Payette enterprise., 1924-04-03
THE GOOD
OLD DAYS.
BY Guy Flenner.

At a very large and representa-
tive community dinner recently IN
an Idaho town there was consider
able good natured rivalry In the
pretended claims for predominance
as between the various agencies
contributing in their influence to
the moral, mental and material de-
yelopment of the state. The repre-
sentative of the press satirically
made the most elaborate claims for
his profession The minister for
his calling, the lawyer and educator
for theirs were equally emphatic, al
though not taking in quite so much
territory as the modest editor.
Between all the sarcasm and
humor, however, there were flashes
OF serioss thought One statement
that seemed to merit consideration
was that, in former days, it was
more difficult than now to arouse
even leaders of various activities to
sponsor departures from the custom
and habits of the times. There
was less disposition then, it was
pointed out, 10 try experiments, tol
enforce changes. The people were
more contented with their affairs,
more satisfied with their condition,
less disposed to worry and fret,
more concentrated on their own
business, conservative and hesitant
even to the extent at times of abb
solute lethargy as to meritorious pro-
posals and needed reforms. All |
this was contrasted with the spon-
taneous and aften hysterical, accep-
tance nowadays of most any pro-
position presented in pre-digested
form for our mental containers.
sssxs
The thought arises, Might We not
better strike a middle ground with |
the earlier processes of the public |
mind and be in more safe position
than either the citizenry of yester-
day or of today?
We often hear of the good old
days, but after all, who would have
them back? Who wants to go back
to the coal oil lamp, to the isolotion
of no communities by telephone, to
transportation by stage coach and
freight wagon? Who would deny
himself of the the manifold material I
blessings of today.
Who wants to go back to the
stuffy little church of yesterday, 4
with hell-fire and birthstone served 4
twice every Sunday and then some?
Who wants TO go back to the primi-
tive school methods and the exclu- 4
siye three RS? Who wants to 20
back to the saloon and legalized
gambling? :
Who wants to go back to the old (
lays, filled with discomforts, in
1oo - 4 =
ty, checker boarded with CONNER :
.lal vice and complacent virtue; to
he old days when the washtub was =
ne popular bathing resort and
lried apples luxury?
E**x*
But we might go $3.50 in a way, "
,a1ir's enc BEST or Then and mixing L
with the best of Now and one
the pest OF Then was the spirit ofpA
ohtentment with our lot and little %
the present day eagerness to out v
0 others merely for the sake of
iaklnG personal show, to fight for e'
ne bauble of notoriety, to sacrifice III
ealth and happiness in a mad com
etltlon to satisfy our own vanity III
II ingredients that form the oppo- III
tie of wholesome ambition and pi
armed recognition Ii
Another feature of the Then life -,
be commended and revived is !"
lore studious contemplation of the Is
iovements of the times, which bear ps
own with a swiftness that has car
led many off their feet. Every
ling proposed is not worthy. Some
lings are. Why not discriminate? -
he Then folks may have erred in ot
eing too phlegmatic, too immoy- M
bic by turgid appeals, but the Now
,lks err more often in accepting ~
itLout investigation the representa- ci
ons of every wind jammer they al
ear and the nostrums of eyery ia
.ker who holds out to them his ny
'ttle of panacea for each industri- :
, moral or mental ailment. We will VI "
u be lost If we shall hesitate here. Ml
they did in the so called "good .ol
q days instead of plunging w
into the stream of an
phism and impracticability. na
POUND MASTERS NOTICE