The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-02-24
The spineless Cactus.


Down in some Of the desert regions
o. the southwestern part Of the country
they have a species of growth known
as the spineless cactus. 1t just
bristles with prickers, but it lays about
on the ground. 1t does not stand up
like the waving wheat or rye. There
is nothing of beauty about it because
it is spineless. 1t is, Of course, easily
crushed and the man who walks along
the desert with boot brushes 1T under
his feet The prickers die in a day
and all that is left to remind one of
its existence is dryed up mass of
decaying vegetable matter. 1t contri-
butes no more to the life of the desert
than the mosquito. 1t brings discom-
fort to the man who seeks to handle it
without gloves and it takes from the
meagre resources Of the desert lot of
nourishment which could be used for
the raising of more useful plants.
While the spineless cactus is typical
of the deserts it has it's kind in nearly
every community and the sorrow of it
all is that the kind is not limited to
the plant life.
The "spineless cactus" developed
into the human species usually grows
most abundantly just about the time
there is an election in the ordinary
city. All through the year until they
get out the petitions for the primary
election it Just bristles with prickers
They stand out on prominent corners
that the people may bruise their
fingers by taking hold Of them. Then
some fellow comes along and steps
on them.
Do you know any Of these spineless
ones in Kenosha2 They are the fell
lows who stand on the corner and de-
clare that wrong is advanced by de-
claring for the right. Their PROPOSE
ton is liable to be a true diagnosis of
the case just as long as people stand
for the spineless cactus.
There are few men who believe in
the right because it is right and not
because it is profitable for them to be-
lieve in the right. There are lot of
people who allow themselves to be lin
led up with the wrong side on lot of
tissues Just because they are like the
Espineless cactus. There is nothing in
them to make them stand up and they
ljust naturally fall down. The prick
ers which they have are Of no value in
combating wrong. IF they had the
Eprickers and with them spine to
stand up, they would be of real value
to the community. These fellows usu-
ally believe that you are abusing them
when you accuse them Of lack of moral
courage. The other fellow does not
think of abusing them, he simply ex-
poets them to fall when the time comes
and the fact that they do fall makes
Iit easier for him to step on them and
leave them mass of decaying matter.
The spineless cactus is Of no value to
the desert. The spineless man is of
less value to the community.
But the hope of it all is that among
men there are surgeons just like there
are Luther Burbanks among plants. Lu-
Their Burbank has taken the rankest
Of the spineless cactus and has de-
veloped out of them beautiful plant.
Under the proper leadership spines
may be grown on spineless men in
Kenosha They can be made Of value
to the community just as Luther Bur
bank made the spineless cactus tree
of beauty on the desert.
If you are one of these spineless cac-
tus take the Burbank method. Grow
a spine and be real fellow and help
your home town.
And just remember that in the
last analysis the spineless cactus never
gets anywhere.