Year: 1878

can never come. Inc StrOnS muSC always |
rule, and the man who puts himself into his
work, must make the most money and do
the most for his age. Sink the whole con-
tinent of Africa and great part of Asia
out of existence, and for any invention,
any thought, any brainwork, they would |
never be missed. Only about one-fourth of
the men in the world are good for any
thing. The very hair on the rabbit, is
worth more in commerce, than many of
the men around the market.


The next waste is "the opposition of
forces" No reform is ever inaugurated,
no theory advanced, but that another, in
direct opposition to it, is advanced also.
Even in religion this is true. The church
is divided and subdivided and it is no won
der that more is not accomplished. Place
fifteen horses in front of chariot and ten
horses behind it, and start each end to
pulling and you have only five horse power
left. In every theory advanced for the
good of society, there is only the differ
ence in power between the opposing forces,
and in this way much force runs to waste.


The next waste is the "maladiustment of
human abilities" 1t will always remain a
problem why man was placed in the world
and required, at his peril, to do good
work in it, and yet not syllable of in
struction given him as to how it may be
done. Sometimes a man is born who must
be mechanic and an inventor; or another
who must be a student; but not one man
out of hundred has any particular taste
to guide him to the choice of a profession.
In the old days, when there were so few
avocations to choose from, young man
could not go far wrong, but now, choosing
life-work seems like a man trying 10 get
into an inclosure, who goes around and
hits his head against every iron rail, and at
last stumbles through the gate, simply
because he has tried every other place and
could not get through. A man who has
started as a bricklayer, became a builder
and made money in the world, has sons who
must be settled in life. consultation is
held over them in family conclave. Ma
thinks it isn't respectable for rich mans
sons to learn trades. The first is very
honest and so he must be a lawyer He
tries it and fails in business. Another is
very good, at least he never did anything
very bad, and he must be a ministers and
so on through the category. Very few
men are employing their lives and talents
in the way best adapted to their cast of
mind, and, as a man can do best that which
he loves to do, this is great loss to society.


The next waste is "lying," which is men
toned the more readily as, of course, you
know nothing about it, Lying seems to be
a very universal "dsease" 1t will be dis.
cussed, not in moral aspect, but in its
relation to political economy. Our whole
public education is in heRdirecton oi
falsehood. The whole system Of oaths is
pernicous in the extreme. Did you ever
have the extreme felicity of being wit


ness in courtP You were required to swear
by Almighty God that you would "tell the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth" Then lawyer comes on each
side of you, and they toss you to and fro or
red hot forks, each determined that you
shall tell only so much of the truth as shall


be useful to him. You must answer yes Of


no. If you say "yes," you lie, and if yor
say "no," you lie. We are constantly re


quired to swear to things of which we can


not possibly be certain. For instance, OF


coming home from Europe, in the custom


house you must swear that you carry M


dutiable articles. How do YOU know


whether you do or not? In the custom


house lies are as thick as swarm O


mosquitoes in Dismal Swamp in summe


time. Lying Injuries society because !


keeps it apart, while it can only be effec


tive in working together. If we could ex


anime the creed of the man of the world


we might enunciate the following proverbs


First, all lies must be useful and benev


olent; second, malign lies are wicked


third, frequency is the bane of salutary


lying, which, like surgery, should be useC


enly in extreme cases fourth, it is sin t


lie Intellectually fifth, it is far better t,


speak the truth than to lie and be fount


out; sixth, not every man is good enougl


to lie usefully, or wise enough to lie dis


creetly.


Nearly akin to the waste of lying is tha


of dishonesty" Honesty is the eouil
brium of interest, the giving of Jus
equivalent for value received. Dishonest
engendered by an inflated currency seem
to be in the very air. Few men fill ofFicis
positions honestly. Few men are homes
toward corporations. And yet men ar
really no more dishonest than they used I
be; it is only that the pressure upon thei
honesty is greater and they are unable t
stand it. Not one defaulter in hundre
begins with the intention of doing wron,
t He comes to the edge of a chasm and fit
thousand dollars will carry him over. 1T
at his disposal, and on this golden bridp
3 he goes over the chasm, and he cannot Q
j back. Another chasm is crossed with NOR
0 stolen money and he is ruined mar
i When man takes two steps in this dire,
ton the devil will march the rest of th
7 way with him. General dishonesty de
e troys the confidence Of men in each oths
!, and so acts against the best interests ,