Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-14

morning, to talk especially about just one sentence in it. Recounting the things that he had learned in the strenuous school of the camp, he said, among others: ,- -..-
 "f have learned to think more about my duty and less about my, rights"
 We have talked a little about that, once or twice before, you and I. but it is something which can never be too much talked about or written about Or preached about.
 think, too. that we farmers need to consider it quite as solicitouS1y as any other set of people in the world.
 Nine tenths of us, whether farmers or fnanciers, are actuated in most of our conduct by sheer, naked, down the face and begin to denounce me for an impertinent! I. am not, point ing finger at you any more than at most of your neighbors and at myself. We are all tarred with the same stick.
 In any case the truth. however un- palatable, is always better ration than no-matter- how much sweetened ffattery The simple plea of the pub lican, begging with downcast eyes for mercy to him. a. sinner. rings tr11er in the ears O. The Infinite Perfection than any -Pharisee's hypocritical re- hearsa1 of his own self-counted vir- tues.
 You are always willing to admit, as a theoretical and abstract propo- sition, that you are a miserable sin ner. That's usually about as far as it goes. That's generally all it amounts to. Now don't get mad if we try to go into details Iittlei It really isn't a, bit worse to talk, straight talk about just. one single fault than it is piously to repeat in the church's Ian glage, that there is no good in us.r If you can stand it to own up all that, nf a to consider, of a Friday. just one de- tached and separate sin.
 For the very reason that we are ordinarily controlled by seIfishness, it is almost invariable for us to think more of what is coming to us than of what is due from us.
 We are much interested in what we are to get than in what we are to give. -. 'f.
 Bills Receivable we find vastly bet ter reading than Bills Payable.
 We worry a great deal more oyer cur right hand neighbor's failure to keep his cows out of our corn than we do over our own chickens scratching the life out of our left hand neigh bcr's garden
 Nineteen hundred years ago men could see the mote in some. other fel- lows eye much plainer than the eam in their own We've, kept on about that way ever since.
 = We want all that is coming to us and trif1e over. for good measure. As David Harum remarked. after q ife's experience in hoss- trading and rural banking- he had found that with most folks "a leetle too much was just about enough" A good many of us are not nearly so scr1Ipulous to round up the half bushel when we we are buying. Ask any buyer if that isn't true! -.'a'7 . =, r
 Number One is still the most inn portant nu1neral in the computations of hosts and hosts. Every man for himself and the devil take the hindnost" is a brsutaIly frank but absolutely correct state nent of the conduct of most of us.-aIt n.eans exactly the same thing as Adam Smiths famous enlightened selfish ness" on which he based his formu- lation of an entire political economy.
 All of which is merely to say that too many of us think more of our rights than of our duties.
 It is the exact opposite which the rejected Plattsburger rejoices that, he was taught in the stern life of the camp. He learned there to think less about his, rights and more about his duties.
 .Wny co0so noe Whote lot of us, some thousands if not some millions, be Plattsburged for long enough to bring about that same admirable re- sulti
 My rishts!" said kipIing's Private Ortheris, with deep scorn. "Mysrights! l ain't a recruity to go whfnin about my rights to this and my rights to that, as if couldn't look after my
 - -.---- = - = has enlisted as first class seaman in the United States naval reserves. He reported for duty at Newport Thurs day.
 All selection boards, except those