The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-06-10
YAPOLEON'S WISDOM.
r-E GREAT GENERAL UNDERSTOOD
THE VALUE OF DISCUSSION.

Man exercises his muscles TO improve
them. lie competes muscularly with
I his fellows. and rivalry Of muscle ends
IN muscular Improvement all around.
What exercise does for the muscles
discussion does for the brain.
The Importance Of discussion Napo-
/ leon appreciated thoroughly.
And when he discussed, be discussed
| like n big man, selecting questions to
/ exhaust the mind and lead far away
| into fields OF conjecture and widest
| speculation.
His was no dreamer's brain. giving
10 speculation the time needed for do
! Ing. First came the real work Of the
day or hour-tbe planning and finish
ing Of details, from the dlsposlng OF ar
my corps TO the smallest final arrange
| meDts.
Then. free from actual work, seeking
relief from concentrated application,
bis brain sought rest In talk worth
while.
on his voyage TO Egypt, determined
discussion as methodically as he ever
organized a lighting plan.
The discussions were regularly ap-
pointed affairs.
Needless to say, Napoleon arranged
everything and controlled everything.
He selected the subject for discus
sion, he chose the three or four on each
side to support and oppose any given
proposition.
These were his favorite topics: First,
the art OF war; second. the art OF gov
ernment; third, religion.
From his point OF view his chief sub
iects for discussion were admirably
chosen. They represented the only two
things he cared for here below and the
final question affecting his fate here
after.
But his field OF thought. like the
scope OF his ambition. was unlimited.
Once he asked his chosen debaters TO
decide whether the planets are inhab.
tied.
Again, he discussed this earth's prob
able ending, by FIRE or water.
He discussed also the meaning OF
dreams and the value OF present.
ments."
In practical life he discarded every.
thing save realities, but In discussion
all abstract questions interested him.
II may interest you 10 know that IN
general he denied positively the exist.
ence OF hell-perbaps that was caution
on his part-and maintained that no
man should die without confessing bis
sins:
"Only n fool says that be will die
without n confessor. There is so much
we do not know and that we cannot
explain"
II Is deeply characteristic OF Napo.
Icons thought that he should have de-
clared for Mohammedanism In prefer
ence 20 Christianity.
He admired the religion OF Moham.
med because II conquered one-half the
world ia ten yearB. whereas Il took 300
years for Christianity 20 establish IL
self"
The old French king became convert
cd because he thought the Christian
God beat his pagan god in battle. Ma.
poleon had not travelled far beyond that
old king.
The man who seeks for oil sorts OF
wisdom In Napoleon VIII be deeply dis
appointed when he comes TO analyze
the great lighters religious thought
But for the hero worshiper there Is
comfort In this:
Napoleon triGed with everything ex.
cept the first great cause.
On the deck OF his ship on a fine
night there was much irreverent dip
pant, materlallstlc chatter The revo.
luton had made stupid atheism fash.
iOnable.
But Napoleon was impressed by the
calm night. the blue. dark water and
the silent. beautiful stars shining down
IN cosmlc rebuke OF the tiny bias
phemers below.
lie stopped very abruptly the prattle
OF atheism.
Toward the stars he pointed the
short, thick arm 80 soon to rule this
little planet.
"You may talk as long as you please,
gentlemen. but who made all thatf"
There was no answer. and there was
no more atheism that night.
The man who was 20 build up the
code Napoleon could appreciate the
force and necessity OF law. His mind
realized the feebleness OF man. coping
even with little problems Of earth.
lie felt that great laws aud a Great
Lawglyer must swing and direct those
millions OF silent worlds above.
When Napoleon was stlll Corsican
patriot, the great Paoll said TO him;
Napoleon. you are not modern.
You talk like the heroes OF Plutarch."
Earnestness OF the old kind was In
deed Napoleon's charaeteristlc--as EN-.
peror planning 20 rule Asia from the
back or an ornamented elephant. or as
poor, half starved lad. taking or bis
muddy shoes 20 enter the presence OF
the matronly Nine. Permon and listen.
Ing 10 her stories OF descent from the
emperors OF Constantinople.
Napoleon In his hours OF work was a
doer, aud IN his hours OF leisure he
was dlscusser.
He exercised constantly the two sides
OF his brain. the practical and specu-
lAtiye.
DO the same and succeed. New
York Journal
MA Thsyf
There Is n0thing much more dis.
uessing than an unfinished story. A !
aumber OF people IN a London drawing