The Washington herald., 1909-11-07
by THE OPTIMIsT.

Unsonsciously. perhaps, but none the
less truly. we press eagerly on TO make
each day bring us something better than
the one which has preceded #. 1t is in
material things that the most OF man
kind IS at present occupied with. Money
making, the desire for fame along vari-
Gus lines Of endeayor. the accomplish
rnent Of ambitions, all engage the atten-
ton OF the world OF men and women.
This IS called progress. It Is through this
that we have been able to call the pres
ent condition OF society state OF civil
ization.
The desire for Improvement has civil
lied the world. Or at least it has lifted
the world out Of the benighted darkness
OF times when men we're only savages
and fought like beasts for advantage
over each other Gradually the light
dawned which told them that progress
was impossible unless the rights Of each
dher were respected. The might or the
strongest. however, has survived even TO
this day-not only I'm material but In
moral and in spiritual things.
The strongest man or woman is the
one who will succeed in doing the best.
Strength OF body is a very wonderful
thing but. nowadays 10 Is strength OF
mind that counts most. The possessor
Of moral courage and mental strength
IS The leader among hts kind. Whether
YOU are striving for material or moral
Improvement. the means 20 achieve the
end are about similar In either case
YOU must keep fighting.
To answer the question How can we
best accomplish Improvement but TWO
words are necessary
Keep fighting
THE battle for Improvement and prog
ress does not cease. IL is never-enhins
struggle. and day by day IL gets hotter
and ferCcr.
Are Won IN the midst or the fight
AGAINST the influences that seek 10 pre-
vent radical and national Improvement
Every time we pick up the daily paper
we read something that shows US the evil
dence of the great task that comforts
those who work Tor the moral advance
nent of the world. Men In their selhsf
struggle for their own advancement over
look the greatest duty which they owe
10 life. which Is 10 put their efforts forth
FOR the improvement of all. not for thD
few. and least OF all for the oneself
The optinist VIII be found IN the fro,s
ranks Of those who SEEK the improve
ment of the general welfare Opt,mist
viii Doe found teaching and pracucln
how 10 live best. they viii DE foun
showing the selfish and the narrow one
the error Of their ways and giving then
guidance along the road TO real beue
fetal IMPROVEMENT.
Progress and Improvement are not syn
onyms. unfortunately, although man
people think that 20 progress necessarIl
means 20 improve 10 Is possible q
progress toward evil quite as much .
fl is toward good. Therefore, when "
saw Improvement" we mean better
ment-uumau bettermeut US Optimes
Rrewton puts it.
Human b,ttcruent Is one Of the prim
objects OF the true opumist You va
agree that we cannot call ourselves OF
timists unless we believe in and pracuC
Falf-impr0yement. When we lmrroV
ourselves we uuconsCiously work an in
provemcut on those with whom we nav
influence The greatest good is done b
example hence the beginning Of huma
hettermeut is self-improvewent. To a.
compIsh the Improvement Of other
then. we must first improve oUrselye
To accomplish the improvement of on
selves we must fght-hght for ever
principle which we know and feel 60
necessary 90 the welfare OF Ike world
men,
Nothing is ever gained through uactc
and lack of determination. il we I.cdl
ourselves to optimism and agree 10 maj
an example OF our lives. we must The
never relax In our efforts 20 keep on
selves continually improving. Take q
work OF The Washington Herald eptm,
Club. for instance. The club when it vi
fest started, possessed only handful
members. and the only attention It q
tractcd was the curiosity Of those vi
hadn't the courage or the inclinati,
TO Join the brotherhood. Now, it is
powerful and far-rcaChing influence +
the good Of mankind. The members n
recruited from everywhere and the II
of names IS constantly growing.
Now the club Yields O positive inf
Cnce FOR good The sentiments express
every week by the members reach T
and wide. cheering and helping their Il
low-men And each day the club n
proves. each week is q milestone In
upward progress Of the members. The
Is no rCtrOgrade movement possible I
an optimist The pessimlst and {
crouch may improve into an optimst q
blossom out into the biggest of them q
but the optimlst never siumDs back Il
pcssimism. once an Opumist and ha
ing heard the message OF hope and goo
fellowship. it IS impossible TO return
old ways again. Many members Ia
ceased sending I'm their contributors r.
ularly but this Is only natural The
CupatiOn of other interests very OF
keeps me from hearing from some
them. perhaps for weeks mt a time, I
sooner or later they renew their G,
tribuuous. and I know that there 7
been no lapse. only a lack Of time.
Even n they do not contribute 10
weekly symposium Of thoughts, still Il
read 10 and benefit by q. and show n
their ncighhors. The improving infuel
Of optimism runs forever IN the mi
OF the man who really has at heart
honest desire 10 help himself and
brother-men 10 have better thougI
and a more cheerful outlook
Selfshness may 60 with material
provement but lt doesn't mix we'll "
tho sort OF Improvement the Opuu
stands for lie argues that the dropp
OF selfish desires is one OF the first
most necessary steps in the direction
Improvement
BE thoughtful and honest: be indepe
cnt and courageous; be a partaker in
joy OF living: be generous 10 your
Iow-men, and give them a helpful W
or smile along the pathway Of life; "
hard and strive for the right, and
will find every day an improvement o
the one that preceded IT,
IF your neighbor asks you how best
can accomplish moral Improvement
him to become an optimist, and he
find the road 10 improvement clear.
accomplishment Of good is only thro
self-sacrifces and righteousness; the
com Jlishment OF Improvement Is gal
in exactly the same way Nothing
be gotten for nothing. and YOU can't