The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-04-07

sire 10 shlrk responsibility III thHl reBhrd
A man does have an influence over hi
neighbors Their conduct H. in I
measure, patterned after his. We al
of us look up more or less to some on
else M an example. But if this fact
to prevent our indulging in certain act
which we know are not of Themselves
evil here is this state Of things t.
lead us. There is almost no limit to the
number Of amusements which if pur
sued intemperately lead to undesirable
results There are in every group o.
companions some who are too ethlcalll
weak to control their passion for pleas
ure A state Of society in which sucf
~ these should be utterly free from
temptation is inconceivable. Indeed,
society could not exist without some
form Of recreation and, with every form
OF recreation nay, we may go further
and say with every form Of activity
there goes the possibility OF intemper
ance Granted then that there are
always incorporate people and that
there are always opportunities for in
Temperance, where is n man to draw
the line with regard to the effect of his
acts on his associates?
With regard to the specific effect on
young boys Of the pool or billiard room
we would ask if it is any worse than the
effect Of the street corner. Yet we can
hardly abolish the street corner nor can
we very easily prevent our young men,
who so desire, from congregating there.
| Indeed ~ far as the tendency TO bad
| language or immoral ideas IL concerned
where will You find it any greater than
among the average group Of young men
at a church picnic for instance that IL,
provided that the young men are left to
themselvea2 Where will the impartial
observer find warmer hotbed for the
dissemination Of evil thought and
speech than the choir lofts of some
churches where the boys can get togeth
or behind the organ or where they can
herd apart in some. corner and talk
without being bounced down upUnY In
deed, il there any place where young
men can congreRate and lacking
healthy, interesting employment hope
to remain pure of Thought and CONVEX
4aiion We believe that the pool room
with it, magnificent games Of skill, Of
fascinating dexterity, are far safer
places Of congregation than many that
have the sanction Of the preachers.
And right here do we not find u sug-
gestion ~ to the true cause of the evil
Tendencies in the young men who fire.
quent certain localities in orr citiesY IL
il not fact that the evil il done not by
the place not by the atmosphere, not
even by the association but simply and
solely by idleuess2 IL it not this, which
in any locality, among any group Of
people under the very halo of the sanct
nary, will implant dcgeneracy? l. it
not true that occupation is what saves
ar lack of occupation what damns?
And 10y this we do not mean to advo
cate that young men should bc given no
| time for relaxation, no time for rest
that they should be forced to keep
ahustling Relaxation il absolutely
| ,,., 10 10 - III a
well being, but to his moral health.
All work and no play makes Jack II bad,
~ well ~ dull BOY. But is it not a
fact that the lack of something to do,
the luck Of some activity which would
keep the mind and the body occupied
along sane and healthy channels, * what
il causing the greater part Of the i'm
morality of the young men Of today
What has this fact to do with man +
responsibility to his fellow MANI you
ark. Perhaps not much directly, but
"a great deal indirectly For we wish to
show that it is not 10 much what Il man
does ~ what he doesn't that ne should
| look to. The influence Of one strong
self controlling, manly man one who
knows the value Of healthy amusement
! temporarily pursued one who shows
that he IL not afraid to take whatever
recreation he may naturally delight in
/ because he knows that he will not over
do II ~ Of as much value in u poo
room ~ anywhere elso Perhaps indeed
| il is more valuable in some place OF
amusement thRn elsewhere horaus,
/ there II IL apt To hc most conspicuous
I one thing X certain every man Is
! bound 70 have some one weakness,
| which II INDUCED IL liable To lead tt
excess and which strong men will in
! variably refuse to indulge IL not the
example Of one man steadily refusing {,
do the one thing which might handica,
/ him doing all other things in mod
GRAFTON but showing plainly and invari
ably tha, he knows hjsown limit il
not such nm example salutary wherever
i it il found Does anyone mean 10 aay
/ that the man who can take two glasse'
~ beer aud can firmly refuse to talk,
more or who can sit down to game OF
chance and unhesitatingly refuse t,
stake more than he can afford is not ut
quite ~ much benefit 10 society and Il
4 his immediate associates ~ the man VIII,
has the courage 10 arise and 20 when Ii,
knows be- has made "a long enough call
Win any one one deny that il ia rs much
n dissipation to stay long at the HON,
Of "A friend, even though that friend b,
a Inlnlsler. Aa Il ia % etnN too LONG M