Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-02-12
Anderson Bros.
Jewellers & Opticians.
THEoPHlLUS PHILOSOPHERS.
Prinsburg, Feb. 10, 1902.

Prinsburg, Feb. 10, 1902.
Mr.. JnMM1NNY CR1CKETTs.
DEAR S1R:-You were probably sur
prised that addressed my last letter
TO you, and not to the public.
The reason ia that l have always
considered the picture at the head of
your letters as good looking, and my
ambition is when grow into an old
and sedate farmer to look something
like that broad and wise looking gent.
[ also had the misfortune some years
ago to sleep with philosopher and it
appears to be a catching disease, for
a few weeks ago sitting by a warm
stove, it broke out like the measles,
and | have suffered with it ever since
1t is lucky though that most farmers
seem TO be immune from this disease
on account of their outdoor life
Then 1 admired your free and easy
style OF writing; you are not fettered
by any cast-iron rule of spelling, but
show yourself to be an independent
philosopher who has q contempt for
the fOrmalities that bind common peo-
pie. I always disliked to see any one
when unburdening himself of his sur
plus wisdom, to get on literary stills
he is unused to in daily life, for the
higher they step the more they show
their cowhide boots fresh from the
barnyard. In the last issue of the
TRIBUNE I read some more of Henry
Van Dresser and his dairy cow, What
captivated the public, Henry's NOUS
tache or his Holstein, my philosophy
has not decided yet. which wound up
with the conclusion of his appeal to
young men, "Life is battle and the
glory is in the victory"
Now 1 will admit that before I was
inccculated with the aforesaid disease,
such an appeal would have struck the
bullseye Of my emotion, but now it
glanced off on the indurated skin of
philosophy. There is so much stir.
ring going on in this world that one
must be careful. The Englishman is
being stirred to leave home and 90
1000 miles to fight man he never
saw, and probably lose his life on the
South African kopjes. American
youths under the influence Of the same
stimulant, contract brain fever and
madness in Manila, because of their
inability to stand climate not in
tended for them. Nature speaks in q
loud voice, and will be obeyed. Go
home where you belong or die. Hav-
ing my emotions we'll under control I
now ask anyone that does the stirring
act: What is your object? For in
stance, why should life be battle?
And if gain victory how does the
other fellow feel who is conquered?
Now, Jimminny Cricketts, let us work
off the fever of this philosophic dis
ease in answering these questions, so
as to be able to do our spring work.
Darwin in his "Origin of Species -
has thrown an electric hashlight on q
question, where before seekers after
truth used a dark lantern. The battle
Of life is the struggle for existence.
This is first between individuals of the
same species, and second between
different species. Man in q savage
state struggled individually, until a
groups or tribes. AS common interest
increased the groups gradually di:
minished, but the struggle increased
in intensity. Among animals the re-
suit is generally determination of the
conquered, among human strugglers
the result Is more and more their alb
sorption or benevolent assimila-
tion." The law of the survival of the
fittest is necessary one in nature to
preserve and evolve better species.
With man this law is needed as long
as he acts and feels as brute, but is
superseded by reason or the light of
the soul. under the guidance of which
higher results are attainable and are
obtained in shorter time.
Take Van Dreser's COW, for in.
stance. Left TO herself she would in
+mediately fall under the working of
the law, "of the battle of life," which
Henry wants our boys to accept. This
pct cow would soon get rid of her kind
and indOlent nature. In two genera
tions he could not tell the difference
between her offspring and wild Tex
as steer. In place of udder develop
ment and milk cells Henry would find
horns a, yard. long, and legs which
would try the endurance and speed of
a race horse, and if he shoul1 meet
one within hooking distance his USE
full career as lecturer would sudden
~ terminate.
How was this Holstein COW devel-
oped? Just by abolishing the law of
''the battle of life'' which he wants
human beings still to follow. If any
one should propose to a third rate
farmer to follow the rule of the dis
tribution of feed amongst his animals,
that Is in force among s0.oalled civil
ICED beings he would probably be
taken up for q lunatic. Any one can
find out for himself what q battle of
life means, by turning his stock out
undehorned and let them have free adj
mittance to all the feed provided for
winter. The bull and the strongest
steers will glory in the victory next
spring, while the weaker COWS and
CALVES would be found dead on the
manure pile, where they had tried to
prOlOng miserable existence. Is, it
worth while to find out the strength
OF the strongest at the expense of i all
the suffering of the weak? Reason
says, no. j y.. s3}z X. IN 5Sz@ l.
And 80 reason steps in and finds
the horns OF the strongest superAuous
and q detriment, distributes the feed
according to the needs of all; while
kindness instead of force is law to the
advantage of the strong as we'll as the
weak. Nov, my friend, with your ap-
3proval, ! will 10 long as my spell Of
sickness lasts, try to prove that l rea-
son AND. what / call civilization ought
to extend TO man 81 we'll 90 animals. Il
Z. ours truly
pol Ius