Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-03
with the grave. But it is not false


hope that the memory of the departed,
and their example, may prompt the liv-
ing to lead more useful and helpful
lives. Neither will it tend to relax
our efforts in behalf of the living to
keep before us the uncertainty of life
and the fact that it contains the mea-
sure of all we can do for others.
Mans Friendship.
Man is a social being. Created in,
dividually, with no natural organiza-
ton except that of the family, man in
variably seeks fellowship with his
kind. Among all mankind he seeks
for those who are congenial, whose
habits, tastes and inclinations are like
his own, and with them he associates.
He is at his best when surrounded by
his friends, when he can put aside the
formalities and fictions of ordinary So
cial life, when he need not be fearful
of misunderstanding or betrayal. Ones
inmost thoughts, his ambitions and as
pirations, his longings and desires,
may be made known to his friends,>
with full confidence that his welfare
is their desire and his success their
pride. When man can lay aside Sc
crecy, when he can be himself in the
presence Of another, when he is not in
| f1uenced in his thought or expression
| by a feeling that birth, wealth, position
Or educational advantages remove him
| from others, then does true friendship
/! exist, and then and then only, can he
| truly avail himself of his just heritage
| of equality and freedom.
Should Be Unhampered.
ut is only under such circumstances
that man attains his full growth. The
| inspiration of his friends, the encour-
| agement they give and their good will,
make it possible for him to attain
greater successes than he could under
any other conditions. But to have
this effect his selection of associates
| should be unhampered Every OBJ
stacle should be removed. The adj
vantage of such intercourse would be
mutual; every man would give and
every one receive. Many a man in
high places would find his counterpart
among the most lowly, and the associa-
ton would elevate both. Given such
conditions and the measure of every
man is within his own life. but many
| lives are dwarfed because artificial
conditions prevent their full growth
and restrain the free expression of the
| best that is in them. Entire removal
of these conditions would result in the
development of race of men, who
might fifty be described in the words
Eof the poet as
/ 'Men-high minded men,
/ With powers as far above dull
brutss endued,
| In forest, brake or den.
AS beasts excel cold rocks and
brambles rude; nE
| Men, who their duties know.
But know their rights, and knowing
/ dare maintain
Result of the Ideal.
at may be said that all this is ideal
Granted, but it is not impractical. If
i the relations of mankind were more
i nearly ideal there would be less of re
preston and want and suffering in the
4 world. Fewer men would suffer fol
Il want of food, fewer children would &c
}, cold in winter. there would not be sc
many boys and girls growing up with
, out education, there would be less O
ignorance and vice and more of broth
, erly love and kindness. 1t would take
nothing from the world but it's suffer
ing and sin, and comfort and happi
ness would take their place. Ideal
yes, but the world would be kinder an6
better and happier if all had for theil
ideal the common brotherhood of man
Not by Legislation.
"This is not destructive policy.
advocate no fanciful theory of equal
.|izing men or wealth by legislation
lbut that every person should so con
4 duct himself, and use what he has
whether it be talent, or position Oh
wealth, that he shall not stand in the
4 way of the advancement and growth
u of others. Not that all men should
u be reduced to the lower levels, bu
4 that those above should not stand il
. are beneath. Not that men should bt
forcibly lifted up,but that they should
be permitted to lift themselves up
Many a man lives in obscurity ant
, dies in want because conditions which
he did not make and cannot contro
. prevent him from gaining the emf
nence for which nature has fitted him
Adversely and opposition no doub
have their uses, but it is only in ex
ceptional cases that they are neces
SdTy 10 LlS UcSI ueNSlOpluSuG VI ludu
} Ordinarily man who succeeds unde
} adverse circumstances does SO in spit
} of them and not because of them, an,
) would succeed much better under ia
! Ivorable circumstances.
D Level Up Humanity.
, LET all men meet upon common
} footing; let not the circumstance O
} birth, or wealth, or position deter,nin
! a mans course, but let those of equa
J talent, honor, uprightness, ability,an
} morality be equal in the sight of mar
} Let man be measured by what he is
! not by what he has, let manhoo
! alone be the test. The result will
! a leveling UP, not down, of the huma
!. race, which will make all men, an
: the world better This does not mea
7 that any one should be criticised fo
! his ambitions or hampered in his SUI
, cess, but rather that every man shout
be permitted to succeed to the fulnes
D |of his power. unhindered by huma
D obstacles, and encouraged and helpe
D to live up to the full measure of hi
D manhood, thus promoting success.
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