Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-21
Quantity Makes Quality.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The letter recently published in the Star
challenging the Presidents race suicide
theory proyokes this reply. My views are
identical with those of Mr.. Roosevelt. This
cry for quality well illustrates how loosely
people can argue in self justification
Some one invented a fable which proves
a solace to many: The animals In conven-
ton assembled were proudly reporting the
number of their respectiveprogeny when a
conceited upstart of a hare announced his
score or more. Following this came the
dignifed voice of the king of beasts, "Only
one. but it's a lion" People who applaud
this sentiment seem to contemplate the hui
man race as they would the work OF aspir-
ing artists. A remarks to B. why don't
you get move on you? have finished and
sold a score of paintings while you are
closeted in your studio, forgotten" But B
retorts, True yet the masterpiece engross-
ing my energies will charm the world CEN
turtles after your hasty daubs have sunk
into oblivionr'
confirm the true theory in this domain OF
jtirpiculture, which is that quality is not,
as a rule, impaired by quantity, but often
the reverse, since character is so largely
the product of a struggle with adversely.
Ben Franklin was the tenth child of a
poor tallow chandler A young New England
mother was left with three infants to care
for, and so poor that she was forced
to shear her few sheep in midwinter and
make hay jackets for the sheep to secure
wool jackets for her boys. The three be-
came distinguished. one of them a famous
college president Americas future will be
governed largely by those who are work.
ing their way through college today, and
not by the solitary scions of the rich.
The writer recalls line of little barefoot
ed brothers in faded blue jeans, trailing
hair t1 81 ,lx,.-l~ ,kal,
night and morning. They looked like sec
ton Of an orphan asylum broken loose.
There was scarcely a years difference
in their respective ages Few attempted to
ors and titles of well-earned distinction,
their names are seen constantly in the pub
lie prints.
The writer Is proud to claim the friend
ship of distinguished French Canadian,
the sixteenth child of his mother, who has
fought his way to the front-per aspera ad
astra. He is sixty-five years of age, brim-
ming full of new American ideas, philo-
sophicai, philanthropic, inventive civil
engineer and mathematician.
OF course one swallow does not make a
summer, but the pages of history are re-
pIete with similar instances.
The writer recalls two marriages within
the last forty years at which, IL the state
had been authorized to pass upon the fit
ness of the candidates on the above lines.
1t would have unceremoniously nipped both
enterprises in the Dud as being against
public policy-especially along physical
and financial lines. Not one of the four
would have passed. These unions were not
failures IL their eighteen offsprings be al
lowed to vote on the subject. Not an infe-
rior one in the crowd. Marked genius in at
least twelve of them. and, note well! the
younger and youngest are the most gifted of
ALL Chill penury and good morals have
brought distinction and abundance-'heart
within and God overhead"
The greatest gift to earth Is. human life.
and the most cherished privilege of each
should be that Of bestowing life and of shap-
ing the inheritance and destiny sof his own