentimentalists of South Africa be-
cause the British have money with which
to buy our mules. But after al is said
the manly man can not but feel-God
pity the man or nation that has no senti-
ment."