The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-26

electricity have actually increased human
ity's burden. The average mani do not
mean the day laborer-is working harder
to-day than he did at the beginning OF the
nineteenth century: he is working harder
and the work he does is more detrimental
to health.
Nowadays our whole public life, and the
life of the family as well, are under the ban
of commercial success or nonsuccess;
whether a thing be done or not done de-
ponds upon monetary considerations. A
man might save himself nights of agony
by having a tooth pulled at the right time;
he will not 90 it because the operation
would make him half an hour late at his
office: three months spent in Florida might
eradicate the consumptive germ from an
otherwise good constitution. but most men
would as soon jump from twenty-story
window as to think of leaving their business
for as many days as months are required.
officials merchants. artisans. laborers,
males and females alike-all founder hope
lessly in the whirlpool of continuous eff
fort; all stagger under burdens which they
were never intended to carry: they stagger
and fall and rise again by the grace of pat
ent medicines and heroic" cures. until
wholly exhausted and subjects for the GEM
etery or the insane asylum. For the wild
race after money is not enough; we volun-
tarily add to it the excitement of politics
and empty social doings. Both claim many
of our waking hours-too many for our own
good.
Thus man is dashed through life at a
gallop; still. here and there. he snatches an
oh ha kc he 70
amusement without altogether jeopardizing
his interests as a money maker and COM
petitor.
Let US see what the average person calls
amusement" A attends society meetings,
B HES himself to barroom, plays cards
until the wee hours of the morning, d
spends three or four hours in stuffy the
alter, swallowing disease germs wholesale;
all work hard drcadfully hard when they
think they are enjoying themselves. IL
should not be necessary 10 point out that
amusements of this strenuous kind on top
OF a days chasing after the dollar, weak
ems the organism and are excessively hard
on the nerves. Instead of unburdening
body and mind. they add a rev pounds TO
the human Gamers back.
Now, consider that our daily food Is get
ting 10 be as unnatural as our whole mode
Of business life. Adulteration all around;
embalmed meats, sulphured fruits, beer
without hop and malt. wine without grapes.
blue sugar" white" butter, margarine.
saccharine, pseudo milk, fake condiments
and what-not? Even II We had copper
lined stomachs. we could not stand the
racket long. AS II is, we invite dangerous
bacilli to lodge In our bodies every time We
open our mouth.
And with all that not one real holiday,
when our excited. weakened and poisoned
organism may take thorough rest! And
nature? All. nature gets even with us and
its punishments are terrible TO behold.
The sins OF our youth and middle age
carry in their wake lingering maladies,
hard. or impossible, to cure, and very
frequently the punishment is death
death by apoplexy. always death before
papers are fulrof them. But who cares I?
All mankind is lighting to live, and dies
lighting. -