The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-05-16
NUMBER 30
HIGHER ANERI( t\I>N
'By Marie CIaytonD

We Americans are, We think. a great
nation. We have accomplished in.
portant results in working out, d
spite gigantic opposition. the prime
pies OF civil ana political liberty. W.
hav" made popular government prac-
teal. The privileges OF the humble-t
citizen are more quickly accorded
than ever before, and individual we
far" Is more carefully safeguards.
Yet Notwithstanding all these satisfar-
tory improvements. "" have gnOrei
some things which We do i'll to slight
there remains "A weak point in our
social structure.
This weakness may be said to be
that chief evil which has sprung as an
obnoxious parasit" upon the virtu.
which lies at the very base OF our SO
cicty-cQuality. It is a too rigid be
llci in the preeminenC" of priyat.
right II is in simplest form a too
saucy manifestation of the "I-am-a--
good-as- you-are" attitude. II is there
fore, discOurtesy, with which the ma
jority of the American population is
affected. It is in "A worse form, illus
traicd by tn" operation OF great trusts,
alleged to be rapacious. BY the main
tain"ncr of political machines. by the
sovereignty of "bOssism. -. and by the
corrupt use Of public money for party
and private interests. All these
things are opposed TO public wcliara.
They are arrogant and selfish pcrver-
sons Of the advantages Of "A boaste1
democracy. They ar" only a few OF
III" demonstrations Of a too low ideal
Of citizenship, the weakness of our
nation.
1t must b" accepted as a social ami
political necessity that public welfare
should b" placed above private inter
est. It is more necessary also that
private right should not be "Naggcrat
ed. It should be pcrcciyabl" that the
large opportunities offered by free in.
stUtions are weakened by the gaining
Of private success through question
able methods.
Therefore the American people
need TO acquire a national conscience,
a uniform standard Of public opinio;.
And they need loyalty TO the unwrittcl
| law of social ideals. Abandoning in
sol"nt carriage and dishonest adyar
tago. We need to enter upon our true
destiny of IN" Higher AmeriCansn,
and the great highway OF progress to
ward this goal is opened by tn" proper
training Of American youth in the
| home and in the educational system.
The home affords an excellent Oppor-
! tunity for preparation It should iu-
rulcaG" respectful intercourse between
all individuals and classes. the frs
step toward the b"S, citizenship. II
is sometimes Iam"nted that old-faSh-
Toned standards of PARENTAL authority
hay" chiefly disappeared from Ameri-
can life. The average father. conf
dent and r"SOurs"ful. has allowed his
son lars" personal freedom. When h.
had misglvingS as 10 tn" tendencies q
his children. h" has been TOO busy
with making material profits to do
any real disCipining. The tendency is
for parents 10 become subordinate
while youth grows supreme. This
gives rise to a great growth OF sport
ave and wiliul misd"meanor Perhaps
this is not so much the case in well
to do families as. among the poorer
classes Tn" attiIud" Of a great mum
b"r of children Of tn" working classes
toward public order and the rights Of
others is srrikingly Irresponsible.
This is shown by frequent disordcrly
conduct in public places upon occas-
\ common sight also in tn" city is that
of a gang OF liftl" pirates, armed with
sticks, seeking Tor tn" amusement oi
small theft aud cNhilaTatiou of dam
aging property In one respect the
sporrive eNc"s>ivrs OF Youth should not
be taken too seriously. but in Combin-
alton with blindness and Indifference
on tn" part of adults. they acquire q
sinister menace.
80 wonder our country is lacking
in high. patriotic citizenship when
both the poor and III" rich neglect to
train and dicipIiu" their boys and
Thus eradicate present disorder as we'll
as 10 provide against = future und"sir-
abI" class Of citizens
But the nom" regime may be and
should be- successful in the training oi
youth Early education should teach
-uborduaIiou or respect for authority.
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