Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-16

generalities, or ironclad ethical rules
laid down for the government Of man
EN- masse. The individual has never
been considered.
Commandments have been fornnu-
lated, laws have been enacted, rules of
etiquet and good conduct have been
taught, and religious dogmas enforced
invariably for the benefit of the mass
at the expense of the individual. Oc-
casionally the individual has protested,
claiming that what might be right for
the mass OF mankind might be very
wrong for him, but his cry has been
unheeded and he has been forced to
live according to the rigorous rules pre-
scribed for humanity at large without
any attention being paid to his indi-
vidual needs.
Millions of men, women and chill
dren have been crowded through re-
strained and vitiated lives according
to the demands of public sentiment or
the cruel dictates of fashion, without
the slightest attention being paid to
individual values or individual charac-
teristics.
Even in our much vaunted public
school system, which is perhaps bet
ter than most things we have formu-
lated under wrong conceptions of life,
fashion and the utter want of classi-
fication. Thousands of children, pos
sessing every imaginable variation OF
individual characteristic, are herded to-
gether in our schools, taught In the
same classes held to the same require
ments and forced to absorb the same
kinds of knowledge in obedience to
system which Is fashioned upon neither
common sense, intelligence, observa-
tion or even decency.
1t Is a safe estimate that two-thirds
of the energy Of teachers and pupils is
expended in useless studies and in the
acquisition of knowledge which will
never be used by the great majority Of
those who absorb 1t. know this from
my own experience as a public school
student and from many years observa-
ton Of the system under which our
colleges and schools are conducted.
Teachers and educators are not to
blame for these conditions. They are
doing the best they can with the light
at their command.
Neither are the captains of industry,
the foremen and directors of labor, re-
sponsible for the hardships that are
continually forced upon the toiling
masses of mankind by reason OF un-
congenial occupations and failure to
recognize the talent of the individual.
The true science of character has
only been formulated very few years,
and knowledge must have time to
grow, but 1t is encouraging to note that
the greatest minds of the century are
now being directed into this channel,
and that leading newspapers and
periodicals are anxious to devote space
to it's discussion and to it's truthful
promulgation.
The science of vitosophy is coming
at last to prepare the way for bet
ter order Of things by furnishing the
knowledge Of individual character,
upon which all essential methods pur-
sued in the department of education
employment, social and Industrial con-
>itions must be based.
One great difficulty which the true
student of character encounters is the
mass of humbuggery and imposture
which has been perpetrated In the
name Of science.
Humanity has always hungered for
this knowledge, and shrewd charla-
tans have not been slow to recognize
the demand, consequently, we find that
all kinds of fraud, chicanery and hum
buggery are produced under the guise
of ifnparting this kind of knowledge.
| All kinds of fakes have been forced
uDOn an lnuulBSAt a. SANN
name of science, purporting to read the
| life and character of the Individual, te
tell his fortune, and to guide him II
solving the difficult problems or human
| life.
So thoroughly have these frauds beer
advertised and practiced, and SO fre'
quently has the public been deceived
| that a large majority of the most In
| teIIigent men and women refuse to
consider any valuable service of this
kind as being really possible.
have undertaken this work with
the sole design of presenting to the
readers of The Herald a clear. con-
else, logical statement Of scientific
facts.
/ shall give in each article prepared
for this department q definite lesson In
character study, explaining the funda-
mental .,r1nciples upon which the great
science Of vitosophy rests, and show
ing without any attempt at conceal