Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-15
FACE EIGHT.
To the Editor.

AS one of the committee securing
funds for the Salem General Hospital
/ have had a splendid opportunity TO
ascertain the real condition of the
citizenship of which Salem is COM
posed
II has always been puzzle to
numberless people why Salem with
its broad streets, its well kept lawns.
surrounded by a most wonderfully
productive country, and blest with
every advantage to make city second
TO none in America. should be as back
ward in development as it is If one
desires to thoroughly understand the
reason of Salem's slow unprogressive
spirit. they should be connected with
some enterprise such as the building
of the new hospital and they will
its boundless possibilities and wonder
fui opportunities limp along in a leepy
and the butt of redicule among the
progressive cities of the West.
There are families in Salem who
came here in the early days none
TOO well blessed with this worlds
goods. but sat tight" and patiently
waited for development.
Without any effort, or very little. on
their part. the city slowly grew and de-
veloped. Their properties increased in
value. and today they are well to do,
but alas, their only interest in Salem. |
and in life itself, is in accumulating
more and more, sacrificing all the
finer qualities of manhood and wo-
manhood, bowling as an object slave to
that Golden Calf they have set up as
the shrine before which they daily
worship. Every act of their lives is
becoming narrow and dwarfted shut
ting them away from their fellow man
the real human being. who make
home building their first consideration
and live in the life giving sunshine of
service.
The time has come for such dwarfed |
and selfish beings to be known as they
are to have the cloak of respectable.
ity pulled away and let them stand
forth before the world in their naHei
ness, shivering with shame before the
eyes OF patriotic progressive men and
women, who live broad life human
in its expression and beneficial to the
community in which they live.
| sincerely hope before this cam
paign is over that hospital committee
will publish the names of those cltj-
zens who are in financial position to
but fail to do so,--an- also
the names of those who with heavy
property holdings ~~subscrlbe sum
barely more than that given by la
boring man with a meager salary ana
a large family to feed and clothe.
Salem Is going to build this hospital,
OF that | am convinced, for | have sat
in conference with solid determinded
business men of our city who are Civ
gin freely Of their time and generously
of their funds, and to see their fight
ing faces assume that look that only
men resolved to doy4@ever haye,---I
know the hospital will be built
HOSPITAL SOLICITOR.
Editor, Dear Sir; May | again ask ,
space in the public forum with
which TO discuss matter think to
be of interest? namely Altruism /,
This Is not entirely adequate as a
term ! might say unselflshness. at
any rate the word altrulsm according
to the man who coined it, means or
pertains to others-( (Lecompte.) This
Is simply phase Of everyday ethics,
the right regard for the rights and
privileges OF others, That most peo-
pie aim to develop true altruism
goes without sdyIng, But there are
some who are interested in others on
ly to the enhancement of themselves,
and selfish interests. Ofttimes the
man who is the most Influential and
gives to charity may be one who
would jump at amy chance to gain an
advantage over another,
There is for instance the automo-
bile road hog, socalled. The bigger
the car and the more influential the
man the more deliberate is he, In
Portland a street was closed. and the
paving company watchman tried to
prevent a well to do man from going
thru. lie sold material to the paving
and thought he would be
protected If he forced the enclosure.
He went thru, ran into the watchman
injured him and got off without even
a reprimand, lis good to know that
the auto men have gone in to elimi-
nate him.
Another, Is the end seat hog, SO
called. lie used to frequent public
places Of a secular nature, Now he
has made his advent into the church,
es, and becomes the problem of the
ushers. He would rather stand up
and out, block the way, rather than
move down. The fact that a man gets
a seat first, that It affords better
view, and that he needs 1t does not
relieve him from foregoing II occa
sionally for the benefit of others, es-
pecially where seats are not sold and
Another Is the waiting line fellow /,
who Is too rushed to keep his place,A
while back / stood in line In one
of Salem's banks, and business man
with big bag In his hand, watched me
with single bill of currency in hand
and with all of his business shrewd
ness angled his way ahead to the
What was It, Was It the fact
that ! looked easy, below his station. /,
Or the idea of special privilege that
50 moved him2
Again was at a sale. had bought
some goods and was hidden to come
over to small room to see some ta-
bleware. A large business man heard ,,
The man speak, left off the examine
Ing of the object of his desire, hurried ,
ip ahead Of me. got in the door with