The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-05-22
Changing the Old Order.

Changing the Old Order.
We change things not by discussing
them, but by doing them. We
improve the world by contact and
conduct, and not by conducting
arguments. We need to be more
concerned with changing the order
of ourselves, and. less concerned
about changing the order of the
world.
Only a few accomplish things.
The masses, or the many, follow,
initiate - doing the "gOOse-step"
along the beaten paths of precedent.
The one great problem the world
must solve is the problem of indi-
vidual ineffiency. Has it occurred
to you that the individual was in
tended to be a thoroughly compe-
tent human being, with a set of
brains equipped and used for think
ing purposes? Have you ever, in
your saner moments, retired to some
quiet spot to reflect how little you
make of your opportunities?
We imagine there is some magic
short CUT to happiness, to success,
to fame-but this is not in the ma
ture of things; the problem is with
the individual. We have too many
laws, too many pretenders, too much
hypocricy. What we really need is
more humanity, more Individuality
for after all, the individual is the
thing. 4
We can never produce an ideal
government, or an ideal money sys-s
TEN, or an ideal policy of business,
until we produce fewer quibblers
and backsliders and more men of
minds, who stand for truth, princi-
pie, honesty of thought and dignity
of purpose. What each of us needs
to do is to change the order of our
selves! The individual is the pro-
blem and this is the riddle which
must be solved.
We need to systematic ourselves.
And have you stopped to think that
nearly all the problems Of the world
would be solved by tomorrow noon
if each of us would today only get
busy at some useful work, some use.
full thing? You cannot change the
system of things by discussing it or.
by arguing it over a glass of beer
or between cigarette puffs. Criti-
cising the system or the established
order is the work of the man who is
out of job. These are the things.
which concern constantly the man
who has no bank account and who
has "sneaky feeling that the world
owes him something he has not ac-
tually earned. )
Men and women need to set out,
to improve themselves instead of the
world. We hear men who have new
er done any useful thing-except la
Dor to avoid -criticising the
prevailing system, explaining how
the tendency of the race is wrong.
Such criticism is usually but the
dream of the man who has been and
is failure. His suggested changes
are at least the ideas of man who
has had little experience and no re-
sponsihilities.
We change things not by discuss
ing them but by doing them. We
improve the world by contact and
conduct, and not by conducting ar
guments. We do the world a benefit
only as we give ourselves chance to
grow. AS we grow we do more work
and better work, and this means
more and better positions for our
selves and for others, wider scope
of influence, broader and more
beautiful life.
Let the order of things be as it is.
we need more to be concerned with
the order of ourselves. Do not fret
and vex and fume over the estab-
lished system. Just systematic your
self your ways, your Thoughts, your.
work, your mind-and then you have
contributed to the better and more
practical and more beautiful way to-.
ward which the world is certainly
tending. :5..s
M = 3 >A.>ns