The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-05-12
Personal INDEPENDENCE.

The poets wish for "manly independ-
ence" finds an earnest response in nearly
every human breast. The independence
to which he referred was competence or
wealth which gives so many kinds of free
dom. Myriads feel that from the "sad vi
cissitude Of things" they are but "slaves
of circumstance, doomed to toll for mere
existence, and constantly deprived of the
broad liberty which captivates every i'm
agination-the liberty to do as one pleases.
1t is, no doubt, very delightful to be at
liberty and free, but there are great
many people who misconstrue the limits of
possible independence, and imagine that
they could be positively Indifferent to the
attitude of their fellow men. Many
thoughtless people of means really believe
that they are independent, but independ-
ence for the individual in civilized country
is only relative term, and its limits are
very strictly and narrowly circumscribed
at best.
The most superficial consideration of
the subject is calculated to moderate in
science of the most arrogant man and to
show him that he is part of a WHOLE and
that the whole is called society, in which
the parts or the individuals are inextrica-
bly, intertwined and interdependent. The
proper attitude is described by Words
worth:
"These two things, contradictory as they
may seem, must go together, manly de-
pendence and manly independence, manly
reliance and manly self-reliance. -"
An intelligent man has related to his
friends how he came to think on the sub
ject, and how his attude toward life and
the world was changed. He was called
away from his family a few years ago, and
while he was waiting at town to change
cars, a shifting engine backed down upon
him rapidly and noiselessly as he was
standing on the track looking for the in
coming train on the other track. An entire
stranger seized him by the arm and pulled
him away out of the path of death. :.
During his absence his little boy, who
was hanging on behind wagon in q
crowded street, dropped to the street and
started for the sidewalk, when a carriage
ran him down. A quick leap by police
man and the horses speed was checked
and its head averted enough to permit OIL
the rescue of the child from probable
death. The injury was severe, and nigh
have been extremely serious but for the
fact that an ambulance which was instantly
summoned bore the boy to the hospital
where skilled surgeons and physicians by
prompt measures rescued and restored thu
youth.
In the month following his wife becam.
violently i'll, but peril was averted through
the ministrations of trained nurse ant
physicians, who made use of appliances
and methods only recently discovered o.
adopted as the result of years of expert
mentation and discoveries by some of tn
most illustrious scientists and physicians O
two continents.
The independent young business mai
began to think his own case over rattle
carefully, and decided that for all his feel
ing of independence he was really jus
about as Independent of his fellow men ant
of the institutions which are the result o
the effort, intelligence and benevolence O
generations and ages as baby place,
alone on a desert isle.
Wealth gives measure of independence
in certain directions, but the wealthies
men in the world, were they as rich a
Crnsus, remain, nevertheless, dependen
upon the effort, the good Offices and co
operation of their fellow men. There is
saying, 1.-The king is the least indpenden
man in his dominions; the beggar the mos
so,'' which expresses the wholesome trut
that the greater the mans opportunity an
power the greater his burdens, RESPONSE
bilities and duties. "Not liberty, butduty
is the condition of existence" and no rea
man can evade his duty.
''There is no evil that we cannot eithe
face or fly from but the consciousness Q
duty disregarded. A sense of duty pur
sues US ever. 1t is omnipresent, lik
Diety.''
Every man is greatly beholden to tn
society and country in which he lives. H
can achieve complete independence .onl
by Sinking his duty as citizen and as
man. A thousand institutions, laws, in
dividuals, agencies and instrumentalitie
minister to his every want, and guarante
to him and his family safety, comfort