Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-05
WHY NOT LOOK PLEAsANr3


one should not find reason to look
pleasant in this world OF ours. There
is but a comparatively short time al
lotted TO each life and during that
time we can each make, practically,
the use we choose of our own especial
talents of individuality. There is GER
tainly little reason for being pessi-
mist and enrolling in the ranks of the
down hearted for life time. Two
speeches recently made in the east
bring out rather sharply the contrast
between the muck raker," as the
chronic pessimist is called just now,
and the man who looks for better
things even if the sky be clouded. Sec
rotary Taft, in his second address on
THE Responsibilities of Citizenship"
at Yale university, described certain
recent attacks upon our civilization
and our institutions as the work of
persons, who for gain, or that they
might stir a spirit of unrest for poll
tical reasons, deliberately distorted
and gave false view of actual condi-
tons. He commended that there had
never been a time when there was
more charity, more sense of brotherly
love, and pointed to the response to
San Francisco's appeal for help as a
proof of his argument. The muck rak-
ers have overdone it. There has been
corruption in some quarters. But legi-
innate investigation has resulted in
| the putting on foot of plans for re-
form. The secretary of war made this
protest against the advocates Of vio-
| lence:
"But the point which wish to en-
phasize at present is the duty of every
one 70 discountenance at every point
the suggestion that the people at
large are to take the law into their
own hands and accomplish something
by violent and radical illegal action
against the evils of present society.
This would be to substitute chaos for
a government of law. Law must be
enforced through the executive and
through the lawfully constituted
courts
Now such words as this are worthy
of the true American, worthy Of the
optimist, the man who is looking up
ward and forward always, not down
ward into the muck Secretary Tafts
sane and healthy doctrines stand out
forcibly when contrasted with those
of DR.. Felix Adler before the New
York Ethical society the other day.
He found that we were all Inundated"
by the insurance investigation; that
we we're disgraced as community,
and That we did not know to what
depths we might have to descend. In
his mind the evidence brought out by
Mr.. Hughes was but the symptom Of a
disease which runs deep into Ameri
can life" But more alarming was the
I'"moral obfuscation, the sophistication
\ of the moral Judgment, the obscura'
ton of the ordinary moral perceptions
which have been revealed.
4. To talk like this is to overlook a
social fact pointed out by Herbert
Spencer many years ago when there
was great excitement in England over
scandals in connection with railroad
speculation He pointed out the alb
surdities of those who found in the dis
covery Of abuses an excuse for hys
terra on the subject Of organized soci
ETY.. Far from being reason for de
preston, it ought to be cause for sat
isfaction. In the treatment of disease
cool diagnosis must precede treatment
4 1t is within the choice of every man
J to be of the Taft class or one of the
disciples Of Dr. Adler. And If he does
! not think he owes it to humanity te
be an optimist, every man should fee
a debt to himself to the extent thai
he should make his own life as pleas
ant for himself as possible. Why moi
:, look pleasant?