Denver labor bulletin., 1918-01-26

We do not know the name of the
sage who first said, "Show me your
company and I'll show you who you
are" But one thing we are certain
of, and that is, whoever he was, he is
not of US now. Yes, we are sure that
he has long ago answered the last
summons, for it's so long, ever so long
ago since this old adage was whisp-
cred to US that we are sure that
our philosopher is no more. His name
NAV be forgotten and he may at last
be resting in obscurity IN some coun-
try churchyard or taking his last sleep
in the valhalla of kings. But 1t is OF
no consequence now whether his dust
commingles with that of kings or
peasants, for the truth and wisdom of
his words are immortal and will live
forever. We may neglect his tomb,
but we can not disregard his advice II
we value our regulations.
The precept, "Show me your com
pany and I'll show you who you are
is as true today as when it was first
uttered, and no one can doubt the
truth and wisdom of the advice, that
we are known by the company we
keep. ,,u
"Show me your company and IN
show you who you are" and the
maxim, Birds of feather flock to-
gether," are correlative expressions
and bear out in practice the theory
there is one safe and sure way of
Judging men and that is by their as
sociates. Designing men and crafty
politicians appreciating the value OF
being seen in respectable company,
often force themselves into the best
clubs and creep into the society of
esteemed persons for the purpose of
finding favor in the eyes of men who
would otherwise suspect them. But
wait a while and you will soon dis
cover that oil and water will not mix,
and that it is impossible to run with
the hares and trail with the hounds.
In the famous plot by Cassius and
his conspirators to depose and strike
down Caesar, the one man who stood
in the way of Cassius and who was a
force to be reckoned with in Rome,
there is an example of how necessary it
was to have men of the best repute in
the scheme to murder "the greatest
man of all the world" When the
conspiracy was being hatched by Cas-
sius, the question was asked, must we
have Cicero with us, and one ready
with the proper answer spoke up say
ing: eyes, by all means let us have
Cicero; he will purchase us good
opinion" So in the mischief to rid the
sour and revengeful Cassius of his
rival, we have a notable example of
the force of the precept, "Show me
your company and I'll show you who
you are"
In this very same conspiracy we
have an illustration of what the arch
conspirator, Cassius, himself placed
| upon the value of keeping good com
pany. In the instigation scene in
Shakespeare's play of julius Caesar,
Cassius worked upon Brutus until he
convinced him that the movement
| against his friend was in the interest
of the general good, and by the art of
subtle suggestion he persuaded him to
stab the man who loved him and who,
before he fell at the foot of Pompey's
statue, uttered the memorable and
sorrowful words, "And thou also,
Brutus" And yet Cassius said him
self that if things were reversed, if
Caesar loved him as he did Brutus, he
could not be moved against his friend.
Here are the words that Shakespeare
| puts in the mouth of Cassius after he
has moved Brutus against Caesar: