Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-07-12
Ideal Man Of Today
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

Yet man is very different being from
the one who used to dominate the
1t would be impossible today to in.
terest the reading world with a great
novel or great poem on war with such
heroes as made history in the days of
Alexander the Great, or Caesar or Ma
poleOn.
The taste of the times is changed.
because the men of the times have
changed from butchers to inventors,
turned from self-seeking aims to al.
truistic endeavors.
Few of us who read the crimina!
records of each day give thought to
the wonderful work which is going on
silently and steadily right in our midst
for the uplifting and betterment Of
humanity.
1t would require an encyclodia to
name and describe all the noble, splen.
did, unselfish people and organizations
which are doing successful work for
the present day and the generations to
come. The People s club, an outgrowth
of the noble Cooper Union; the night
schools scattered all over our great
cities, the musical schools for the poor,
the "Self Mastery" Colony in New
Jersey and in Chicago, and similar in.
stitutions elsewhere for men and wo.
men who have stumbled in the darkness
and aer trying to walk the straight
road; the cooperative associations,
which are growing in number and pow.
er; the Joseph Fels Fund Association
which is doing magnificent work for
single tax both here and in Europe;
the Salvation Army and the Y. NJ. C..
A. organizations-all these institutions
and thousand more are governed and
upheld by men of brain, education,
power place and influence; and each
and every one is doing his best to
make life easier and sweeter for his
fellows.
Such men and such ideals Of man.
hood were rare indeed in the time Of
the Alexanders and the Caesars and
the Napoleons.
It must seem encouraging to the
thoughtful mind when we consider how
much more universal the spirit of
kindness has become in the world in
hundred or two years.
Despite our unfortunate condition to.
day, there was never so much univer.
sal Intelligence on earth before, and
never so many people thinking along
lines.
There was never before so strong a
sentiment of kindness toward weaker
things of earth,
Imagine a society for preventing
cruelty to children, or for redressing
the wrongs of animals, in the days Of
Napoleon! Even at so recent a period
as that, parents were supposed to be
Individual monarchs over their chill
dren, no matter how they misused
or neglected them. A priest might in
terfere with advice, or child be
brought into convent for succor
through his Intervention, but there was
no organized lawful protection for un'
fortunates.
And an animal might be tortured by
fiend in human form and no one
could interfere unless he chose to come
to a personal hand.to.hand combat.
Therefore brute force was a neces'
sary element in the education of every
young man who wanted to help right
and defend weakness. But the age OF
humanitarianism has dawned. 1t is
still dawn, but the sun is mounting the
heavens with slow certainty and cast
ing into shadow theOld idea that physi'
cal prowess means manliness.
Abraham Lincoln is not famed as a
skilled slayer of deer or as a pugilist'
He might have failed utterly as a
butcher of men or beasts. But he was
great statesman, a great ruler, a
great man. Admiral Dewey was a great
war hero, but we Honor him more to.
day for his bloodless victories than for
his ability to slaughter his enemies like
an old.time victor.
No man today stands forth as truly
great who does not include mercy and
humanitarianism among his virtues.
During the next hundred years brain
and heart will be the most important
qualities in leaders and rulers.
Muscle and physical courage will
have to take second place. No man
can have complete use Of his mental
powers, no matter how rare they may
be, unless he is well and full Of vital
ity.
If Won are housewife you cannot
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