The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-04-28

by LII III Wv T.
HAVE been reading Hendrix Van
Looms new geography in which
oceans seem only magnified big creeks,
made In the same way as the little
creeks in every neighborhood the chill
dren fish and swim in, and the coun-
ty commissioners bridge. The book
is devoted mainly to the physical char
acteristics Of the world: to the good
or bad luck the people of different
countries drew as the mountains and
rivers finally settled down. and became
fit for human habitation.
"From a geographical point OF view,"
says the writer, foreigner. America
is almost everything that could posi-
bly, be desired, and had most luck OF
ALL"
Nothing is lacking. Climate and soil
the best; the rivers, mountains ana
plains happened to fall into the best
possible arrangement for the convent
ence of men. Times are hard, but SO
far as nature could oblige us in Its
huge haphaZard and careless way, IT
did better in America than elsewhere.
So that is settled again: If we go
to the devil we should at least be
fair enough to admit that we had a
better chance than any other people.
There are all sorts of opinions about
me. o. o. Mcintyre even goes so far
as to say: His publication is filled
with tolerance and wisdom and not
with indignation"
I'm not very indignant; I've finally
discovered that whatever is happening
has happened before, and was intend
ed to happen. A good gentleman who
edits the most foolish of all such pub
LEGATIONS writes: "Never does the hui
man soul appear so strong and noble
as when it foregoes revenge. and dares
forgive an injury" have no soul but
forego revenge, and forgive injuries,
every day. Did l not, / should have
by this time shot good many people.
AS to wisdom, there is not much Of
it. Such as there is is available to
all, and consists in admitting human
better with them.
What is the object of saving? Near
ly always to provide for sickness, old
age. to educate children; to provide
the comforts of life; to build better
homes, business houses, schools and
roads. Can there be honest objection
to any such efforts? Is not a man
with savings a better and more use
full citizen than his neighbor who is
always a community problem? Why,
then, the general disposition to criti-
CHE the frugal, thrifty man? Is not
such course denial of a worthy prin-
ciple we teach our children? In ev-
cry mothers talk TO her children she
includes the Importance Of thrift. Life
is q very serious business; we know
saving is as important as industry, or
politeness, or fairness, or temperance.
Every useful development in the COM
munity or nation Is due to men who
work diligently, and save something.
When parents say to boy: Become
a good man." they mean thrift also.
Most writer's claim only q few men
are intelligent, but have never been
of that opinion; IL men did not have
a good deal of intelligence. they would
walk into the fire, into the river. and
be destroyed.
The great number of the race proves
that men know enough, and once
man has life, it Is only question of
improving it. History proves this may
not only be done, but has been, from
century to century; I have known
many men called fools to astonish 9TH
ers called wise.
Intelligence is no more than the cum
ming exhibited by a fox: knowledge
inherited and acquired from long expe-
rience. A fox, celebrated as smartest
of dumb brutes, uses all the sense he
has, which men will not do. If fox
encounters suspicious tracks. he doesn't
stop to argue he is entitled to range
that territory, but makes off never yet
has there been a fox urging that foxes
and men should love each other.
We are all more idle, Incorporate,
unfair and impolite than we are igno-
rant Nature looks after its crea-
lures; somewhere in blood and brain
there is education when it Is needed;
inheritance from a long line Of learn
ing.
When visit theater do not care
for scenes from maternity wards or
other gross incidents in the story of
love. Later, however, mother
hood is a fine sentiment, and fits well
into show. / do not know that moth
ers are gentler, or wiser, or more pa
tient than ancient maidens, but there
are more old mothers than old maids,
and more of them to admire. I am
unfaithful to my own sex to the ex-
tent that / believe that In natural
goodness women average a little bet
ter than men.
Usually i hate the men; all / claim
is they are better than women say
they are.
The average American more than
half believes he cannot be an entirely
good man until he becomes Y. NJ. G.
A. worker Tor other form Of half
preacher), fully accepts some form of
Radicalism and engages professionally
In Public Welfare work.