The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-12-05
The KySyery OF Fear.
(New Orleans Times-Democrat.) J

| II is Sdlu CnaC JulluS caesar stop
ped an eagle-bearer in full flight and
turned him gently around with the
simple reproof: you have mis-
taken the direction of the enemy" :"
according to the annalist, the veter-
an at once regained his sang froid
and soon after fell in the forefront
of the battle.
The anecdote derives peculiar
point from the fact that the mighty
Romans name has for ages been an
accepted equivalent for serene and
unfaltering courage, while the race
from which he sprang rose to imper-
ial power by virtue Of ineXhaustible
pluck. The legionary who had
shown his heels was Of the same breed
as the sentinels who were found
dead at their post in Pompeii. Why,
then, did this humble Roman lose
his birthright of valor for q moment?
Why did the great captain assume
that the guardian Of the eagle had
merely made mistake of direction
which might be rectifed on the in
slant? These questions touch one
of the deepest in psychology and up
on the answer hinges the method by
which masses Of men are kept true
in crisis.
What is fear? Why does man,
or people, face the direst perils
undaunted and, again, flee from
shadows which should not alright
child? The materialist will tell you
that the secret lies in the physical
status of the man, or the people
that cowardice comes from the
nerves or the liver, from the stom-
ach or the heart. But this explana-
ton does not fit in with the typical
instances Of heroism Or baseness, Of
which history is full. The garrison
of Saragossa, though to the last de-
gree hungry ,and wretched, fought
to the end without counting the cost,
while the gates of the other towns
were flung open to the foe without
firing a gun, though the arsenals
and the commissariat were burst
ing. ~
From birth to death, we stand be-
tween two worlds-the one offering
sure and immediate rewards, the
other holding out guerdons which
are impalpable and distant. AS we
rise to danger, or recoil from its ap-
proach, accordingly we retain, OR
lose, cur grasp, on the eternal real
| ties.
This unfading moral issue is of
peculial moment to Americans just
| now, for the country is face to face
with a peril which is, for the most
part, mere fgrent Of the brain.
Pessinism runs riot and confidence
and the demand for products has
seldom been so keen. Solvent banks
find themselves impelled to certain
payments, bring the whole super
structure of credit to the ground.
Europe frightens US and we fright
en- Europe in turn. Hypochondia
is so fashionable that the stalwart
| is thought to be freak. Through
out the length and breadth Of the
land there stalk specters which are
such stuff as dreams are made on,
and neither the captain of industry,
nor the artisan, can find a pillow
soft enough to bring sleep. Is there
no personality strong enough to
turn us about, as Caesar turned the
fugitive Of old? Certainly, the hour
is ripe for the word fifty spoken
which, as the Scripture says, is an
apple Of gold in pictures of silver.
for we, too, have mistaken the dl-
rection of the enemy" and need to
be told that safety must be sought
in resolute advance, not IN craven
retreat.
II