The Washington times., 1906-06-17
Hardship and Character

Not Iong ago certain American fam
Ay achieved widespread variegated
notoTiety which was IN q way faterua-
tonaL Sons and daughters OF an hon
est. hardWorking man. who had become
immensely wealthy by one Of those
wonderful strokes OF fortune for which
America is famous had tried TO -sDend
their fathers money zoo hurriedly. Is
capade after escapade. startling incident
succeeded by others more startling. d.
vorce courts and all sorts Of unpleas SAINT
and disgroCeful experiences. marked
their career. until finally the American
public. which IS very long suffering
actually seemed 10 become tired Of the
name Of the family
Is1e father had been q common laborer
n one Of those great industries which
have now developed into enormous com
b!aatiOns, or trusts. doing business ar
the rate Of hundreds OF millions an
nually- He had been faithful in per-
forming his duties, alert. Indefatigab!e.
progressive, strong. and forSetul, ana
had been promoted step BY step until
his PROFITS as a partner were princely.
His wife. whom he married when she
was a mill girl IN the factory town. was
a woman OF strong sense and character.
specimens Of the kind OF iron fibre which
improves under stress Of circumstances.
emerging from trials triumphant and
good The expectation seems 10 have
been that their sons and daughters.
coming from Sc healthy a stock. would
possess somewhat the character and
fibre Of their parents. and IN addition a
broader culture from their education
and the advantages Of contact with
good society" which their parents had
lacked
These children were however. the
most wretched failures in the world,
and their misfortune. which was more
lamentable a thousandfoId than poverty.
was due to the fact they were so pamp-
cred from their early youth that they
never had the slightest chance 10 de-
Velop that strength Of character which
must be founded on struggle and EFFORT
OF some kind
The best education IN the world
said Wendell Phillips. is that got By
struggling 10 make a living" There are
myriads in the world for whom the
struggle under adverse circumstances is
too hard. II is cant 10 say that riches
are in themselves an evil when all are
seeking 10 hay by the money wh.sch af-
IL old age, Of comfort and culture. and
it is a Sinking insincerity 10 say TO
man who is fighting against want that
poverty is good in itself. But there is no
doubt that a lie Of ease for the whole
human race would at the present time
ruin it irretrievably- James Martineau
says finely:
a world without a contingency or al
agony could have had no hero and no
saint"
The countries which have bred heroes
and builders Of civilization and human
ity are those which have been compelled
10 struggle and battle against hard con-
ditiOns. Great Britain's contributions
10 civilization have consisted not IN her
cotton goods or her commerce or her
general progress in industry. but IN the
men who displayed the manly resolu-
10 push out into new worlds for trade.
but 10 Wrest from kings and feudal lords
the human rights Of liberty and self
government Holland fought tyTants and
contended with the overpowering sea for
GESTURES. and Holland and her sturdy
citizens remain solid and capable. Sco-
tia's greatness is due TO her men who
have battled with bleak and barren
mOOrS and the inhOSpitable climate, the
Irish character and bodily vigor were
not formed in beds Of ease, and in our
own country the contributions 10 this
nations growth by New England were
made by the stern and resolute men and
women whose characters were formed
amid dire distress and theF hardest kind
Of hard conditions Of all sorts FOR gen
erations- The other side Of the picture
may be seen in some of those Central
ture supplies the needs Of the inhab-
itants with scarcely an effort on their
part
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