Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-04-27

sacrifice their home life to the de-
mands of the world And the danger
In such sacrifice Is most menacing In
times OF unrest. Our contemporaries
are constantly exposed to 1t and con-
stantly succumbing. How many fami-
ly treasures have they literally thrown
away to satisfy worldly ambitions and
conventions but the happiness upon
which they thought to come through
these impious immolations always
eludes them.
To give up the ancestral hearth, to
let the family traditions fall into des-
uetude, to abandon the simple domes-
tic customs, for whatever return Is to
make fools bargain, and such is the
place in society Of family life that IL
this be impoverished the trouble Is felt
throughout the whole social organism.
To enjoy normal development this
organism has need Of well tried indl-
viduals, each having his own value, his
own hall mark. Otherwise society be-
comes n flock, and sometimes flock
without shepherd. But whence does
this unique something which, Joined to
the distinctive qualities Of others. con-
stitutes the wealth and strength Of n
community? He can draw 1t only
from his own family. Destroy the as
semblage of memories and practices
whence emanates for each home an
atmosphere In miniature and you dry
UP the sources of character, sap the
strength Of public spirit
II concerns the country that each
home be world, profound, respected,
communicating to It's members an In
cffaceable moral imprint But before
pursuing the subject further let us rid
ourselves OF n Misunderstanding. Fam
lily feeling, like all beautiful things, has
Its caricature, which In family egoism.
Some families are like barred and bolt
Cd citadcls their members organized
for the exploitation Of the whole world.
Everything that does not directly con-
Germ them IL Indifferent to them. They
live like colonists-I had almost said
'ntruders--in the society around them.
Their partcularism IL pushed to such
IN excess that they make enemies Of
the whole human race. In their small
way they resemble those powerful 80
cieties formed from time to time
through the ages which possess them
selves OF universal rule and for which
counts. This Is the spirit that has
sometimes made the family seem n re-
treat Of egolsm which II was neces-
sary to destroy for the public safety.
But as patriotism and jlngoIsm are as
fur apart M the east from the west, so
are family feeling and clannisbness.
Here we are talking of right family
feeling, and nothing else In the world
can take Its place, for In II lie In germ
MI those fine and simple virtues which
assure the strength and duration Of
social institutions. And the very base
Of family feeling Ia respect for the
past, for the best possessions OF n
family are its common memories. An
intangible, indlvislble and lnalienable
capital, these souvenirs constitute a
sacred fund that each member Of Il
family ought to consider more pre-
cious than anything else he possesses
They exist I'm dual form, In idea and
In fact. They show themselves In Ian
guage, habits OF thought, sentiments,
oven instincts, and one sees them ma
terialized In portraits, furniture, build
ings dress, songs. TO profnnc eyes
they are nothing to the eyes of those
who know how to appreciate the things
Of the family they are relics with
which one should not part ut any price.
But what generally happens In our
day? Worldliness wars upon the sen
timent OF family, and l know of no
strife more impassioned. BY great
means and small, by all sorts OF new
customs requirements and preten-
sions the spirit of the world breaks
into the domestic sanctuary. What nre
this strangers rights, Its tltles2 Upon
what does II rest Its peremptory
claims2 This Is what people too often
neglect to inquire They make mis-,
take. We treat the invader as very
poor and simple people do pompous
visitor For this lncommodlng guest
OF day they pillage their garden
bully their children and servants and
neglect their work Such conduct Is
not only wrong; II IL impolltic. One
should have tho courage to remain
what he Is In the face OF all Corners,
The worldly spirit is full Of imperti
nences. Here Is II home which has
| formed characters OF mark and Is form
Ing them yet The people, the furnish
ings, the customs are all In harmony
BY marriage or through relations OF
business or pleasure the worldly spirit
enters 1t finds everything out OF
date, awkward, too simple, lacking the
modern touch. At first 1t restricts It
self to criticism and light rntllery. hui
this is the dangerous moment Lool
out for ynuraelf--hpra Ia the enemy