Evening journal., 1902-07-12
BilIParSOn'S 'SCOIunln
Published Now and Then.
About Character

- 49, - e-s-s - -e-e-e-e-s 49,
About Character
President Roosevelt the other day
said that this nation needs character
more than brilliancy. He might have
labored long to phrase the idea in more
elaborate form, or he might have
sought to state something novel.
whether it would bear the glare Of the
eearchlight or not but like the
straihgtforward man he is, ne uttered
a fundamental truth which should be
constantly impressed.
To prove that character in private
life is a valuable asset, we have only
to look over the field of our acquaint-
lances. Those who started in the race
Of life with that desirable quality have
amounted to something. OF course not
all of them have amassed fortunes or
startled the world with their achieve
ments. But they are respected by their
friends and family, and have the ap-
proval of their own consciences.
The old-fashioned qualities, based
on the ten commandments, are as po-
tent as they ever were. We need not
look at the subject as moralists, but
as only observers to reach this con-
clusion. In the religious world, char
acter made, and has perpetuated Moses
and Paul. AS warriors it has given us
Julius Caesar Frederick ihe Great,
Grant and DeWet. As statesmen it ex-
allied Alfred. Cromwell, Gladstone and
Lincoln. and in science it produced
Newton, Darwin and Agassiz.
Character is composed of numerous
elements and we must not understand
by the term that men must necessarily
possess all the moral attributes TO hold
ut. Yet its requisites are the homeliest
,and the commonest attributes. It is
only where these are formed in COM
bination and all highly developed that
the towering figure is produced.
. % @
1t would seem unnecessary to state
that a man of character will not steal,
lyet it is surprising how much theft
there is in the world. To see how prev
alent IL Is, it Is only necessary to ask
your friends whether they hold it
wrong to ride on the cars free if they
can make the conductor believe they
have already paid their fare. We are
told there isn't any harm in beating a
Irailroad. but no one can justify steal
ing, even from a robber.
Neither does the man of character
lie. We all remember what David
said on the subject, and then retracted
1t. His mistake. perhaps, was that he
didn't let it stand Shakespeare said.
Lord! How the world is given to ly-
ing!' And there it stands to this day,
even in the expurgated editions. We
suppose few would attempt to define a
lie in terms which would be sufficiently
inclusive. Some don't even know they
are doing it, and others will repeat a
fabrication till they believe it in their
Utmost hearts. There are many sorts
Iof liars; some never lie unless they are
10 reap an advantage, and then they
do it conscienuously and thoroughly.
Others. strange to say, lie only in what
is called a harmless way, meaning no
injury to others and no benefit to them
selves. They regard it as a diversion
aud a pastime. The man Of character
does not lie.
Our man must have brains, Of course,
but he must also possess a heart. There
is story Of Pasteur, the great sci
enlist, who labored to save the life
of little peasant girl, opposing his
science against the disease. But she
died, and the picture was presented to
the world of the great scientist sitting,
sobbing by the bedside Of his dead pa
ltient, and saying, Il wanted so much
to save her" Who will not have a
higher opinion Of the great scientist
after reading that story. Why do we
revere Lincoln? When we think of his
kindness to everyone; OF his giving to
the little Vermont girl a pardon for
her brother. who had slept at his post,
we say that he was noble, and by that
wo mean character.
@ @ 8
But one of the greatest elements in
The composition is lower. It is
very difficult to make these classiflca-
tions,. even for philosophers, and there
fore we do not always distinguish be-
tween mere mulishness and force of
will. Perhaps the distinction lies in
our motive. If a deed is inspired by
intelligence and proper moral impulses,
the force which puts it through is will
/ lbWbI. II we are unfedsOnluR an
british, this force becomes stubborn
ness.
But, anyway, we know that very lit
tile is accomplished without this ele-
ment The man without it yields at
the first difficulty. while the plodder
goes on 70 the mountain top andviews
the land he is to possess. II is a high
moral quality, too. for it strengthens
weak knees and straightens backs un-
der the heaviest burdens.
Now, like the old stories. there should
be a moral in this, and here il is; par
ents and teachers and friends should
begin to cultivate these qualities early
lin the young. And they may be culti-
vated. A weak plant may never grow
lstrong, but under proper cultivation
it need not languish. But to build III
character is better than to teach Latin
and Greek. better than TO instill idea.
Of fortune hunting, for a man may have
few friends. but he must live with hi
, character. Bill Parsons.
Prohtbitionists at the Sprinqs