Rock Island Argus., 1905-01-21


make II valid in the eyes OF others ".
must first be subject TO it ourselves
To command and to obey in the society
OF men are. after all. but two forms OF
the same yirtue-yoluntary serTitude
II you are not obeyed. II Is generally
because you have not yourself obeyed
FIRST
The secret Of moral sscendency rest.
with those who rule with simplicity
They soften by the spirit the harshness
OF the fact Their authority II not in
shoulder straps, titles or disciplinary
measures. They make use Of neither
ferule nor threats. yet they achieve ev-
erything. Why? Because we feel tha,
they are themselves ready for every
thing That which confers upon a man
the right TO demand Of another the sac
rffce Of his time. his money. his pas
sions, even his life, Is not only that be
Is resolved upon all these sacrifices
himself. but that lie has made them in
advance. In the command OF man
animated by this spirit Of Remuneration
there Is mysterious force which con-
municates itself to him who is 10 obey
and helps him do his duty.
In all the provinces of human activi-
II there are, chiefs who inspire.
strengthen. magnetic their soldiers;
under their direction the troops do
prodigies- With them one feels himself
capable Of any effort, ready TO go
through fire, as the saying has il, and
II he goes IL Is with enthusiasm.
But the pride OF the exalted is not the
only pride; there Is also the pride Of
the humble-this arrogance Of under
lings. mt pendant TO that of the great
The root Of these two prides is the
same. II Is not alone that lofty and
imperfous being. the man who says.
Il am the law" that provokes insur
rection by his very attitude: II is also
that pigheaded subaltern who will not
admit that there IS anything beyond
his knowledge.
There are really many people who
find all superiority Irritating. For them
every piece OF advice IS an offense. ev-
cry criticism an imposition. every order
an outrage on their liberty. They would
not know how TO submit TO rule. To
respect anything or anybody would
seem to them a mental alteration.
They say to people after their fashion,
Beyond US there Is nothing"
To the family Of the proud belong also
those difficult and supersensitive peo-
pie who I'm humble life find that their
superiors never do them fitting honor.
whom the best and most kindly do not
succeed In satisfying and who go about
their duties with the air Of n martyr
At bottom these disaffected minds have
too much misplaced self respect They
do not know how TO I'LL their place sim
ply. but complicate their life AMI that
OF others by unreasonable demands
and morbid suspicious.
When one takes the trouble to study
men at short range lac is surprised 10
find that pride has so many lurking
places among those who are by com
mon consent called the humble So
powerful IL this vice that IL arrives 1T
forming round those who live in the
most modest circumstances n wall
which isolates them from their neigh
bors- There they are. intrenched. bar
ricaded with their ambitions and their
contempts. as inaccessible as the pow
erful OF earth behind their aristocratic
Obscure or illustrious.
pride wraps itself I'm its dark royalty
of enmity 20 the human race. II Is the
same In misery and In high places
solitary and impotent. on guard against
embroilinG everything. And |
the last word about IL Is always this |
II there Is 50 much hostility and ha- |
tired between different classes OF men |
10 Is due less to exterior conditions than |
to an interior fatality. Conflicting In !
terests and differences OF situation de /
bitches between us. IL Is true. but pride I
transforms the bitches into Culfs. and /
in reality IL l. pride alone which cries 1
from brink To brink. There Is nothing
In common between you and u.s.
We have not finished with pride. but
IL Is impossible To- picture IL under all
It's forms. I feel most rescntful against /
II when IL NEEDLES with knowledge and
that. We owe our knovl-
edge To our fellows. rs we DO our riches
and power. IL Is a social force which
ought TO be OF service To everybody.
n nd IL can only be so when those who
know remain sympatheticaily near TO
those who know not. When knowl-
edge Is turned into a tool fo- ambition
IL destroys itself
And what shall we say OF the pride
Of good men: For IL exists and makes
EVEN virtue hateful. The just who re-
pent them OF the evil others do remain
In brotherhood and social rcctitude.
But the just who despise others for
their faults and misdeeds cut them
selves OF from humanity. and their
goodness. descended 90 the rank Of IN
ornament for their vanity, becomes
Ike those riches which kindness does
not inform. like authority untemperci
BY the spirit Of obedience. Like proud
wealth and arrogant power. super
-iiious virtue also Il deiestablc. II
fosters in man traits and an attitude
Of I know not what The
sight Of II repels inSteaI OF attracting.
md those whom IL deigns TO distin-
ruish with its benefits feel as though
hey had been slapped in the face.
To resume and couclti,l, IL Il q n err,,- ,