Conacrvatm , 6
all are heavy jungles which have
not yofc been thoroughly penetrated
and cleared , and any of us unskilled
mortals might easily be lost therein.
Or any of us may safely stand outside
and speculate or asseverate upon the
inside , for there is none to say us
nay. But what a waste of time ,
with the world's work everywhere
in need of toilers ! It would be wiser
to allow the skilled frontiersmen to
inform us of their discoveries ; or at
most render them such assistance as
may be given , and at least refrain
from hindering them.
Chemistry , physics and biology
have revealed many things in the
last dozen years , things which become
counter-suggestions to those in the
aforesaid booklet , but a year's .volume
of The Conservative could hardly
exploit the revelations. And to my
friend in Osceola , 'if indeed that is
his home , I must acknowledge that
I am disinclined to delve and revel
in the suggestions and statements of
the author , worthy as they may be ,
and owing to physical reasons it will
be impossible to absorb the substance.
All animals and vegetables have a
limit to their capacity for imbibing
nourishment. My stock of useless
mental pabulum being in excess of
requirements , it is unnecessary to
add to it. Indeed it behooves me to
be careful and more frugal , for my
mental organism has had several
serious dyspeptic attacks. Feeling
assured by the excess of vigor , in my
youth , I vainly strove to assimilate
the exudations of one "Coin"
Harvey. Bellamy and Henry George
contributed extra meals. Added to
this mess there came orgies , from
the "Fearless O'Brien" as Dooley
will have it. With numerous side-
dishes and issues thrown in by
theorists , reformers , pseudo-philoso
phers , et al. , one finds it extremely
discouraging trying to keep one's
appetite sound on such pap.
The human body requires but a
modicum of simple food which nour
ishes and sustains it to the best ex
treme ; and those who indulge in
complicated concoctions of exotic and
devitalizing foods , do not have the
greatest reserve of strength to expand
in life's developments ; often do they
become overloaded with diseases.
Likewise a similar state of affairs
exists in the mental life. Many
maybe a majority search for and
subsist upon artificial aliment found
in the dark and mysterious antipodes
of the realms of thought ; and like
the rich foods which are never satis
fying , an excessive amount is ab
sorbed in vain endeavor to Ireep
life and strength normal. Now righl
at hand we can find an abundance oi
the simple substantial foods essential
to the best conduct of life , physical
and mental.
Sufficient knowledge has been re-
vealed to "enable anyone to live a
reasonably good life , was that know
ledge but absorbed , digested and
assimilated. And it would be a great
improvement to the race were that
knowledge being disseminated among
mankind by more people. There
are now too many who make it their
business to offer only the former un
availing foods , and who use all
methods known to keep the populace
ignorant of the real principles and
rules of life. There is not a sin ,
crime , wrong-doing , misery or grief
belonging to this world and life ,
but results from breaking the
natural laws of living , and in living
out of tune among the environments.
These are all worldly derangements
and require worldly remedies and
treatment.
Desires wrongly placed lead man
astray. Wrong desires spring en
tirely from appetites and passions
which have run wild or become per
verted through lack of proper train
ing. Misguidance , false educating ,
the fostering of pre-Archaean customs
and irrelevant theories are the mis
takes which cause perveited passions
and inordinate appetites. Passions
and appetites are natural functions
which bestow great comfort when
properly developed and controlled.
Asceticism and the smothering of de
sires are confessions of ignorance of
their true functions.
Those teachers and providers who
have the best welfare of mankind at
heart , prescribe gratis the simple
remedies at hand. But those who
only have their own personal wel
fares at heart , or those who have
great hopes of personal rewards ,
always prescribe their own special
ties which can only be secured under
their direction. Therefore , the in
numerable sects among which no two
leaders ever agreed nor divided the
profits. And of all the self-aggran
dizing leaders behold the modern
Elijah , Dowie.
"The laws of Nature proclaim
themselves and they are their own
avengers. " When the chilidren of
man are taught the laws of health ,
of body and of passions and neigh
borly conduct , much of the sickness ,
misery , crime and privations will be
done away with , and a race of nobler
and physically better people will in
habit the earth. But the children
are seldom so taught , for the special
ists and the "man with a Lheory"
would be out of jobs. When teachers
and preachers see their precepts
broken ( to use Stevenson's words )
"their lyre sounds of itself with
relishing denunciations ; but for all
displays of the truly diabolical
envy , malice , the mean lie , the mean
silence , the calumnious truth , the
backbiter , the petty tyrant , the peev
ish poisoner of family life their
standard is quite different. These r
are wrong , they will admit , yet
somehow not so wrong ; there is no
/eal in their assault on them , no
secret element of gusto warms up the
sermon ; it is for things npt wrong
in themselves that they reserve the
choicest of their indignation. " It is
when their beliefs are criticised that
they are smitten sore. As though
belief could benefit one ! My good
mother used to say , "It matters but
little what you believe , it all depends
on how you act. " But these
apostles of belief would have their
"thinksos" exalted and worshipped ,
in return allowing the tribute-bear-
ers immunity from their careless and
indifferent conducts. And so the
world's diseases flourish and endure.
The modern humanities , so-called
toleration of and consideration to
neighbors local , national and interna
tional , respect and justice to woman ,
providence and prudence , unselfish
ness are doctrines sufficiently well
known to make a paradise when
practical applications are being
taught. But owing to. the doctrines
of discontent , selfish aggrandizement
both here and hereafter , and of hav
ing others do to us as we would be
done by , all of which are taught by
example if not be precept the most
potent method of teaching- owing to
these , moral development is retarded.
Man's work today is chiefly in de
veloping the natural resources of the
earth , a necessary labor. The phil
osophies are thereby left behind the
mechanical , industrial and commercial
sciences. When the known world wap
clustered around the Mediterranean
and Indian Ocean the resources be
came fully developed and man turned
his attention to the philosophies and
much was accomplished. Then the
new territories were opened , and
since then but little has been done.
Much the same old philosophy is being -
ing used but little modified.
All those doctrines wove the out
growth of environment and local con
ditions , which are greatly changed
now , necessitating new principles.
And it will be centuries before the
arts and philosophies will receive
universal attention , for the material
side must first be developed. Be
cause of this necessarily imperfect
stage of civilization it requires that
all should pitch in and strive to
bring" about order. Harmony will
best result by so training the rising
generations that eauh one may do his
good share in the work before man
kind. But to neglect so to train
the young that the speculations of
yesterday may be kept in view , will
work for discords and disorders.
In closing ' ' Those who know how
to live , need not learn how to die. "
JOHN D. JONES , Jr.
Cleveland , Ohio , Apr. 2 , 1902.