The Washington herald., 1918-10-23

The one greatest source Of happiness
in the world is independence. There
Is no other thrill that ever animates
the human breast that is so complete
ly soul satisfying as the feeling that
one is adequate 10 cope with ones
destiny. and that one has the strength
TO stand alone.
The bread of dependence is bitter.
no matter how freely il Is given. We
are never at home in 8nother's house,
be our welcome TO il ever SO cordial.
When all is said. the cIinging vine
lis nothing but a poor. hoppy, weak.
spineless parasite for which we all
have q secret contempt because it
only lives by hanging on 10 some
thing stronger and with more back
bone than it has itself.
People who are dependent are in
Variably miserable. discontented and
dissatisfied because their knowledge Of
their dependence robs them OF self
respect Worse still. dependence de-
velops in people a host OF the most
contemplate Tices. They become
fawners. fiatterers and lick spittles,
servile puppets OF the hand that feeds
and clothes them.
All of the sturdier virtues have their
root in independence. It is only those
who can look the world in the face.
secure of their ability TO fight It and
take what they want from IL with
their own good right hand. who do
not have to lie or steal. or get the
things they need by devious ways
So interviewer with our well being.
temporarily and spiritually, is inde-
pendenCe that the first duty OF par
GTN+S 10 -.
stand on their own feet, metaphori-
cally as well as physically. Strangely
enough this is a duty that most faith
ers and mothers absolutely neglect.
and stranger still they neglect il
through love.
Their parental passion makes them
selfish. 1t is so sweet to them to feel
that their children look TO them to
supply every want. and depend u0on
them for their every need. that they
cannot deny themselves the pleasure
Of playing Providence to them
They never give their children any
money for whose spending they are
responsible. They never let their
children pick out their clothes. They
never permit their children to so into
any enterprise on their own account
They never let them take any au-
thority or any risk OF their own
Judgment. Father and mother pull
all the strings and the children are
just marionettes that dance to their
parents whims.
All of us know men who have been
so completely managed by their faith
ers that when they are middleaged
they are still, in mind and character.
nothing but little boys. We all
know maiden ladies 50 years old who
have been so dominated by their
mother that they have never even
bought a pocket handkerchief without
mothers advice and assistance. and
who still have TO ask mothers per-
mission to go down town, or have q
second cup Of tea.
In keeping their children dependent
on them these parents do not realize
what a cruel thing they have done,
and how they have robbed their boys
and girls of initiative and suppressed
their originality, and made them the
sport of chance. For in the end the
parents must die, and then these old
children are left helpless, with no.
body TO guide them.
The first thing that should be
taught every girl and boy is not TO
depend on any human being but
, themselves; to rely on their own
Judgment; to fight their own battles.
and II they fail to learn from that
| experience how to do a thing the
/ next time they will not fail
Every girl and boy should be taught
how to make a living, because when
you bring it down TO its last analy-
sis, independence is mostly money in
! our pockets. Nobody is free who does
not know where the next meal is
coming from, and the fear OF hunger
and want is the beginning of crime.
| Teach boys and girls to stand or