The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-12-26

ana the nation mas incentive III lls
own achievements and natural hles
sings to misuse which would consti
tute a national crime, II the individ
ual and the nation are guided by the
experiences OF the past as they should
be. the new year will be marked by
progress and prosperity such as they
have never before enjoyed.
At the very outset II should be borne
in mind that the individual is the foun.
tain source of national progress and
prosperity. The spring feeds the
stream, streams unite to form rivers,
and mighty rivers replenish the evap-
Grating oceans. Let the spring fail,
the stream dries up the river fails.
and the ocean sinks below its natural
level So the individual, even the hum
blest, must continue his contribution
TO the rising tide of prosperity, If he
would draw from that prosperity for
his personal needs, just as the spring
draws from the ocean through the con
densation of its evaporated waters
the rain that waters the land. The
~ Vi IA.A obAAtAA col l'NAlsAhAAANT N'N'
not be discounted without endangerinS
the welfare of all-neither by the ind
vidual himself, nor by society. A
proper sense of responsibility compels
seizure upon every opportunity within
reach.
If there has been one idea more mis-
chievous than another as regards In
divdual activity, it has been the one
embodied in the oftrepeated phrase,
The world owes me a living" II
does If one earns il, but the world
has nothing to give to the lazy, the in
dolent, the sluggard. In its compensa.
tion the world is reciprOcal-it pays
back, on the average, just about what
the individual contributes, sometimes
rewarding meritorious effort generous
ly. Success comes to those only who
make good. There is natural law in
the business world. and obedience to
that law is as essential as observance
of civil law if there is to be individual
prosperity. Certain it is that for vio-
lation Of all law there is penalty which
is sometimes severe.
Nor is there any excuse for failure
to do ones part because of the appar-
ent prosperity of others at his ex-
pense Human experience has shown
that a part of society cannot long
prosper at the expense of the whole,
and that part cannot long prosper at
the expense of another part. This eX-
perience has also accorded with nat
ural law which rules on the principle
of general averages, in spite of many
apparent exceptions. The second
great mistake lies in arguing from
exceptions, a mistake which is always
productive of erroneous conclusions
Exceptions but make good the rule
which only can be the basis OF reason
which in turn, if good excludes eXcep-
tions. Sound reasoning demands legiti-
mate excuse which cannot be found in
individual failure.
Therefore, the new year with all it's
opportunities appeals to you. 1t places
responsibility on you. Its message is
IT'S up to you" If 1914 shall prove
a year Of prosperity to you, it is be-
cause you will have merited success;
if, on the other hand, 1914 shall have
proved a year Of failure, you will have
in some measure, at least, been re-
sponsible AS with the individual. so
with the nation
Let the cynics say what they will
there's logic in the joy the world finds
in New Years. One day may be much
like another, but every day is a fresh
beginning" The years come and go,
bearingenearly the same freight of sor.
row and failure and bitter disappoint.
ment, but always hope feels the thrill
and uplift Of new chance for human.
ity at the turn O. the year, and all that
makes life worth while is touched by
hopes magic
New Years comes with the increase
of light and the slow retreat Of dark.