The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-04-06
Surplus Energy.


THAT portion of energy gener-
ated in excess of the require
ments of daily routine work is
generally termed superfuous.
If we occasionally have surplus of en-
ergy should we consider it needless any
more than production of wheat, corn,
oats or ANY other article farmer pro-
duces beyond his immediate need of
consumption The farmer does not
consider his surplus unnecessary, but
a just reward for patient toll, and it is
obviously his duty to exchange it for
commodities that will be helpful in
promoting the comforts and happiness
of himself and family Most of us
have, at times, a greater supply of
force Or energy than is necessary for
the requirement of our daily bread.
Yet there are few who do not seem
to possess enough to scratch their
itching backs without pole to
lean against. They are the exception
and something is radically wrong; they
should be given in charge of special
ist who is competent to diagnose their
case and prescribe for it. &
Progress would be slow indeed If no
one utilized his surplus force. 1t is
not only our duty to ourselves, but
also to our fellow men to make the
best use of all our available resources.
to do what lies within our power to bet
ter the condition of ourselves and
mankind in general. In employing
this power we should be particular to
apply it in the right direction, as to use
| it wrongly would be more shameful
! than to let it waste.
! Suppose Stephenson, Merse, Fulton
and the innumerable host of inventive
geniuses that have contributed large
! ly to the welfare of our country had
been contented with mere existence,
or wasted their extra force by inertia,
or expended it on unworthy pursuits
and selfish pleasures instead of using
it for universal good, where would be
our great transporting and shipping
facilities, our mode of quick commun-
icatiOn and the many other thousand
things that tend to perfect civilization
and bless mankind? Without these
men who have utilized their surplus
energy for our common good we would
now be living century or more be-
hind the present time; still travelling
overland in stage coaches and other
more or less inconvenient and tire
some vehicles instead of in comfortable
railway trains.
Our sea voyages could not be made
in the up-tO-date ocean liners 50 per-
feet in arrangement and luxurious in
appointment. Our commercial advan-
tages would be greatly reduced as the
transportation of our merchandise
could only be accommodated by slow
and costly methods. Without the me-
dium of the telegraph important events
and the general news of the world
could be transmitted only by slow and
uncertain methods. Our social and
intellectual development would be re-
tarded and necessarily restricted.
Therefore we owe to that portion of
energy, called superf1uous, our best
gifts and choicest blessings.
Barbarous and unciviliZed races are
prone to do only that which gives i'm
mediate comfort or pleasure, seemingly
never reasoning or caring for anything
beyond the present time, and conse-
quently squandering or ignorantly ap-
plying their reserve force and thereby
declaring themselves effectually from
better condition. Civilization begins
where individuals or communities real
iZe they have further duty to perform
ludIl IucT0ly W CAlcU. NO ludtUcI WudU
station in life we may chance to occupy,
it is our duty to live on higher plane
than savages and our interest also, in
asmuch as we all possess an inherent
desire for cOntentment and happi-
ness which cannot be procured in any
appreclable degree by means other than
the best possible use of all our facul-
ties.
To obtain the best results from our
possibilities it is imperative that we
make use of all the energy at our COM
mand. The daily labor of the average
person is not so arduous as to consume
! his entire stock of vitality, and if a
practice is made of applying tie extra
amount to something useful the bene-
fits will become apparent almost i'm
mediately When we have a greater
accumulation than is requisite for the
accomplishment of our daily work it
might he profitably spent in many
ways. Environment and the knoWl-
edge of our own deficiencies being q
sufficient guide to point out the thinHe
J we should do. Pau