The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-08-29
THE FAULTS OF MEN.

we'll to study the faults of men, but rather
to seek their virtues; but once in while IL
is useful to take general view OF humanity
and observe that no man is without faults.
If it be not too much dwelt upon this IS
useful observation, but it is probably quite
as true that no man is without some virtue,
and it is generally more profitable to seek
out and use his virtues than to play upon
his faults. Diplomacy of the old school has
almost passed away, but some hundreds OF
years ago when all State affairs were con-
Quoted by intriguants, supported by spies,
double dealing if successful was counted
honorable, itwasthennecessary to study
the faults of men very closely that one might
be upon guard against their imprudence or
take advantage of their rashness and their
passions Although there is less of intrigue
TODAY. and men meet each other in business
and politics more openly and fairly than in
the olden time, it is still necessary for men
of affairs to be acquainted with the foibles
of human nature, that they may know the
prises. There are, for example, some fair
weather sailors, menof capacity and ability,
who get along very we'll as long as they
prosper in thier designs, but who lack reso-
luton and decision in an emergency. There
are others whom fear drives into panic.
Opposed to them in character are the
morally brave, sobered and made cautious
in the presence of great danger, but too
reckless to betrusted except in great events.
Scarcely any man can be found who has
all the qualities that it is desirable to have.
If he is bold he may become reckless, If he
is cautious he may be cowardly, and SO
each good quality may be offset by bad. 1t
is this that makes it so extremely difficult
to choose military leaders until they have
been tried in campaigns. Apart from any
differences in natural ability and military
training, temperament has large share in
determining the habits of men that it is
almostimpossibet to try general except by
an actual campaign. The man who gives
high promise CT being military chief of
the greatest ability may develop some fatal
fault Of disposition. Examples of this kind
were frequent during our civil war, when
nearly all the officers were put on trial in
large operations for the first time. One
was too cautious Though personally brave,)
another too impetuous and reckless, a third
could only see the thing before him and was
without large ideas or broad plans, and so
on through a long list of faults combined
with many virtues. Battles tried them all,
and those who emerged from the fierce
conflict with high regulations were the ex-
ceptions, not the rule. A precisely similar,
though less obvious, test is being made of
men in political and business life at all
times. We see men of unquestioned ability
raised to high places, and we see them fall
away because of some fault of disposition.
They may lose friends by being distrustful;
they may be too timid to come to decision
at the proper time, or be too imperious to
prudenly submit for time their judgment
to the will of their party. Whatever their
faults may be, these faults work more
against, than their virtues for, those in high
station, because man in public life is the
object of keen criticism which usually ac-
cepts virtues as matter Of course and only
seeks out defects. To less considerable
degree, because less publicly, men in all
stations of life are subjects of criticism as
to their faults and are liable to be hinderedin
their advancement by defects of character.
Although one may not hope to reach per-
lection it should be the object of every
ambitious man to study himself, as well as
other people, and try to rid himself of such
lmpediments to prosperous career as
faults of natural disposition, and bad habits
are sure to become. He should enter into
an honest determination, especially after
failure, and try to ascertain its cause.
Has he missed promotion, knowing himself
to be fitted for it, at least in the academic
sense? Why did he miss it? Was it
because his superiors thought him irreso-
lutte or rash, or lacking in quick judgment
or incapable of controlling those under
him? What was his fault, or apparent
fault, that prevented promotion? That kind
OF inquiry pursued without vanity will
very often reveal defect that may be
remedied With advantage. 1t is, at all
events, useful to study humanity, the
natural causes of the rise of one man and
the fall OF another, and especially ones
own character and deficiencies.