The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-03-14
AN APPEAL FOR GOOD CITIZENSHIP.
(BY GREENWOOD HoUsEKEEPERs.)

Alonp with the pleas for a beautiful and a sanitary town we must not
forget to call the attention of the citizens to some facts which make for
good citizenship; for the most beautiful and the most sanitary things are
those thngs-inner characteristics which make for good citizenship.
Now, first of all we believe that stress should be laid on the fact thtat a
spirit Of cooperation for the upHft-moral, educational aesthetical and
commercial-of the town a S a whole, is THE most essential Those of us
who ire not willing to cooperate for this end, who are not willing to con-
slider the rights of our neighbors IS we'll as of ourselves, who had not rather
have the good feeling and fellowship in u neighborhood, a s we'll IS the
cleanliness and beauty. who had not rather have these essential things of
ifes real happiness, than to have chickens roaming the streets and
scratching up our neighbors flowers and vegetables, and our cows and hors-
es staked on the streets making them unsantary and unsghty should live
in the country where we have no neghbors.
We don't believe there is a single man or woman in Greenwood,
who really has such a preference when he r. she really thinks of it. For
it is a reality that more "harm is wrought by want of thought" than any
other reason on earth. Friends, because you prefer chickens tn flower
beds, or gardens, is that any reason why, by turning your chickens loose to
scratch up all the flowers and gardens in the neighborhood you should show
dansq Thi,n, w. hot +ha aaMon ue9 az coursei II 10 n;ce 10 hav chick
ems, BUT have We any right to have them at the expense Of our neghbors?
Suppose sorrow and disaster comes to you, who is going to be with you
most? Your neighbors. And thank God! the citizens of Greenwood KNOW
that. For each of us is sure he or she lives in the best neighborhood in
The town. We hear that said by people from every part Of the town. And
other things W hear too which do not make for a increase of such a feeling
but which goes after this fashion.
We walk along the street and see some, bright, sweet, hopeful young
home-maker, sometimes alone and sometimes little ones with her, busy
we ar to zee it and how pretty it will look; then when it ought to bring
forth, in fruit and beauty, W ask about it, and hear. "oh! the neghbors
chickens scratched everything up" And you can sew what a n effort for
that young and hopeful home-maker, to feel toward and treat her %neighbor
as she wants to. Is it fair? Suppose when she trims her trees and bushes,
and digs up her weeds she would throw them over in your yard because
want to se such things lying around HER place until the carts can get there
to haul it of. What would you think Of her? And yet it is the very same
principle which you have been using toward her rights.
We wonder how many Of the teachers inquire as to where the flowers
from, which the children bring to school, Children don't know what an
ugly name such conduct deserves to be called by, but teachers and par
ens do know, and isn't respect for the rights Of others, after all. ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT lessons the children can learn As they are being
educated! $3.50
We should not forget that it isn't the white skin which REALLY diff
fereniates US from the yerest hottentot: But the respect for right, the spirit
of fairness which we get from a Christian civilization which does it. For
whether we be Christian or not in belief. we have the blessed privilege Of
in a country whose laws ire laid down on the solid foundation Of
Christian principles. And shall we allow our children to take, even though
it be but one flower, what doesn't belong to him Or her, disregarding in
this way the right which the owner has to keep OF give away the flower?
why do you think God has children come into the world over a
way of sorrow and suffering to their parents? We believe it is plainly be-
they come. in immaturty and inexperience and need the mature
thought and the experience of their parents to lean on. And if you fail
call by ugly names things done by your children, just because they do
arnt you giving them one of the worst things you COULD give them,
ideas of life? What you teach them about even such apparently small
things is the mold which will shape their lives for upright or for warped
Unless W have cooperation by every citizen young and old, we will
not succeed in having what each me deep in his or her own heart really
a town which We "a be proud Of and love enough to lay down our
life for If it should be necessary.
Next week we hope to give some suggestions as to how to start our
1owers for hi summer