The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-09
MANHOOD AND
W0MANH00D
Interesting Speech Is Made by
Portor Johnson.
TALKS OF ALVA STUDENTS
Present Matters of Vital Con-
Germ to His Hearers.
TALKS OF ALVA STUDENTS

l.
hall of the Alva Normal school last FRI
day night one of the most interesting ad-
dresses that has been heard here this sea-
son was delivered by Hon. c. Porter john
son of Akiahoma City on American Man
hood and American vomanhood Mr..
Johnson is deep thinker. and an orator
of unusual ability and the citizens of
Alva showed their interest in him by 1iil-
ing the Assembly Hall to its utmost ca
pacity. His address was or high order
and all who were present enjoyed an
intellectual treat.
Mr. Johnson began his address by say
ing: 1.-The first question which win pre-
sent itself for your consideration is how
can you qualify yourself so that you may
make a livingr What course you shall
pursue and how you shan run a career?
This is the end and supreme object of
your labors and it is true both of young
men and young women"
Continuing nthis strain, Mr.. john
son said: Perhaps the highest ambition
OF young man is to be married, and to
be the ideal Of a refined and cultivated
home; to be the recipient Of love ard ten
der regard; TO be furnished with all the
comforts of life, but this is the ideal
condition and is scarcely ever found.
Many thousand women can not and do
not marry for want OF opportunity and
must of necessity earn their own living.
Formerly she did not have and would not
be permitted to appear in the market
place to engage in business industries or
any other practical business affairs. but
hay OH ND
riers reared by selfshness and supersti-
ton have been broken down Now she is
invited to walk out into the sunlight OF
independence and self-reliance and her fu-
tuTe, her career. rests in her hands.
With the young man the selection of
vocation is of far greater moment than
merely living, more than simply pro-
viding bread to eat, clothes to wear and
shabby place to shelter. " involves the
question of success of failure: the pride
of being man among men. leader and
factor in your day and generation. 1t
means a career filled with usefulness and
distinction. This is an age OF personal
achievement. This is the industrial and
scientific age of mans history. The ques-
ton Is not asked now. OF what Is your
rank or what is your lineage but the
question now is. What have you done or
what can you do?' The men whom his
tory will deign to note are those who
have spanned our rivers, builded and op-
Grated our railroads, reared our temples
OF learning. built our cities. harnessed the
lightning and with it covered the earth
with intelligence and energy. 1t will be
those who are moulding the age and
working the achievement of progress.
These are the ones who are to be the
kings and princes of this century
Having been an Office holder himself.
the speaker said hem light be pardoned
for saying that most of the men who
hold Office and WELD authority would be
forgotten before the moon shone twice
upon their graves because they were not
the great captains who were managing
the affairs of the country. They were
not moving the wheels Of progress and
enightment. As general rule they did
not gaze into the armament TO measure
the stars. Their view was limited TO the
weather vanc on public buildings. They
never gave the order for advance. They
waited to be commanded 10 move and
hesitated then until they were sure that
.
waited until the leaders of thought had
/ captured the stronghold of wrong and
oppression, and then they tried 20 plant
their flag over the ramparts by others.
Generally speaking. they were moral cow
ards. following the band-wagon of their
time. but closing their eyes 20 the eternal
sunlight OF correct principals.
1t requires" said Mr.. Johnson. "pluck.
energy and persistence TO win IL is not
the number of men in the army that fore
tells victory; it is the spirit and determin-
alton that peryades the army. II is not
the hardness OF the resisting substance
that has to be considered 20 much as the
persistence OF the attacking forces. al
progress Is the result of aggression. II il
the aggressive attacking armies Of the
world that excite our wonder and ain our
applause Hannibal crossed the Alps with
an aggressive army. Alexander command
ed aggressive armies. Caesar conquered
the world by agsressiveness distinctly his
own Frederick. the Great. and Napo-
leon changed the map Of Europe by aE-
gressive movements and Washington
won the battles of the pioneer colonists
by aggressive. and onward movements.
The spirit Of determination. OF persever-
ance. OF aggression animated the heart
Of every soldier OF the revolution. 1so-
lated cases OF heroic dcfences occur. but
these are the stil places ~ the water
The great current is running the other
way In science art. literature govern
nient in the thousand changes that have
given ~ the culture - this country re
see the spirit and the hand OF Individual
aggression.
There IL. however an Indispensable
handrnaid Of both perseverance ard az-
-ression and tha; = labor without which
you can accomplish nothing iH this Ife
Labor lnys TIE foundation of eTnpsTes asf
Il governments clears gp costsnents
builds cites. facsovfes. rsi;-csds ard
shops: cultivstes fhe earth feeds the ua-
lions and refnes the spin; ana character
of man II j. the men Vito tosi wffh
hands and minds that - entitled % sEse-
cial consideration. although they get IT.
tie credit for their accon-rlsshrnsrts. Th~
rich who gather st ba8qve-s dressed IN
Gas flnen aud white r&Irnsnt. nay i-rae-
ne that they afe bail-srr 81 Tho sfa.-
E he 1.reserrsrs q SDciety and the eefsnS-
I - os human progress. Th>y rnzT mag
ire thar tRsev are the Influential and 20
;entisl factors in secisfy h1t fnany ~
ihera are simply parasites eafszw ne
brad az others toss ard tse -lsoie cst6t
oouid ba wfped out ard tke rsput.sc ~ozis
20 light zlerE. a7d ve ~oas1 scarcely
miss thkn X ss the sztsslirsns. tkocRts-
! ri -aen xho Ishcf w5th hzais ard S-si-s
VITO rake and ccnssE,ufe state. wlas
are .ss defens~s iss rocks an6 i's fssn63-
tiorz.