The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1905-08-11
pY MAnoARrr .. sANosrEn.

ny MARGARET 4 sASosTER.
(cop,firht. isS. by Joseph Is Dowies)
No dl~spassiouate critic can fail to see
that u great aud praiseworthy change
has come over the spirit Of American
homes In the last score Of years. Before
our president called general attention
10 the diminutivc size Of American fam
lilies. and sounded his warning note
about race suicide, a reaction had set In
for the be,termcnt VI conditions that
were dcplorable.
A much more wholesome sentiment
obtains among women than formerly a.
regards the dignity Of motherhood. To
this the Mothers Congress and the nu.
mcrous mothers clubs throughout the
country have contributed, and the Oft
repeated opinions Of those who believe
that child culture Is not beneath any
wommi's genius, have brought M up
lifting Influence. The expcctant moth
or Is not now an object OF pity among
her a~cquaintanccs. Motherhood has be-
come an admired and coveted state even
among married women of ashion-and
many families are fcarlcssly going be-
yond the two or three children who con.
,ti,uted. not long ago, the ideal Amer
lean group.
Race suicide Is therefore not n menace
10 be dreaded, from the standpoint of
the mat Who loves his country aud hopes
10 ZEE her SONS aud daughters horn In
numbers sufficient to keep the balance
steady against the swarming crowds Of
the foreign born. as n connte poisc TO
the throngs who see the lieht In homes
OF deepest sqnalor and poverty. The
comfortable thrifty. Intelligent, hard.
working plain-liying and h~igh-thinLing
American citizen Is 10 have his table
surrounded by bright. clever. lovnbic
children. LIES crown and life's trucst
wealth.
Whore. then. docs n threat OF danger
intotpose irsolfy The race suicide We
have reason to fear, how shall We define
IL?
To the. al least. II seems that our great.
est present peril lies Ia the lowering Of
our standards Of integrity, In u ne
reptance OF commercial success ms the
only succuhs worth having. and Ia our
mad desire for sasc aud luxury. We are
becoming ot,mlnate. Our boys and
girls shrink from labor. Ono ends the
children aud grandchildren Of toillng
men who earned their LIVING by the
sweat OF their brow and the exercise OF
their muscle. shirklng chores about the
ho:Ss evading mere work on the plea
: OF athletics or OF study, and spending
money with a freedom and irresponsible.
lily that bodies III for the future.
The education OF rich mems sons too
often tends 10 make them idle aud elc.
Fant %incepablcg. rlobe-trotters aud
spondthriits. The education Of rich
mems dnuehtors tralus them In social
charm and distinction. but toe much
nrglects the hom,ly virtues. Else why
so 80 many Of them fall readily into the
trap when n foreign adyenturer with
a high.sounding title seeks IL recoup his
wasted fortunes with their fathers
wealth.
Middle-class folk. II anyone will own
to being mlddle-class, are far too snob-
tish. Real worth " overlooked IN favor
Of pseudo refinement and society vcnecr.
People who should know better are
guilty OF the vulgarity OF worshipins
money, and God help Us, We are all too
anxious To make money. So anxious
are We FOR the things that perish with
the using. that We strain every nerve.
sacrifice health, Lood temper and self
respect To get on. 10 secure more money.
to add dollar 10 dollar and acr. to acre.
zone million" | not long ago heard a
woman exclalm; what Is one mil
lion? Why, In this period It Is nothing
out aenteol poverty" This Is wha, we
Instil by precopt and example into the
lives OF our young people.
So II has naturally followed that SAINT
toriums flourish. Young men In their
haste To be rich, break down with norv.
Gus exhaustion. The sanitorium re-.
selves them. They 1--we To be nervous
wrecks, or improve 10 walk softly all
their days. Herein Is n finger that points
warnlngly nj race suicide.
hhplhti peru 10 w wv lH'l'hrlhB IL
cense among Won en- of character mud
reputation IN certain i%ndulgcnces and
%rccroatiuns oncc doubted or scorned By
their class. The card table In The
irawing.room. the practice among wom-
en- Of playing bridge whist for stakes,
small. II il true, but waking the game
ster's passion, the practice Of taking
vine socially and In public places, as at
restaurants and in hotels, both tend to-
ward bliglting our finest aud nohlest In.
stincts. For Il Is not only vulgar,
,oarse add Iarish women OF the noveau
rich type against whom these com.
plants are with roason lodged. Delicate
ly mrtured, beautiful and well.bred
women sunor themselves To fight cnnui
and 10 drift with The fashionable cir.