The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-08
THE SPIRIT or Discomfort.


! "A denuncintory phrase which is fast
losing q force Il never should have pos
kessed is IAN appeal to discomfort" 1t
has been applied so indiscriminately TO
all agitations for change, for progress,
Or for radical departures from the ac-
ceptcd order OF things, that 1t has be-
come by many 10 be regarded merely
ot the thing suggested
Yet Il is st!ll in use. and with some
Il still has effect. To nccuse IA public
man OF appealing TO the spirit OF dis
content is still regarded by some rs an
indictment. whatever they may think
of the weakness or the injustice of 1t.
They may have reached the point at
which they pass it by with little
thought. but few people have yet come
20 consider tho intended charge us not
a charge, but as a word spoken IN
tavor.
An appeal 10 Che spirit OF discomfort
is an appeal which every statesman
should attempt to make, and TO which
every citizen should respond. To what
else IS there TO appeal? One content
with poor days wage viii never make
an enort to secure larger. One salts
fed with his position will never work
himself to higher. Ono content with
the world as It Is Will never lift n
hand 20 make Il better. Without dis
content there is no ambition: without
81 there Is no desire for higher and
better lifo. = people which has never
been moved by the divine spirit of dis
content has never been n people to
conquer by arms, by morality. by art
or by civilization. They have ever
been the conquered, tho followers. the
in!tators To what else but the spirit
OF discomfort has any great leader OF
men appealed? To what else did Christ
Himself appeal?
The spirit of discomfort was given TO
man to dinerentiate him from the brute
world and to make him It's ruler. With
out Il he would nevor have developed
into what he was intended 10 be--the
greatest OF Gods creations. Without
It ne would be to-day what he was
when creation dawaed. Without It he
could never have been guilty OF pre-
sumptuous sins, but without 1t he never
would have been capable of active
Righteousness.
Discomfort wrongly manifested has
been tho cause OF many wrongs and
but divine discomfort rightly manifest ed
has for It's monuments every govern
inent on the globe: every work OF art
every great piece of literature; every
finely executed conception OF the sculp-
tor; every stone that is placed upon
stone. we are proud OF Virginia and
her history. The spirit of discomfort
have been a Henry, a Jefferson, q
Washington, a Madison TO make that
history We are proud OF Richmond
and her magnificent buildings. Tho
foundation Of every-Gfonument, OF every
public building. Sf -every industry In
the city Is discomfort
The danger lies not in an aroused
spirit OF discomfort. 1t Hes rather In
the manner Of its manifestation. In
surroction. regicide, wars Of conquest.
mob violence and unwise strikes are
manifestations OF discomfort. but, then,
so are successful revolutions: so are
aspirations for higher things; SO Is
ambition TO rise IN the world. The
man who appeals to a righteous dis
content IS the leader OF the great peo-
pie who respond rightly 20 that ap-
peal Apostles of discomfort are mar.
tyrs, reformers, saviors Of their people
or outlaws, disturbers OF tho peace.
demsgogues. according TO whether they
appeal to the spirit OF protest against
wrong, against artificial restraints
against mediocrity, against removable
limitations upon progress or appeal to
the spirit OF envy OF success and mail
ice against the successful