Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-02-28
sELF.RELIANCE
Subject of Essay by High School
Pupil.

Pupil.
Self-reliance is necessary for the
happiness and welfare Of every hui
man being. 1t Is perhaps the most
difficult trait to cultivate, as few
come by 1t naturally. Success de-
ponds on self-reliance. A captain Of
a large ship does not leave his boat
to be borne hither and thither at
the pleasure of the waves and thus
endanger the lives entrusted to his
care, but has some goal to reach and
directs his course thence. One au-
thor says: "A man stranded on
some financial rock is like a lobster
when left high and dry among the
boulders, not having instinct enough
to work his way back to the sea, but
lies there and dies, waiting for the
sea to come to him." How many of
us are Holsters waiting for the tide
OF good fortune to carry us toward
deeper water? For Holsters are
found at home and at school as well
as on the market. 1t is more COM
mendable to be lowly and rely on
yourself than to be great and rely
on others.
Hardships and trials teach Self-re-
lance. When one is thrown on his
own resources and left destitute Of
friends or money to wander out of
his difficulties as best he can, it is
then, and not until then, that he
learns his true worth. Some men
never have an opportunity to become
really acquainted with themselves.
1t has been said that "In mind, as
well as body, we are children first.
only that we may afterward become
men," 1t is seldom that two people
learn self-reliance from the same
lesson. What is life-giving grain to
one man may prove but chaff to an
other.
How many young men and women
instead Of putting their hand to the
pIow and reaching the end with hon
est sweat on their brow, and the
fruit of labor before them, are con-
tinually building air-castles, and
dwell in these airy palaces the re-
4 mainder of their lives? They are
always signing and mourning FOL
what might have been II some more
lucky brother had but given them
lift; or some rich relative died and
bequeathed them his hard-earne6
fortune to start them in life. Many
have no ambition for higher things
but drift day by day, continually
drawing nearer the eve of life, nc
better, some even worse than in thC
morn, and if they ever pause t.
consider the source of their failure
call 1t fate. A man constantly de
pending and leaning on others is {
burden to society and a slave to thu
fullest extent Of the word. Was NO
slavery abolished by the Constitu
ton Of the United States? Why
then, should our government counte
nance people who are violating th'
laws of our country? One autho
says: "Rich young men who begin
their fortunes where their father
leave of, leave them where thei
fathers began" Discomfort, dis
Encouragement and downheartednes
signify a want of self-reliance.
In history, which is the create
man, the one who began at the to-
or at the bottom of the ladder? Ben
iamin Franklin started out to max
his fortune with all his worldly good
tied up in a handkerchief, and b
his independence of thought discoV
cred electricity. Abraham Lincoln
although but rail splitter, becam
president of the United States. H
did not hesitate to voice his opinions
: but did as his conscience bid hin
regardless of the result. Did thes
men attain their success by relyin
ON themselves, or on others? w
can not all of us be Franklins G
Lineolns, nor perhaps would we car
+, to. But we can all live, as the sa!
. ing is, such that when this life
1 ended the world will be better fC
a our having existed"
myrtle SEYMOUR.