The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-02-12
"How TO IMPROVE OUR COUN-
TRY'S SOCIAL LIFE
(By Mrs. C. L. Myers.)

l
(By Mrs. c. L. Myers.)
The present is generally styled the
age of reform. This we do not fee
disposed to controvert. 1t cannot be
denied that mankind are wholly def.
Gent in the greatest of all reform
individual reform. Societies for the
reformation Of others are multiplied,
but efforts for personal improvement
are much neglected. Infidels, as well
as Christians, mourn or profess to
mourn over the evils Of society. Re-
formers must take a different course.
First reform themselves and then
their influence will be felt with a
hundred fold more force upon others.
Never employ yourself to discover
the faults OF others look to your
own. You would better find out one
of your own faults than ten Of your
neighbors. He who reforms himself
has done more toward reforming 9TH
ers than crowd Of noisy, impotent
patriots. Let's work where we can
WELD the greatest Influence. Begin
ia home. Surely family politeness
strengthens and brightens all ties Of
social life. The children grow up In
better moral atmosphere. and learn
to respect their parents as they see
them respect each other. Many a
boy becomes saucy and disobedient
to his mother because he SO frequent
" sees the rudeness Of his father to-
ward her. He insensibly imbibes
the same habits and thoughts and
feelings they engender, and In his
turn becomes the petty tyrant. The
boy brought up in the home where
love and respect are the ruling ele-
ments will be found quite different.
II the father respects and loves his
wife andtries to make her happy by
deeds Of kindness, the boy will i'm
bibe the same nature. Our life abroad
is but a reflex of what it is at home.
Our habits are formed under the
moulding power of home. Home in
fluence is either a blessing or
curse, for good or for evil, commenc-
ing at birth and going with us
through life, clinging to us in death
and reaching into the eternal world.
The character of home influence is
great, silent, irresistible and lasting.
Let us begin our country's improve
ment, then, in the home. Youth is
the pleasant springtime Of life, the
season Of hope, enterprise and energy
to society as well as to an individual
You cannot judge by the outward
show. The rose of Florida, the most |
most beautiful of flowers, emits no
fragrance; the Bird of Paradise, the
most beautiful of birds, utters no
song; the cypress of Greece, the fin
est Of, trees, yields no fruit; dandies,
the shiniest Of men, generally have
no sense, and ballroom bellies, the
loveliest of creatures, are very often
ditto.
There are many people in society,
moving with the best of people, who
degrade society instead of elevating
{. AS an illustration: A minister
vas once at hotel, where he OBJ
served a horse jockey trying to take
n a simple man by imposing upon
lin an unsound horse for good one.
The minister, knowing the character
II the jockey, warned the stranger to
'e cautious Of the man he was deal
ng with. The stranger finally de-
lined to purchase, and the Jockey
ecame quite angry and said; Par
on, ! would much rather hear you
reach than to have you privately in
erfere with bargains between man
nd man In this way" WELL" re-
lied the minister, 'if you had been
here you ought to have been last !,
unday you would have. heard me
reach. ""Where was that?" "In the )
ate prison, replied the minister. If
e could rid our country of such men J,
these we could have much i'm
'ovement in our social circles. How
Sc may we improve? BY educa-
on, honest labor and perseverance. 7
II we wish to educate the young /,
9 must put forth some effort to do \
J, We may send them to school six 4
seven months in the year, teach T
EN- their spelling lessons and help "
EN- with their sums. This is all NJ
'od, but it is not sufficient. Every .,
me should have some good books. 81
zach the child the love of good q,
oks. A man is better known BY y