The Washington herald., 1910-09-11
THE OPTIlIST- WHAT THE VICE MEANS

ness embrace each other. One cannot be
without the other. The Golden Rule.
DO unto others as you would they
should DC unto you" is law unto the op-
timist, for be it understood that a man
is not called selfish only because OF what
he does for himself. but for what he
fails to do for his fellow-man. The IN
selfish mantle optimist-finds no task in
helping others. in comforting whatever
he goes. In what measure We meet shall
It be meeted unto you, therefore those
who give much. much is given in return
N eontentment. trust in God. confidence
in your neighbor. sweet hopes. and peace
ful memories: the whole combining TO
form the greatest blessing bestowed on
iliaii--Op liiIlsnl TALLULAH des SMITH
The immortal Fenelon, in HIS great
work, "Aventures de TeIemaque. MS
d'Ulysse." which was written for the in
struction Of the Duke Of Burgundy.
grandson Of L0C:- XIV. LAYS bare the
anatomy Of the human mind and heart.
In the wanderings Of that young Greclau
prince, accompanied by Minerva, dis
guised as Mentor. he endeavors 10 give
instruction for personal action as well as
the best methods Of human govern
ment. In one OF the Grecian isles. ruled
by Phnocies. Mentor laid down TO that
ruler the fundamental principles Of an
ideal republic. and among them we're
that children should be early taught to
prefer honor 70 comfort and riches; that
injustice, deceit, ingratitude. and idle
ness were the most infamous vices. OF
course. all these vices are the children
Of selhshness. Yet our industrial system
and our civilization are built on selfish
ness. Even religion. as generally in
terpreted. has selhshness as its founda-
ton. OF course. there are many reasons
for the prevalence Of selfishness, but in
a large sense the fear Of want IS It's
progenitor. Could a system Of produc-
I ton and distribution be devised
which would guarantee to each
member OF society all the necessi-
ties Of life, selhshness would IN great
degree disappear. and II it were held as
a vice objectionable. the sooner we would
be rid Of it and all the Ills which fol-
low in its train. Il has been shown by
historians that every war has had as
its ultimate cause the selfish desire OF
one nation 10 get what belonged 10
another nation. In business warfare II Is
practically the same. With the dlsap-
pearance Of the selfish competitive sys-
ten comes the selfish trust system, one
concern swallowing another. until ulti-
mately there viii be but the one COM
pany. controlled by one set Of men for
the good OF those men. And then what?
Either slavery for the people, or the gov
eminent as the head Of all productive
( enterprise. with all the people as stock
| holders Can we not see now as never
/ before that selishness is ruling the
I world. and that ultimately selhshness
will destroy the world II not checked?
/ He who would save society and project
/ government along lines for the good OF
| all the people must abolish or curb self
/ ishness. which. like jealousy, grows with
what it feeds upon. Selhshness has many
! phases, but they ali resolve themselves
into one issue on a final analysis: The
/ general good Of organized society against
the selfish greed OF the individual
H. Y. BIsBEE