Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-01-28
written for the Beacon).
FINDING THE INDEX.

A patient had just been examined
for IT b. in a Southern Santa
rum. The eminent physical had
scientifically thumped and capped
and tapped him, his diagnosis had
been carefully drawn up, and his
diet prescribed to the ounce.
What may / consider, Doctor,
asked the patient finally, as a sure
sign Of Improvement in my condi-
tion!" You may consider" re-
piled the eminent specialist after a
thoughtful pause, that a definite
increase in the quality of adipose
tissue is a most probable index to
the successful elimination of your
malady f" After brief gasp, the
patient recovered presence of mind
enough to venture tie question:
You mean, Doctor, that if | get
fat I'll get well?" 'Precicely,
affirmed the specialist, If you wish
TO put il in untechnical language. "
Can we strip off then the mist of
words, with which discussions are
usually clouded, and give in "un-
technical language" the true index
TO material progress! For individuals
it is not so hard TO measure, the
bank book may register roughly
their improvement, provided other
conditions are normal. But for
nation or community it is not so
simple. The amount of money
merely existing in the community is
not a guide, because that money
may be massed mp in the possession
Of few, and its profits reinvested
only for the benefit of few, so that
it does not indicate the true condi-
tion of the bulk of citizens. 1t will
not profit THEM, if it be not in some
way invested for their benefit. Nor
is the amount in circulation in the
community sure index of prosperi-
ty, for even the circulation may
affect individuals very unequally,
and leave riches and squaldor side
by side. We have to look to the
average condition not few, but of
the majority; and not to the artif-
cial average of one rich man and
ten in moderate circumstances; but
to the average of the majority, with
the few rich placed at their true val
ne as important exceptions to the
rule.
Shall we reckon then by mems
incomes, or their health and con-
tentment, or their actual content
ment, or their actual production, or
their savings, or their spirit of en-
terprise, or their progress in public
utilities as an index TO their pros
perity! All of these things are an
indication; all of them register pro-
gress 20 a considerable extent. but
none of them can be taken as final.
We wish then for an index to
progress which will be a certain
indexat all times and ON all occa-
sions; so that If success is had in
THAT line we may be sure that real
progress viii be forthcoming in
other important lines as well. Pro-
gress may be made in production,
for instance, but not in sales; saw
ings may be increased but invest
ments discouraged, and so on. But
what is the essential point of pros
perity, TO bring solid benefit to
bring the greatest benefit to the |
nation, the community, and the in
dividual?
The answer is very simple and |
untechnical, and may seem at
first too simple to be very enlighten-
ing. Ii Is: THE Home" The |
average HOME, with ALL THAT HoMR
BEANS, including the foundation of |
the home and its outside adiunuts
and safe guards, is the sure index |
TO the prosperity of n people. |
Simple and obvious rs this truth is.
it is frequently ignored, and will he |
found when carefully analysed, TO
yield far more food for thought than
manv a more high sounding but less
workable theory. Know your homes
and all that they include, and You
will know If your prosperity is
genuine and permanent; or il il is
only an appearance and short-lived
benefit.
Three things register the mar
velous progress of our community,
remarked the citizen of a young
Western town to his Eastern WISH
tor. The influx of new corners; the
increased value of real estate, and
THE Inauguration of so many new in
dnstries.
Three things make me doubt
the reality of that progress,
replied his skeptical friend: the
homes that those newcomers have
abandoned in their own country; the
landlords who own the new places
that they are living in; and the
money, whether they have earned il
or not, that viii never return to
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