Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-23
EVERYBODY LOVES A HOLIDAY
Sarcastic Filings mt the Nation
that People Like to
Work.

\DIvers esteemed contemporaries praise
the Hon Franklin Farrell Of Ansonia,
Conn. who is loosely described as 'sev-
eral times a millionaire" for his devotion,
at rs TO work. He puts on overalls every
day but Sunday, and not for special occa-
sioDs only, as is the fashion of statesmen
looking after their fences and the farmer
vote He works every day at some sort of
machine, and so keeps his own going; and
doubtless his sleep is sweet.
What merit is there in these his labors?
There is much unconscious cant about the
duty and dignity of labor. Those who cant
il have forgotten the unsavory origin Of
work. Work is a memorial and result of
sin, an inferior condition to which we all
fell when Adam blamed dear Eve for his
indiscretions. The holy, stainless and origi-
nal condition was repose, enjoyment. Adam
found a holiday world. The old rascal
changed it into workaday world. Contem-
plation, not action, seems to have been the
first plan If Adam had behaved himself
and had a proper regard for posterity,
neither work nor strikes would have been
the human lot 1t may be impossible wholly
to regret a nlisstep without which man
| kind would not have been Illuminated and
cheered by the American Federation of
Labor and the Hon. Samuel Gompers; but
I It is right not TO forget that work is a
curse, necessity laid upon guilty man.
The faint of sin is upon it, no matter how
much ages of heredity and habit have OBJ
secured it's first character. There are those
who love work, or say they do, who make
! a luxury of a necessity. SO far as they do,
they reverse the purpose of it's institution
and thwart the object of their Creator.
In saying this we do not criticse the
venerable Ansonian. He, too, works be-
cause he has to. He tried to leave of;
peaked and pinned; didn't know how to
amuse himself and had toy return to the
treadmill He is excused as a victim OF
necessity. There are natures to which
labor is as the morphine habit, They can
not give 1t up. Very well, let them work
They deserve pity, not praise.
Work may be used by the rich philoso
pher as an antepast, shOehOrn and slim
ulant Of repose, Of reasonable pleasure
To him it has the charm OF contrast as
rest has to the most of us. 1t accentuates
and sets or his play. In reality it Is q
form of play to him. So long as it is not
necessity It is all right What privatiOn'
and hardships will not men endure in thell
play-work; in stalking deer, hunting ele
plants and tigers, making long distance
automobile runs, climbing mountains, try
ing to climb the pole. No man likes t
work harder than the man who thinks h'
is playing.
The essential and undeniable philosophi'
distinction between work and work play
or play-work, is not ours. 1t belongs Il
our white-robed young friend, the Hon
Mark Twain; yet we dare say you can finC
it 100 times among the ancient Greeks, VIII
made other folks work for them and ''wen
in for gymnastics; and It must have beef
| old when Noah was sailor.
Work for works sake is a superstition
and a delusion. The best that can be salt
for 1t is that 1t perpetuates great mistake
II II has become almost law Of the human
rac6, why should anybody go into rapture
over It? Gravitation IL a good deal NOR
Impressive and universal law Does any
body feel called upon to thank God TO
gravitation when a brick hit himG-NeV
York Sun.