The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-24

enter marriage. II two people contract
marriage like some people trade horses
each one trying to get the better of the
bargain-it is not certain that the mar
riage will be a happy one. In fact, the
man who cheats in horse trade has at
least one advantage over the man who
cheats in matrimony. The man who
cheats in a horse trade may console HIM
self with the thought that he may never
see again the person whom he has cheat
ed. Not SO fortunate is the man who
cheats In marriage. He not only sees
daily the person whom he has cheated,
but he is sometimes reminded of it-and
it is just as bad if the cheating is done
by the other side.
There was an American ideal of do
nestle life. When two persons, drawn
together by the indissoluble ties of love-
enter marriage, each one contributing a
full part and both ready to share lifes
struggles and trials as wei as its vic
tories and its ioys-when these, mutually
helpful and mutually forbearing. start out
to build an American home it ought to
be the fttest earthly type of heaven.
In business it is necessary to have an
ideal. 1t is as impossible to build busi-
ness without an ideal as it is to build a
house without plan. Some think that
competition is so sharp now that it is
Impossible to be strictly honest in busi-
ness; some think that it is necessary to
recommend a thing, not as it is, but as
the customer wants it to be. There never
was time when it was more necessary
than it is today that business should be
built upon foundation of absolute in
tegrity.
In the professions, also, an ideal is
necessary. Take the medical profession
for illustration. 1t is proper that the
physician should collect money from his
patients for he must live while he helps
others to live but the physicians who
have written their names high upon the
scroll of fame have had a higher ideal
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had a passion for the study of their pro
fession; they have searcs.ed diligently for
the hidden causes of disease and the rem
edies therefor and they have found more
delight in giving to the world some dis
covery of benefit to the race than they
have found in all of the money that they
have collected from their patients
And the lawyer; has he ideals? Yes.
And l suppose the ideals of lawyers
vary as much the ideals in any other
profession. The lawyers ideals have an
influence upon his character lie can
not persistently defeat justice. or even
ignore 1t without conscious lowering
of his manhood. while cinscientious
search for Justice increases his power
of discernment and adds to his moral
strength.
Then, too, a lawyers influence with
the Judge depends largely Upon his
reputation for honesty. OF course, a
lawyer can fool Judge few times and
lead him into a hole. but after awhile
the judge learns to know the lawyer
and then he cannot follow the lawyers
arguments because he is looking for the
hole all the time, which he knows is
somewhere and which he is trying to
avoid. l need not remind you that moth
ing is so valuable to a jury lawyer as
a reputation that will make the jurors
believe that he will not under any cir
law or of evidence. And so I might
tae up each occupation, calling and pro-
fession. and show that the ideal con-
trolls the life, determines the charac-
ter and establishes a mans place
among his fellows.
But let me speak of the ideals of a
larger group. What of our political
ideals? The party as well as the indi-
vidual must have its ideals, and we are
far enough from the eIectio nto adj
NIT that there is rom in all the parties
for the raising of the party idcal. How
can a person most aid his party2 Let
US suppose that one is passlona tely de-
voted to his party and anxious to rem
der it the maximum of service; how can
he render this service? BY raising the
ideal of his party. If a young man
asks me how he can make a fortune in
a day, l eannet tell him, If lie asks
how he can become rich in a year, 1
know not what to answer him, but /
can tell him that If he will locate In
any community for rs years live an
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