The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-27
The Talk of the Day.

We believe that the decrease in pOpu-
lation now so much deprecated is due 20
the subtle force OF circumstances. rather
than any deliberate and perverse reason
ing or intention. or any philanthropic
wish 10 check suffering by Iessening the
number OF possible victims. The hus-
band is earning from $1,000 TO 81 600 a
year. and this salary Is in a way pre-
carious; rot by reason Of his habits or
degree OF intelligence, but the employer
may sell out his business. the office IS
one Of rotation. etc. etc. This husband
went to college. his father saved and
scrsped and pinched 10 give his son
an education he himself did not have
The son acquired tastes that are be-
yond his income. tastes that were un-
known 20 HIS father, not extrayagances.
but The desire of comforting things that
arc rot absolutely necessary. The son
rnarries. II he should have a boy. how
could he afford to live decently and edu-
cate the boy? Would not his son be
sourcd II he should not go TO college
and on comparatively equal terms with
the sons OF richer parents? The wife
wonders how she could bring up a
daughter What sort OF a social po-
sltion would this daughter bave7
The man and his wife do not live for
themselves; they live in the fear Of 9th
ers. They are snobbish in their dread
OF public opinion. they have no sense of
values Their own parents began life
H.
them and were welcome The father
worked the harder; the mother preferred
the society Ct the household. Their life
was a continued struggle. although IL did
rot seem so 10 them. But the young
couple in the fat is unwilling 10 play
the pelican.
II you should say: why didn't you
take a house in the suburbs and
rear your younR2" the answer would
be prompt: But we'd be so far away
rom everybody and everything" Their
own children. you see. would not be COM
pany for them. But Hogan and MaToIi
and Mueller are simple persons. Child
rer arc born TO them till the quiyers are
full. and -he children OF such through
out the United States shall inherit the
land. It's wrong Of Mrs. Hogan and Mrs.
Maffoli and Mrs. Mueller but they and
their husbands are not deeply versed in
the principles of sociology or the views
or the later German philosophers. and so
they bIindIy follow nature and would be
sarprised II you should tell them at the
end Of their life that they had acted fool
ishly and improvidently-
The New York Evening Post said
lately Of Mr.. Chesterton who is known
as clever When the intellectual
world has finally become, as IT constantly
tends more and more TO become. hippo
drcme his essays viii be recognized as
very creditable acrobatic performanccs''
Mr.. Chesterton searches. and with
tears. for the striking word the uncom-
mon yet illuminative phrase. II is a
pleasant occupation when one has an in
come that does not depend on daily work
Capt. 4. W. Piper. OF New York. admits
that the average policeman in London is
more civil than the policeman in New
York. our police haven't time 20 tell
strangers what time the O'Clock train
goes" an epigram. but a shabby excuse.
The american has no time TO be polite,
no time 10 eat properly. no time to write
clearly and sanely- II is much easier 10
Indulge in verbal pyrotechnics, TO be
vaguely gorgeous in style TO be impress
sionistic. than 70 make sound and use
ful statement with the precision and IN
mistakable force of Euclid