Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1906-04-25

U,J < family tree. OF course this was in.
LLI tended more as satire than truth,
for there are great many people 10 the West who
discovered by experience that bOaetDg Of their fam
lily trees could not be always worked of on the world
in exchange for a living in the East, and go they
pulled up stakes and made bee line Tor the West,
says the Birmingham News.
Some OF the metropolitan newspapers recently
spread out several columns with heads to match
about the wife OF multi millionaire who discovered
that she could trace her ancestry away back to the
Twelfth century, and that the blood of kings flows in
her veins. How nice! 1t was, OF course, regarded
valuable discovery il it could be worked off as an
argument in favor of her admission to certain nl'
tra.excusive circles which hitherto showed signs
Of Struggling their shoulders or archng their brows
when her name was mentioned as possible addition
to the set. The discovery will hardly be OF any
great service the public at large, however, Tor
the reason that the public at large has other crie.
rons by which to Judge OF mans claims to distnc-
tiOn.
Pride OF birth is commendable when it inspires
succeeding generations to strive to live up to stan
dards of thOught and conduct which ancestors set
on q high plane II used vain slOriously, however,
to excuse boasters for shortcomings, or otensivey
exploited to attain ends not merted, few things are
more Objectionable. The man who is we'll born
ought to be we'll, bred, and well'bred man seldom
openly boasts OF his pedigree Besides, pedigrees
can, be easily established. They can be made to
order almost while you wait. The fact is recalled
that for reasonable compensation European experts
will prepare pedigree whether the beneficiary hap
pens to be in the business OF peddliDg rough on
rats or financiering railroads
One OF the ablest men the South has produced, q
great and good with long line OF distinguished
ancestors, q gentleman through and through, pub.
licly remarked some years ago that ne recognized
no arstocracy which is not founded on one or more
OF four characteristics Duty, Charity, Brains, Pub
lie Service It was q wise remark People who
continually boast of their pedigrees in such way as
to be offensive would doubtless be humiated il
their distinguished prOgentOrs who themselves
were more self reliant than ancestraly dependent,
should come to life and feel distinct hesitancy in
recognizing their vain glOricus descendants on an
equal footing. Such dependence looks too much
like society crUtCh.
In nursing the family tree carefully to the
neglect Oi individual achievements premium is
put ON sloth. Most pedigree enthusiasts will find
deadwoOd or irregularly developed branches on
their family trees II they 60 back far enough We
were al descended from q couple who got us into
trunble, and whose first born murdered his brother.
That's going back pretty far.
al Virginia woman who had boarded q train with.
out her pass was told by the conductor who did not
know her that she would have TO pay her fare or
get of.
"Do you know who / am, sirf" she apked with
indignation.
HNo, who are yo1i" Queried the conductor.
"I am q relative OF John Randolph, Of Roanoke, |
would have you know, sir"
The conductor looked at her laconically and re-
piled: 'sWell madame, who the deuce was hel''
The public will sympathze with the conductor
under the circumstances.
We would not be understood as throwing cold
water ON any bOdy's creGitabe family tree. pedi.
gree is desirable and should be Of value In stimu
lating the owner to higher and better standards Of
life II resorted to excuse for individual short
comings, however, the public is very apt TO sym
pathize with the American who had made his mark
IL life and stamped his influence for good upon bic
community, and who In reply to 3 foreigner who
was boasting Of his kinship with titled men, but
who he'd never done anything himself, said: True,
We have no titled men III America but 2ullman Pei
ace Oar porters, but We get there just the same"
There is but one way In which legally the CODsti
tuition Of the United States could be amended That
is BY calling . convention, provision for which
such is given in the constitution, and though it has
never been applied IN our history there is now m.
doubted need for il. There should be an income
tax law law for the election Of United States SEN
atOrs By popular vote and uniform divorce law,