Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-11-24
(By John A. Howland.)

Sulp the world Of all its idle, irri-
tating frictiOns and a day might be-
come as a thousand years in achieve
ment.
volumes would not begin to cata-
iogue all these possibilities of this
endless procession of handicapping
influences. But IL within the limita-
lions OF this article a few of the
every day shortcomings of men in
this respect may be pointed out or
suggested, something viii have been
accomplished.
The idle listener or the question
that is idly vain is in unchallenged
lead of all its kindred ills, especial
ly In the busy life of the great cities
Just to that degree that the ques-
toner or the question is idle its per-
nioious consequences pile up, and
hamper and disturb until the results
pass computation.
In salaried time questloner and
question in idleness cost Chicago
T,000,000 a day in the business
world. They are the great agencies
which are setting man against con-
tact with his fellow man In llfe's
crowded ways. They are filling the
pension rolls Of business; they are
populating sanitariums and mad
houses; they are erecting tombstones
and monuments in the cemeteries.
Worse, II possible, is the fact that
only the father of the idle question
has the solution of the matter in his
idle hands.
The worlds first protest against
the idle question was the established
information bureau" II was
qualified success in its day, but its
day is going-or gone. From the
beginning the information window
in great business or in great
quasi-public institution had for It's
purpose the elimination of idle Ques-
tions. The man who dealt informa-
tion was schooled to prompt, busl-
ness replies. Prompt business an
swers do not satisfy the idle ques-
tioner. Were this not condition
10000 information windows would
not have been established.
Are you. reader. asking questions
idly or putting idle questions seri-
ously? II so, thou art the man. IL
is worth more than your time to de-
eide this serious question for your
self.
You have stopped your fellow
man in public thoroughfare and
have asked him how far up or down
the way is the cross street which you
were seeking. The quicker and the
more confident his step the greater
faith you have pinned TO his infor-
nation. But II his answer begins
with allowing you five blocks mar
gin in reaching your destination
have you not sometimes listened idly
TO his detailed squares and land
marks In the hope OF stopping Just
such another man four blocks far
ther on and repeating your question:
You are a public offender II you
hayey. You may have cost him VI OF
$1,000 In time; you may have been
one of those last straws in the ner-
yous breakdown OF a day.
Vaguely, somewhere, in answer to
n question or because OF an open ear
TO a suggestion, you have caught a
questionable but unquestioned state
ment which concerns your quest
You appear at the course OF your
expected accurate information and
YOU ask your question OF one who
should know. II does not coincide
with the statement that somebody
somewhere. and at some time gave
YOU. At once this anticipated an
swer Is disappointing. You begin
10 question with questions this last
source of likely fact In the case. Be
fore you are done you are angry and
show your indignation. The cate
ehlzed one may be angrier than you
but must not show his secret temper
which our aggresslons have wrought
Thou art the man!
You ring the telephone bell In a
mans once or In the privacy OF his
home. II is a selfish question you
would ask him. You know he has
not the slightest interest in his pos
sible answer unless II be unseihshiy
10 help a fellow man who is In DOUBT
He may be called from urgent busi-