The Minneapolis journal., 1905-10-15
An Onlooker in. America.


photographer must learn is to focus the
camera. Until he can do that reason
ably well he will make no good pictures.
To get the right focus is equivalent
to bringing the object in hand into
the right perspective. Clear vision de-
mands that the subject viewed be To-
Gated neither too close to the eye nor
too far away.
Perspective has to do with correct
views obtained thru the minds eve as
well as thru the physical organ Of sight.
Distorted views Of men and things are
often due to our being too close to
them. They are out Of focus. The men,
tai impression is blurred; it has no
sharp outlines; but when we can inter-
pose the proper distance, every detail
comes out clear and distinct.
Almost every thoughtful person has
applied this principle to his own case.
He has projected himself, so to speak,
out Of his environment and has found
amusement and sometimes profit IN
standing off and looking at himself
mentally. It is a good thing to !. do
once in while. It enables one to
obtain fairer view Of his own con-
duct, Of the influences which control
him, Of motives which govern his ac-
tions and enables him to form a more
correct judgment not only Of his own
Importance, but of the real merits Of
those things which seem. important
when he Is crowded close to them.
From such a viewpoint it is inter-
esting to size up ones political princi-
pies, his religious beliefs and prac-
tices, his business methods and per-
haps more pleasant and agreeable is it
to look from this vantage point at the
conditions and state Of society general
ly-to compare things as they are now
with all they are known to have been
in earlier periods and to speculate
upon what improvements the future is
likely to make upon the present condi-
tions Of life.
An interesting view Of ourselves
as others see us is given today
in the exceedingly entertaining in
terview with a Bontoc chief from
the mountains Of the island Of
Luzon, printed in the magazine Sec
tion. This Bontoc chief is in America
with a number of his fellow Iggorotes
to amuse the pleasure-seekers Of Coney
Island. A writer for the New York
Independent has interviewed him. The
forms Of expression are, of course, those
Of the writer. but the peculiar notions
expressed are undoubtedly fair inter.
probation Of the thought Of this prime
val savage brought suddenly in con
tact with the most modern types of
western civilization. g.
It is curious to note that he is not
overwhelmed at all but calmly com.
pares our condition with that Of his
own people-sometimes very much I'd
our disadvantage, In his Judgment. This
is clearly case Of first impressions.
The people and things which impress
themselves upon his mind printed
on a plastic surface unbroken by any
prejudices, by any previous conceptions
Of what he has now seen and heard
The ideas he gains Of us here in Ameri.
ca are altogether free from the influ-
ence Of previous knowledge. The first
impression in his case is as truly first
impression as an artist g proof and we
feel quite sure that the readers Of
The Journal will be more than
amused-that they will find much that
is suggestive in the interesting expo
sition in this interview Of what ideas
are formed in the savage mind observ-
ing the facts Of the highest civiliza.
tion. U Il, ..#s ,s,..
One thing, at least, will suggest
itself-the state Of supreme content
ment and satisfaction with which this
natural man turns from all the access
cries and luxuries Of our civilization ia
preferment for his own simple life
What he sees begets him no desire to
appropriate to himself the complex civ.
ilization which he sees about him in
America. On the contrary, he seems
to appreciate that, whatever Of ad.
vantaees it may contain, it carries with
it the penalty Of effort to possess it,
which suggests to his mind distress and
hardship.
But a more interesting suggestion and
the one most easily followed and made