liiniiw '!! ill 1111 i! I THE REMEDY BT WILLIAM H. HARVEY All Royalty Received by the Author From the Publication of This Book Will Be Used to Promote the Organization It Founds CHICAGO, ILL. THE MUNDUS PUBLISHING COMPANY PUBLISHERS 1915 Copyright, 1915 By William Hope Harvey The Author -^z PREFACE THIS book is written to give a remedy for the emancipation of the human race from evil conditions now existing in the world; and to provide an organiza- tion to carry the remedy into effect. s>; CHAPTER I AT the time this is written and this A% book is printed, winter of 1914-15, there is general restlessness through- out the, so-called, civilized world. Against evils that exist there have long been attempts at reformation and a titanic strug- gle continues between good and evil. There are many who believe that good will triumph and their number is large. There are others who believe that evil is increas- ing and are losing hope that Good will triumph over Evil and their number is growing. There are those who believe that we have a rising civilization and those who be- lieve that we have a declining civilization. The true test as to whether we have a rising or declining civilization, is as to whether there is a decrease or increase in crimes, suicides, insanity, tenantry and divorces. If the number thus affected is decreasing, then we have a rising civilization ; if crimes, sui- cides, insanity, tenantry and divorces are all increasing in number, then it will hardly be questioned that we have a declining civi- lization. If this increase has been going on over a period of years and continues to increase indefinitely, an increase dispropor- 5 6 THE REMEDY tionate to increase in population, then it is only a question of time when our civiliza- tion will be torn to pieces and will have passed beyond the stage of recovery. Many judge the advance or decline of our civilization from a viewpoint of our inventions and discoveries in the arts and sciences. If these are advancing, it is re- garded by them as an advancing civiliza- tion. We have had one instance of this in the known history of the human race. At the time of the fall of the Roman civiliza- tion and the coming of the Dark Age, arts and sciences were making wonderful strides and the wealth of the known world was pouring into the Roman empire. The weal- thy class was growing wealthier and great national improvements were in progress. But tenantry and poverty were increasing with all the demoralizing attendant results that mark our civilization of today. The voice of alarm was then raised throughout the land as it is being heard today. It was true then and is true now : **I11 fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay. ' ' The voice of alarm was not heeded and Roman civilization, with its improvements, THE REMEDY 7 arts and sciences, was engulfed in a sea of human savagery. At that time the world was only partly inhabited and many fled to uninhabited parts of it and there rehabil- itated civilization. There are now no unin- habited parts of the world to which a dis- tressed people can flee. By a test of the increasing number in crimes, suicides, insanity, tenantry and di- vorces, ours is now a declining civilization. The foundation of our civilization is being undermined, and if the increase is to con- tinue, may it not be foreseen with accuracy that our arts and sciences and wonderful inventions and improvements will be lost in an era of mental and moral dementia and engulfed in a sea of human savagery. I am not giving the statistics as to the increase in crimes, suicides, insanity, ten- antry and divorces, all increasing dispro- portionately and faster than increase in population, for they are now a part of our daily reading. There lies before me the Gazette, of Salisaw, Oklahoma, of the cur- rent week's issue, which says: ** Accord- ing to a recent bulletin issued by the Census Department, we have in Sequoyah County, 3,249 farm homes and of this number 952 are occupied by owners and 2,297 are occu- pied by tenants."* This may be, and no doubt is, an instance where the proportion •Confirmed by Census Keport, 1910, Vol. 1, Chap. XVI. page 1341. MAINE g N. H. I VT. MASS. I B.I. CONN. THE REMEDY PER CENT 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 V////^/:^/7M W/'^/////^A'^.mSti^aMrj ( J ' J f MWM ' M^ W9k o> V///MZrAyMy//M!':^jiXWi«/M)//y^'yyj<.r////////y/^, 5«!»!5?'^«^K»5«»J:!j««>)«»iSJjaft5«>OVy:/X/^/V>V/'/yV .>5ftK%l!0»;:::%y!:«:::-/X>yX/>V>VX/'/V:/>'/yx/X/'///y y/////A'///. v/z/My///. , N. Y. :g N. J. ■ PA "ji OHIO li IND. ILL. MICH. M WIS. MINN. ? IOWA Ti MO. a N. DAK. 8. DAK. « NEBR. KANS. o DEL. t- MD. z < D. C. VA. < W. VA. X N. 0. 1- 8. 0. O s GA. FLA, Y/Mr/,yjyy/Mv/jr/MYMcmim9m>^yy.fx/^x^yyyv^yyxyx. y///MyMy/k'MXKyyAiyy>0'X/'X.'>'XX/'XX/>'/'/, %?«%«50«5J«««8«g«J«%*S5S:SSfSS»SSif'/V>'/Xy'.'X/'X/'//x y//yMY///y/Amy//y^yM»yyy/:'»yAsmi&>'^yx/^//'yy^y///y v///Mxy////:y///My//A6n 'm!i^mm'A^///y//.^y/^/v//j 5J5»5«;«55{5K«0«**!»«8«:SftWStK:88if».*//yV'y'X^X:,'V'X/'/>'/y y//////yy////////Mm'-Vy>»ii:'»y4it,\ry/^yyyyyy// ///////. y////////y//MyjmmsK7//AyMw;>>!>x«i^^^ KY. »s TENN. 53 ALA. MISS. f_ ARK. LA. S^ OK LA. K TEX. ^ m ry'y'^y;/x^^^fJ'^M'yxM/'Mry. v/////A(//////^///y'/A(/y///y////^Y^^^ s«s«»,«as«^«sasK?aa»ii%sw5«>S!i^ V/////A//////X'///M)y////Am^4Ax&?)^^y'Ji^^^A^^ y/yyMy/yAm.yAY.iyi'^miSii-yxys'yyx/yyyyyy/yyyyyyy. yy/AiiiyAryjimm'yA6'Mtr/)!»yx$»-yyyyxyy.fyy/.y//yyyy/ yyyjmyjxryjKfm'yyy.yjiryy/.>:'ysA>iyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy^ yyyyyyjr/y/M:«xi-!y4yyy/yyy/yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy/ 'm//v/////^//AVJf^^y ^^j'j^yyA/^jiJHj'p^i7! mk ^ mm. ■mzz. tmmmiskii^/yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. ■«m»yM!SiK«sc«L^imiy/yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy' vyymVjOiltKier/yyxy^'^yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy/yyyyyyy, yyyyyyAy/yyyy,mm'.'M»>:^-xi'xyyyyyyyyyyyy/yyyyyyy' vAfimmei!«wM'»»yyyyyyy/yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy/y v////A//////A(//v//X£x-«^vi97Ty^y^^yyyfy^j^4'^^^M MONT. IDAHO WYO. COLO. N. MEX ARIZ. UTAH NEV. yyyymyyam'ayyyyyy/fMfiv&^yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy- KryjmvyjiimiyyjyAt'yyyjyy/xrMi»,{^miiyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy^ THE REMEDY 9 of tenants to owners is exceptionally large ; but it is alluded to here to say that it has be- come so common to read of the increase in crimes, suicides, insanity, tenantry and di- vorces that it is being accepted as natural and as something to be lamented but that cannot be avoided. We do not realize the tremendous import of it and of the coming disaster it foreshadows. In treating a physical disease, we first look at the effect produced on the body by the disease, then we search for the cause, and finding that, we look for the remedy. A Brief Statement of Facts Briefly stated, we find ourselves in the following condition: Wealth is centering rapidly in the possession of a few. Fifty years ago, here in the United States, and the same is true in the other principal na- tions, we rarely found a citizen worth more than $100,000. Twenty years ago we had millionaires ; and now we have billionaires — so rapid has been the concentration of wealth, all within the lifetime of men now living. Where the few own so much, the average ownership of the many is lessened, as represented by what they possess, minus the debts they owe. In this we should in- clude those who are worth nothing and the unemployed, and their number has in- creased until it is startling. 10 THE REMEDY There is now an almost hopeless condi- tion of debt existing throughout the world, on which there is an annual toll sufficient to impoverish a people. The debts of the world, public and private, have grown so great that the annual interest exceeds the total money volume in the world; and to keep money, a medium of exchange, in cir- culation, upon which civilization is depend- ent, we are now paying an enormous pen- alty; a penalty that is dragging us down, as a people, and increasing distress. The strife for existence and to meet financial obligations may be seen on every hand ; and the downfall of one pulls others down with him. Covetousness of wealth has no limit placed upon it and is protected by law. A man may own a whole state or own all, and the law is shaped to protect him. It sees no error in it. Public senti- ment seems to be fixed that there should be an open field for each to get all he can, un- mindful of its effect on the human race and on civilization. Politics is made a trade of, and men try- ing to secure office, as a rule, are seeking their own vain and selfish promotion. Few who are elected to office, appreciate the true value of promoting the common good ; and only a small number of those elected to Congress and the Legislatures are studying THE REMEDY 11 civilization, other than from a local and selfish point of view ; and few of them ap- preciate the opportunity that is theirs for constructive legislation in the making of a better civilization. High ideals are being forgotten and statesmanship is declining. Commercialism and the strife for exist- ence are overshadowing civic and domestic virtues, till a broad and practical concep- tion of the object of life and the destiny of mankind is being lost sight of. Insen- sate pleasure, false pride and vanity, that bring in the end discontent and unhappi- ness, prevail among the people; and a di- minishing number of the people are prac- ticing industry, frugality, homemaking, simple life, and a love of the common good, the only road that leads to true contentment and happinesss. This ill organized condition of govern- ment and society is resulting in a disturbed condition of civilization, creating crimes, suicides, insanity, tenantry and divorces, and separations of husbands and wives where divorces are not sought — all destruc- tive of the basis of government and society. Out of these conditions and mothered by them, are the internecine war in Mexico and the deadly and murderous struggle, wholesale crime, in which eleven other na- tions are now engaged, involving, it is 12 THE REMEDY claimed, one-half the population of the world. The same causes that have created these conditions in twelve nations are at work elsewhere, and if permitted to con- tinue will bring like conditions of human slaughter, from time to time, to all the other nations of the world. Evil, and the results of evil, thus multi- plying, threaten the overthrow of our civi- lization till it is in danger of being returned to savagery and numbered with the prehis- toric civilizations that have gone before us. These conditions have brought about widespread discontent and restlessness, af- fecting all classes of people; new political parties are forming, proposing remedies; and so pronounced has become the discon- tent and restlessness the women are asking for the right of suffrage, to vote, to try- to remedy that, at which, they claim it is conceded, the men have made a failure. And a babble of tongues can be heard over the world. The Fikst Step Towaed a Remedy It is a fixed principle in the practice of spiritual religion that one who is sinful, must admit and become conscious of his or her wickedness before that one can be saved. In other words, one must know his faults before he can be made over anew. To be THE REMEDY 13 conscious of our faults is the first step to- ward getting rid of them ; for how can one do so unless he knows that they are in him? And this is the beginning, the start, to re- model our civilization. It is now a practice with political party speakers to laud the people, to praise them, extol their virtues, and to throw all the blame on a few — ^mean- ing that there is no fault with the people. This is wrong. Those whom the people elect fairly represent the average character of the people who elect them. A man sitting in his business office, re- cently, handed to his lady cashier, twenty- five pieces of fractional silver coins and had her give to each person to whom she made change, in the payment of their bills, one of the silver pieces in addition to the change due each. She did so. Eight pocketed the change without looking, so they are not to be considered. Of the other seventeen, eleven knowingly kept money that did not belong to them — nine men and two women. Six handed the proper amount back — two women and four men. We all, more or less, have our faults and the beginning of a remedy is for each, and as a people, to be conscious of our sins, else we cannot be made over anew. To deceive ourselves is a mistake. To ascertain our true character and condition is the part of 14 THE REMEDY wisdom. Egotism and self-deception will blind our eyes and work an injury. The first step in a remedy is to see ourselves as we are — to see existing conditions as they are. DiFFEBENT ViEWS TaKEN OF It We have the optimist who believes that things will right themselves automatically, and no good will be accomplished by a dis- cussion of the subject. He is usually one who is in good circumstances and considers, selfishly, his own environments. When sick, physically, he wants a remedy and applies it, but being healthy, industrially, he has no use for a remedy. His prototype lived at the time the Dark Age was casting its black shadow over the then civilized world. The broad-minded man, in good circum- stances himself, looks unselfishly on the con- dition of the human race and takes an in- terest in the problem of mankind. We have the true optimist who realizes that the situ- ation is serious and yet has hope or confi- dence in an efficient remedy being worked out. The pessimist has a fair or an exagger- ated idea of the evils existing and is de- spondent as to any favorable outcome. Many to sustain themselves bodily, or being naturally depraved, join with the wrong- THE EEMEDY 15 doers ; while others, inspired by innate hon- esty, will go on to the end doing right, but with no hope of a favorable reformation. Many pessimists would be optimists if they realized there was hope and a remedy ; and that they could help work out the remedy. The state of mind that is best to estab- lish, is that of the intelligent optimist who sees clearly the true situation, does not close his eyes to any of it, realizes that it threatens the overthrow of civilization, is looking for a remedy, a practical remedy, believes that there must be one and when found will help apply it. There is an inertia and indifference constituting another class of people and the remedy should be one that interests them and gets their attention. The Force's fob Good Contending against evil and aiding in relieving the suffering it is producing, are hundreds of thousands of noble men and women. A sprinkle of statesmen in the congresses and parliaments of nations are doing all that their environments will per- mit of. The churches are trying to elimi- nate evil and are appealing for peace on earth and the establishment of the golden rule. The Young Men's and the Young Women's Christian Associations, the Chris- tion Endeavors, Sisters of Charity, the Red 16 THE EEMEDY Cross Society, the Salvation Army, the Rockefeller Educational Foundation and numerous other associations are at work in all parts of the world combating evil and relieving the effects of evil. The Carnegie peace movement, international conferences and State Ministers are seeking treaties to establish peace between nations. Economic and reform books, magazines and newspa- per articles and editorials are helping. But with it all, the great army of reform, peace and justice, is retiring before the army of Evil. Believing that I see wherein the forces of Good need help, I wish to assist them by making plain an auxiliary plan and creating an organization to take charge of its work. CHAPTEE II IF a majority, a dominating majority, of the intelligent people are in accord in desiring anything relating to the pub- lic good, it will be conceded that it will come about if within the sphere of their in- fluence. And when that same condition of the public mind exists throughout states and nations, it will be established generally, whether it be laws or customs. If it be just and right and is generally considered to be promoting the happiness of the people and advancing civilization, it will be conceded that the sentiment of a majority of the intel- ligent people will become the sentiment and wish of practically all the people. Then to turn the people, en masse, to- ward establishing justice, peace on earth and good will of all toward all, is to get them thinking along harmonious lines and all wishing and desiring that it be accom- plished. And this is a matter of Education — a system of education that will bring this about. Education to do this, must interest the people, intensely interest them. It must show that it leads to their contentment, happiness and prosperity. And it must be practical. It must bring the result antici- 17 18 THE REMEDY pated. It must be so shaped that it will soak into the minds and hearts of the peo- ple nntil they cannot go wrong and will move of one accord in the right direction. Education is a product of human intelli- gence. It is a science. When our boats and ships were propelled by hand power and by sails spread to the winds, it was de- sired that there should be a greater and more convenient power ; and human intelli- gence gave us steam and, later, electricity and gasoline, the latter making possible the navigation of the air. The same, in princi- ple, may be said of other discoveries and inventions, and each was to answer a de- mand. And there is now a demand for im- provement in the methods of education that will eliminate evil and evil conditions and establish justice and right ; and if the pro- duct I produce, the system I present, re- sembles the first steamboat that Fulton built, as compared with the present ocean liners, it is to be hoped that human ingenu- ity will not rest until improvements have been made thereon and perfection attained. The shape this education should take will antagonize no political party and no church or creed. It is not necessary to do so and if it did, it would not accomplish its purpose. Its effect will tend to neutralize prejudices and bring every one into har- THE REMEDY 19 mony with a common ambition — the ad- vancement of the human race. My proposition, is a system of education that will create proper character in the in- dividual and a high character of citizen- ship ; that will get at and develop the roots of what makes character, and an ever in- creasing desire for the advancement of the human race ; with an organization in charge that will see, continuously, to its applica- tion and development. Reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, grammar and geography are taught in our schools. They are not difficult to teach; and each person, more or less, learns them when taught. This knowledge becomes a tool in the hands of those acquiring it to use in pursuing special studies and voca- tions; and a vast difference is recognized between the opportunities of the people with this education they have acquired and what their opportunities would be if they were still ignorant as to reading, writing, etc. Character may be taught as easily as reading, writing or any of the simple branches; with as much or more interest prompting its study ; and a knowledge of it can become world wide and universal ; and when possessed of a high character in our citizenship, perfecting a civilization be- comes possible, probable and practical. 20 THE REMEDY To simply teach that good character is necessary, that it is best to do right and using all the general platitudes and teach- ings now practiced on this subject, will do some good, but it is more or less neutralized by evil example and environments and by the lure of temporary happiness and gain held out by evil temptations — a happiness and gain, unknown to those tempted, that is temporary only and in the end brings to them discontent and unhappiness. Character Teaching a Science My plan will make character teaching a science, so simplified and directed that its teaching will mold the human mind, more or less perfecting character in the individ- ual taught. I do not mean to say that it will bring all to the same degree of perfec- tion. All do not learn to read, write, etc., one as well as another, but all taught do learn, though some better than others. Character teaching, however, will have one advantage over other teaching — it will create more interest and its lessons will be so simple that all may imbibe it easily. To reduce it to a science, specific things want to be taught; that when taught pro- duce or promote the desired character in the one taught. The definition of science is ' ' knowledge, truth ascertained. ' ' Applying THE EEMEDY 21 this to education for the purpose of char- acter building, if education is so shaped and directed as to produce the result wished for, it will be knowledge, truth ascertained. It will be education in character building reduced to a science — a certainty ; that, as a whole, will bring us to a perfected civili- zation. Chakactee Analyzed In analyzing character, it divides itself into three subjects. First. The elements in character that tend to produce permanent happiness and contentment. Or, to state it in another way, the traits in character which, if de- veloped to the exclusion of all undesirable traits, will produce perfect character. Second. The elements in character that produce evil. Or to put it in another way, the traits in character that create unhappi- ness, discontent and injustice. Third. The elements in character nec- essary for establishing and perfecting a civilization. And, in its last analysis, I divide the three subjects into ten. And as we are not beginning this teaching with primitive man, but at a time when civilization has been attempted and is now in turmoil and con- fusion, I reverse the arrangement used in 22 THE REMEDY stating the three subjects and name the ten subjects in the following order. 1. The Common Good. 2. Habit. 3. 4. 5. Prejudice. Vanity. Selfishness, Covetousness. 6. 7. 8. 9. A Cheerful Disposition. Honesty. Industry. Self-reliance. 10. Home Ownership. It will be noticed in stating the ten sub- jects, that I do not use the word character, but the proper teaching of these subjects, I think you will agree as you follow me, will produce the character desired, resulting in a citizenship of such high character that it will solve all the problems of mankind. I do not mean to say that the subjects stated are all that might be regarded as of value in getting the best results, but they are sufficient and will raise all necessary suggestions in pointing the way and in per- fecting civilization. As reading, writing, arithmetic, spell- ing, grammar and geography are the ele- mentary studies by which a further educa- tion is obtained, so are the topics I have named the elementary studies by which the THE EEMEDY 23 whole subject of character may be grasped and developed. And they will be more read- ily appreciated and easily learned, prop- erly taught, than reading, writing, etc. ; and as the cereals, fruits and flowers grow from seed, so these will be the seed that pro- duce the product we wish. A study of the subject of character building includes the effect of the mother's mind on the child in the womb, but I am leaving that to be dealt with separately, except to say that as the character of the mother is advanced it helps mold for the better the character of the child while yet unborn. Taking the ten subjects one at a time, we will see wherein they have educational force in character building. The Common" Good Men acting alone, separately, and in no way in concert, would not produce a civili- zation. So, what they do by acting in con- cert to better their condition, we will call promoting the Common Good. There are many things they can do for their collective benefit that is proper and necessary that they should do to promote their happiness and comfort, and these are matters of the common good as distinguished from those things which each should do for himself. 24 THE EEMEDY Making roads over which to travel is something for the common good, and nec- essary in establishing and maintaining a civilization. There is no such thing as having a civi- lization of any practical benefit without having money to answer as a medium of exchange. Without it we could not have railroads and other means of transporta- tion, manufactures to make tools and agri- cultural instruments, or, books, or news- papers and magazines, and a thousand other things necessary in making a civiliza- tion. In this way we sell what we produce, or our service, for this medium of exchange, and with it buy what we need — thus enab- ling the people to divide up into many em- ployments and vocations, all doing some- thing or making something that furnishes necessities, comforts and conveniences to all ; which would not be practical if it were not for money, that furnishes a medium of exchange by which this is accomplished. Stop and think how rapidly the civiliza- tion we have started would fall to pieces if we had no common medium of exchange — money. Hence, money is a thing that con- cerns us collectively and is made to promote the common good. The making of money is, therefore, a collective function; and pre- serving it, preventing its embarrassment. THE REMEDY 25 or being clogged or obstructed or diverted from its use as a medium of exchange, is also a collective function; for there is no agency more vital to the common good than money. Hence, it is one of the things neces- sary in putting together and maintaining a civilization. A school system, where the opportunity for an education is free to all, is because it tends to promote the common good ; and as it aids in imparting knowledge, it is an agency in advancing our civilization. Promoting the general health by appro- priating money to stamp out epidemics, by requiring sewers in towns and cities to carry oif the filth, and other things which we call sanitary laws, are for the collective benefit of the people affected and, therefore, to pro- mote the common good. These few illustrations will show what is meant by the term common good. Care should be taken not to do, collectively, those things which create more happiness by leav- ing them to the indi\4dual citizen to do for himself. The more intelligently we promote the common good, the better the civilization we will have to live in. It will, properly handled, create an equal opportunity for all and pro- mote the peace, happiness and contentment of the people and each can follow and enjoy 26 THE REMEDY individual business and pursuits. Without civilization, without law, order or govern- ment, we would, until civilization is per- fected, be at the mercy of the vicious and criminal and we would be reduced to a state of barter and savagery. And civilization once partly built up, as we have it now, when corrupted by covetousness and vain and selfish characters, results in unequal oppor- tunities, the poverty of the many, a strug- gle for their existence, despondency, crime, loss of character, prejudices and war — the collective slaughter of each other. Hence, the necessity of its being built on a firm and correct foundation and its superstructure reared with unselfish wisdom. So, when I say that man serves himself best by promoting the common good, I mean that his first and best thoughts should be to the civilization in which he lives. The bet- ter the civilization, the easier it will be for each and all to prosper and be happy. The worse the civilization, the harder it is for each and all to be both prosperous and happy. One who plucks or injures the Com- mon Good to benefit himself or herself, is a bad person. To injure another person is bad, but to injure the Common Good is worse. The true purpose of civilization is the advancement of the human race. By wise and unselfish action, civilization can THE REMEDY 27 be perfected so as to bring universal happi- ness. The first step in character building is to get the people to appreciate the object of civilization and that man serves himself best by intelligently understanding and aid- ing in promoting it. Until the intelligent, dominating major- ity of the people appreciate this, there is no remedy. Hence, it is a matter of education. It is so simple and self-evident that it can be easily taught. Care should be taken in its teaching not to mention or use, by way of illustration, any question that is now at issue with political parties, or that would arouse any one's prejudice; for it is not necessary and would do harm. A simple statement of the elementary truths as af- fecting our collective action in building a civilization is sufficient — such simple state- ments as I have made herein, on which all agree, but which has not been a part of our education and which is not now understood or appreciated. The human mind, if broad and unselfish, having grasped correctly these elementary truths, will decide cor- rectly public questions as they arise. We cannot, however, expect a broad and unselfish view of civilization to be taken by a majority of the people until they are educated along the lines of the other nine subjects. But when they are, this first sub- 28 THE EEMEDY ject will be the crowning subject; and the possibilities for the advancement of the human race will be revealed. There will then be no two opinions, no clashing of self- ish interests ; and there will be unfolded a subject of endless interest, inviting the aid of the plain citizen, the educator and the scientist. When one absorbs these elementary- truths relating to the common good, it has a good effect on one's character — and tends to promoting happiness in such person. Its tendency is to make one, instinctively, hon- est and develops the soul. I recently invited essays from boys and girls under twenty years of age on this sub- ject, and one of the ninety-eight essays re- ceived, closes with these words : The man who is best served Best serves his fellow man; He helps his grateful people Advance from rear to van. His sincere face presents Not one look of distress, And the joy he does not speak His honest looks express.* Hence, in reducing character building to a science, the first subject, or one subject, ♦This essay was by Albert Raney, age 18, pupil in High School, Jasper, Newton County, Arkansas. THE REMEDY 29 is the common good; how men acting collec- tively may start a civilization right and keep it right ; and that if it is demoralized and set wrong by its being corrupted by those who seek to pluck it, it can be de- stroyed, bringing suffering and misery to the whole human race. It is through education that we must teach this truth, simplifying it so the school boys and girls mil understand it. To do so, will plant this one seed in their minds on the threshold of life; and will be equally as interesting to them, if not more so, than any of their other school studies, and as easily grasped and understood. Upon our success in instilling the minds of the coming generations, with a love and respect for the common good, depends the advancement of our civilization. It is not difficult to develop in the young the desire to see a better civilization; and when that de- sire is cultivated, character building in that boy or girl has begun, and, under proper environments, will grow stronger, from year to year. The father and mother at home and the teacher in the schoolroom, can accomplish this mind molding, this character making, in the young, at a youthful age. And the one thus benefited, in after years, will re- member who did it and revere the memory. 30 THE EEMEDY of mother, father or teacher, who pointed the way. For, one who wishes to see a bet- ter civilization, possesses character, — ster- ling character. — And will work to that end ! A desire to promote a better civilization is the key with which to unlock the Temple in which is stored the treasures of char- acter ! CHAPTER ni WE now come to consider the otlier nine subjects. And the education relating to each is necessary and each adds weight and strength to the influ- ence of all. Habit One of the cardinal principles in charac- ter building is to appreciate the force of habit. How the understanding of it helps to mold character! The sense in which I use the word habit is what one accustoms himself or herself to doing, becomes used to or familiar with, in language or action. Habit grows on one; and if one is in the habit of doing right, it becomes easier and easier to do right ; and if one is in the habit of doing wrong, it becomes easier and easier to do wrong ; until the habit is set either for good or bad. This is but a simple statement of a well known fact, a conceded truth. Its use in character building becomes a great aid, edu- cationally handled. All those of some age have thought of it but not till after their habits were fixed. The young, at the age of fixing their habits, do not hear of it. It should be adroitly and attractively pre- 31 32 THE REMEDY sented to the young by the mother, the teacher, the minister, the actor and others. Let us suppose an instance of a mother with her little boy or girl on her lap. She tells it about quicksand, how when one, even a strong man, gets in it, he sinks lower and lower in spite of his efforts to get out of it, till his head disappears under the surface of the sand; riveting the attention of the child on the story — then telling the child, when one does wrong and repeats it till it becomes a habit, it acts like quicksand, pull- ing the person down till ruined; that the way to keep out of it is never to do anything that is wrong, etc. We can imagine such a child later coming to its mother and asking her if such and such is wrong. It remem- bers the story of the quicksand and learns what moral quicksand is and how to keep out of it. The influence of the parents, and partic- ularly the mother, is the first educational opportunity to mold the character of the child. The use of this opportunity depends on the influence the mother has with the child ; and at a tender age that question is determined. If the child is petted and much made over it, it is quick to detect its importance in the family and its influence. If it wants something, and to cry gets it what it wants, and the mother is ready to THE EEMEDY 33 cater to its whims, it becomes the master and the mother the servant — from that day on, the same relation continuing, the mother is losing her influence for good over the child and the child is losing its respect for the mother. The child becomes the master and the mother the servant. If, when this disposition develops in the child, the mother, assuming displeasure at its conduct, were to leave it closed up in a room where no harm could come to it, and go away, letting it cry and stay alone until it feels its dependence, its utter dependence, on the mother, she would, by this and other harmless methods, restore and establish her proper relation to the child, till it, feeling dependent on the mother, would honor and respect her. It is not the temporary hap- piness of the child to be considered by the mother, but its future character and per- manent happiness. For a mother to chastise a child and then, feeling sorry for it, follows up its correction by petting and humoring it, is worse than if she had done nothing. By beginning early enough in properly train- ing a child, it will never be necessary to chastise it. The proper training of a child begins by teaching it its dependence on its mother and out of that will grow obedience and respect; and kindly and affectionate 34 THE EEMEDY companionship will be established, with the mother the dominating influence with the child; and her example and teaching will have wonderful control of it. In elimina- ting evil from the world, each mother may be a teacher, whether she was properly- taught herself or not, and when one begins teaching, one learns much for oneself. And one of the things that the mother wants to teach the child is the effect and force of habit. She should remember the value of its teaching. If one is in the habit of being neat and clean, it will become sec- ond nature to be neat and clean ! If one is in the habit of being polite, it will become natural to be polite ! If one is in the habit of telling the truth, it becomes natural to tell the truth I If one is in the habit of tell- ing falsehoods, the habit will grow, till a lie will often be told where the truth would answer the purpose better! The boy who gets in the habit of tipping his hat or cap to the girls or to the ladies as he passes them, will soon do so instinctively and po- litely, to his credit and popularity! And good habits lead to happiness and success in life! Prejudice One cannot be happy and contented who cultivates prejudice. It injures the person THE EEMEDY 35 who nurses it in his breast more than it does the person against whom it is di- rected. It distempers one's mind and causes loss of sleep and appetite. To have peace of mind and contentment one should free oneself from prejudice. To cultivate it arouses an ugly disposition. If one acts meanly towards you, look on him or her as a scientist would look at a bug through a microscope — as one to be pitied, one who is unfortunate, one who is losing the opportunity for contentment and hap- piness. Let the law take hold of him, if necessary that he may do no harm, but sup- press prejudice. If he threatens bodily harm and there is not time or opportunity for the law to protect you, if trying to let him alone and words addressed to his rea- son will not answer, then defend yourself against him as you would against an en- raged animal. He is the unfortunate one of the two. Form an intelligent opinion of others without prejudice or hatred influ- encing your opinion. Prejudice often leads to crime, to neigh- borhood quarrels and strife. It leads to race hatred and wars between nations and the unhappiness and discontent of millions of people. A candidate for political oflBce often ex- cites the prejudice of the people by abuse of 36 THE REMEDY his opponent or opponents, to secure the oflfice sought through the influence of preju- dice. When he does so, he is aiding in low- ering the character of those who come un- der his influence. His right to the office sought should be judged by his fitness for it and his use of prejudice should be an argu- ment against him. If there be an Evil Spirit at work in this world against a Good Spirit, prejudice is one of the principal weapons the Evil Spirit uses to achieve its object — the misery and discontent of the human race. Through education, properly handled, prejudice can be eliminated from the human breast. Vanity Vanity is to be foolishly proud of one- self. It manifests itself in one's manners, bearing, dress or conversation. One should have self-respect, be clean, dress well, be self -poised and self-reliant but not vain. One of healthy mind will dress comfort- ably and have clothing that fits well and be- comingly. The vain person — one light of mind — will wear useless ornaments and frequently dress uncomfortably in a self- conceited display. Self-conceit, vanity, tends to take the THE REMEDY 37 mind out of the channel of healthy thought and useful occupation, A vain person is weak morally and thereby is more easily tempted to commit crime. One may be led by vanity to want to be president or a congressman or to fill some other office, but such person does not want it that he may assist in promoting the com- mon good, but wants it from motives of self- conceit ; and will sometimes consent to oth- ers selfishly robbing the people if he thinks doing so will aid him in getting or holding the office. Vanity manifests itself in false pride, often causing one to do a foolish or unwise act. Where a number of people are to- gether and a dispute arises wherein one ad- dresses to another opprobrious words, the other often resents it by physical blows, prompted by false pride, believing that if he does not, he will be regarded as a coward. In this way, false pride often leads to crime, imprisonment and much unhappiness and suffering. It also applies to nations and is some- times the cause of two or more nations go- ing to war, though millions are made to suf- fer thereby. At times on a trivial happen- ing where it is supposed that an officer of one nation intended insult to another na- 389237 38 THE REMEDY tion, the nation feeling aggrieved has de- manded that the offending nation shall sa- lute the flag of the nation feeling offended ; and on its refusal to do so, though claiming no insult was intended, war has been de- clared — prompted by vanity, false pride, in one of its most inexcusable and wicked forms. Whatever manifests itself in indi- vidual character may manifest itself in na- tional character. As vain ambition may affect wickedly individual characters, so it may move a people or rulers of a nation to commit great wrongs. One should have conscious pride of in- tegrity and character, and, modest, self- reliant respect for self, tending to giving correct self -measurement of self; and thus molded he or she will be free of vanity and false pride — giving him or her strength of purpose and sterling character that will re- flect the finer manhood or refined woman- hood in the person thus possessed. There are times in our present civiliza- tion, as it now judges the acts of men by false standards, when it requires more moral courage in one to stay out of a phys- ical or national encounter than it would re- quire to drift with the expected, unjust promptings of false pride and vanity. Vanity can be educated out of the human character with teaching universally directed THE REMEDY 39 to that end, at home, in the schools and through literature and other agencies. As it is now, little or no attention in education is paid to it, to prejudice and to covetous- ness; and they are left to grow as rank weeds in a neglected field. And as educa- tion eliminates these agencies of Evil, im- proved character by heredity, as generation follows generation, ought to see them finally pass into oblivion. Selfishness The word selfishness is here used in the sense of covetousness. Selfishness is a love of self with a desire to have, to possess, re- gardless of the rights of others. Jealousy is a child of covetousness. Avarice is in- tense selfishness, greediness. Selfishness is the worst defect in human character and blocks the road to civilization and the happiness and contentment of the people, probably, more than any other evil trait in human character. Vanity is a false pride, to have a foolish love for oneself. Selfishness is a greedy love for oneself or for one's offspring. It is a selfish person who nurses the be- lief that the world owes him or her a living. Such persons, when necessary, will impose their care and maintenance on others, if permitted to do so. They know not the 40 THE EEMEDY health and happiness that comes with indus- try and self-respect — that develops man- hood and womanhood. Their disposition is to prey on others; to prey on the govern- ment ; and to try to get that which of right they have not earned and which does not belong to them. Selfishness is partly the cause of per- sonal quarrels, neighborhood strife and wars. If one were asked the cause of the war in Mexico, where the Mexican people are fighting each other, till death, waste, rapine and misery have filled that land, and the answer were confined to one word, it would be covetousness — the selfish owner- ship of all the land by a few people. If asked the cause of the present war in Eu- rope and Asia, the truthful answer would be vanity, vain ambition, race prejudice and covetousness. To let the mind loose along logical lines of the imagination, one can see in the sky overlooking the dark pall of war in the Eastern Hemisphere, his Satanic Majesty — the Evil Spirit, with face wreathed in smiles, and hear him, true to his character, thus expressing himself: ''How well it works! My purpose, the misery, the suffering, the unhappiness, the discontent of the human race. This is hap- piness to me as I look down upon this scene. THE EEMEDY 41 And how admirably I have planned to bring it about. Using the vain ambition of weak- lings, who would strut the earth in self- importance; hatred for each other nursed through decades ; and a covetous desire for more territory and more power; the work of my handmaids, Vanity, Prejudice and Covetousness. See the Belgians, the old men, the women and children fleeing from Antwerp, their homes destroyed and their country laid waste, hunger and distress written on their faces ; see the cannon shells bursting in France, in Poland, in Hungary, in Turkey and in Egypt ; millions in deadly hatred as they fire bullets into each other and make gaping wounds with bayonets. See the bombs falling from the airships, killing and wounding men, women and chil- dren ; the explosion under yonder battleship and two thousand lives snuffed out, their bodies going to the bottom of the sea ; the hospitals and homes filled with the wounded. And these things I have brought about — and this is my harvest ! No, only partially so ! From the gray ashes of this war there will arise sorrow and disease and pesti- lence! The armies are composed of the most capable and physically well developed young men ; the crippled and defective are left at home and will become the fathers of the future children, who will inherit the 42 THE EEMEDY weaknesses of their fathers! No! The harvest is yet to come! — as I pile billions of debt upon them and leave them a weak and decrepit people who will the more easily cultivate vain and foolish things and hatred for each other ! Thus will I establish my kingdom over the earth ! ' ' Let us ask ourselves the question, Whence comes Evil? And is not the an- swer, from prejudice, vanity and covetous- ness ? And when we have eliminated these from human character, have we not ban- ished Evil from the world ? Education, di- rected right, will do it! Education, skill- fully handled, is the most powerful influ- ence in the world. Put education in proper training for the conflict and it will kill the three of them. A Cheerful Disposition Thus far we have dealt with the three negative influences that have an evil or de- structive influence on human character — vanity, prejudice and selfishness. We are now to consider those subjects which when educationally taught and cultivated will build character. Cultivating a cheerful disposition is one of them ; and when cultivated and practiced, it will become fixed by habit. It aids in making one happy and extends happiness to THE EEMEDY 43 others; it harmonizes people and tends to contentment. A churlish disposition culti- vates prejudice and a happy disposition aids in destroying prejudice. Its impor- tance should be taught to the young, and borne in mind all through life. It leads to politeness, good manners, being respectful and considerate and is the sunshine of hu- man character. Honesty It has been said that to be honest is the best policy. What is meant is that one will succeed best by being honest. It estab- lishes confidence and leads to one being trusted. But there are other and weightier rea- sons why one should be honest. The great- est asset in life is contentment and happi- ness; and to be contented and happy it is necessary that one should be honest. Be- ing honorable and honest tends to promote happiness and contentment. A dishonest man is looking over his shoulder to see what is going to hit him. When one is honest it aids in producing peace of mind and sound sleep, which also conduces to good health. And one should be honest with oneself. To try to deceive oneself is dishonest. 44 THE EEMEDY Industry Industry is indispensable to happiness. One wlio is industrious may be happy and contented. An idle person cannot be happy and contented. The industrious person has occupation of mind which, usefully em- ployed, tends to contentment. Useful in- dustry promotes a better appetite, sound sleep, contentment and health. It has been said that an idle mind is the Devil's workshop. The truth of this will be confirmed by all who reflect. If one is engaged in useful occupation, mentally or physically, the mind is occupied with that which is good for it, making it peaceful, healthier and stronger; but if not so occu- pied, a mental vacuum is created which is too often filled by evil temptations. The idle person gets in trouble and makes trou- ble for others; and it leads to discontent, evil thoughts and crime. The young should understand this early in life, that they may shape their course for success, happiness and contentment. The child is naturally industrious and the mother should direct its attention, in play, to those things that are not harmful, and to mental and physical industry that will be healthful and helpful ; to books that will be to them interesting reading, mental industry ; to assisting the mother or father THE REMEDY 45 — keeping them busy — their minds em- ployed, at play or at useful mental or phys- ical occupation. To permit them to be idle and cultivate idleness is a crime in the par- ents as it leads to moral defects in the chil- dren and maybe to their ruin. Self-Reliance To learn to be self-reliant is important in shaping one's character. The boy and girl at school should begin to learn this and after a fair start should each rely on him- self or herself to learn the school lessons. That which we dig out ourselves we remem- ber best and it develops best the mind. Self-reliance makes one stronger men- tally, morally and physically. It makes one more erect, more efficient and more capable. It develops the initiative in character. One who is self-reliant will, unconsciously, stand more erect and have a better type of phys- ical form and better expression reflected in the face. The honest, industrious and self-reliant man is not an alms taker. He is not hold- ing out his hand for you to give him some- thing. He is not seeking something for nothing. He is not trying to pluck the gov- ernment or his neighbor. Self-reliance, coupled with honesty and industry, leads to success, happiness and contentment; and 46 THE EEMEDY such a person is not apt to imbibe preju- dice, vanity and seljfishness; his mind will be broad and he will see and note their evil effects. Self-reliance will give one a better con- trol of oneself when tempted to do wrong. One can say No when it is best to say No ! Knowing the effect of a bad habit, his char- acter will instinctively say No ! and he will not be so easily led into temptation to do wrong! And when doing right, will do it the more vigorously ! Self-reliance is a very important factor to cultivate in character building ; and it can be taught to the child at school, and the seed there planted will grow, more or less, through life. Home Ownership There is a desire in each person to want a home and this trait in character should be encouraged, as it has a direct influence on character building. If one 's character has been formed by an appreciation of the nine former subjects, it is needless to say that such person is a good citizen and appreciates the value of home ownership. It is a subject that should have a niche in a Shaft raised to character building ; and should be educationally impressed. THE REMEDY 47 There is no such thing as a capable and prosperous citizenship and advancing civ- ilization that is not founded on prosperous and contented homes. In one and all the love of home, or desire for a home, is im- planted. It is around the hearthstone, on the home porch, in the family sitting room and home environments that true happiness and contentment may be sought. Its asso- ciations are best to develop character, lofty aspirations and noble sentiments. With- out it, one is like a ship without an anchor. And to be a home with the best influence, it should belong to those who occupy it. The home owner is interested, builds for the future and improves and beautifies ; the wife and children plant flowers and trees and take an interest in their development. It aids in broadening the minds of the sons and daughters and in cultivating in them initiative and constructive character. The tenant and his family are not thus affected. Their interest in it is temporary. They let the property run down. They do not improve or beautify, grow sloven and indifferent and are not influenced to be ini- tiative or constructive, thus weakening what might have been possible in the character of their children. A nation of home owners is a strong na- tion ; and a nation of tenants is a weak na- 48 THE REMEDY tion. The rise or decline of civilization may be marked by the increase or decrease of home owners. The steady and continu- ous increase in the number of home owners means an advancing civilization! A de- crease in home owners and a steady and continuous increase in the number of ten- ants, means a declining civilization ! With the country populated with home owners, it means a sturdy, reliable citizenship ! And as our first and best thoughts should be for the making of a grand civilization, we are interested in reducing the number of ten- ants and increasing the number of home owners ! And this is a subject for teaching in character building. CHAPTER IV The Value of It IN reducing education teaching character building to a science, we are using ten subjects : The Common Good, wherein we act collectively ; Habit ; Prejudice ; Van- ity; Selfishness; a Cheerful Disposition; Honesty; Industry; Self-Reliance ; and Home Ownership. In producing a chemical for a beneficial purpose, certain elements are combined and the desired result is obtained. In making bread, certain ingredients are mixed and their mutual action on each other accom- plishes the result. It is knowledge — truth ascertained. A system of refining oil produces gaso- line, and a machine built on scientific prin- ciples causes explosions of the gasoline, cre- ating power, that is now running millions of automobiles and other machinery. This is knowledge — truth ascertained. With a like accuracy, as in the making of a chemical, the bread and the gasoline pow- er, a proper system for training the human mind will produce the character desired. The ten ingredients named, used in the men- tal composition, create the desired effect. 49 50 THE EEMEDY The same ingredients commonly used in making bread will not each time produce the best bread, but each time it will make bread that nourishes life. And in the train- ing of the human mind, using the ten ingre- dients named, we will not each time get the best result, but each time it will be making character that nourishes civilization. Teaching the elementary subjects taught in our schools, six subjects, is the science of letters. Teaching the ten subjects named, is the science of character building; and may be done in one-tenth the time consumed in teaching the six subjects. And the ten specific subjects taught will, as a whole, pro- duce the desired result. Education in a general, haphazard way will not give the re- sult desired. It generalizes too much and does not put in it the substance necessary. As steel is made by the blending of sev- eral minerals till, more or less, it is a firm, unyielding substance, so the human mind when it absorbs the teaching of these ten subjects, will will to be, to do as the con- clusions reached from these ten subjects prompt, and is more or less an unyielding character of the substance of which it is made. And what is such a character made of? A desire to promote civilization. Under- stands the force of habit ; shrinks from the THE EEMEDY 51 danger of a bad habit in self-defense, as one would from a pitfall. Realizes the poison for evil or injury to oneself and to civiliza- tion there is in prejudice, vanity and covet- ousness. Cultivates a cheerful disposition which grows stronger and is fixed upon him or her by habit. Is honest, industrious and self-reliant, also fixed stronger day by day, by habit ; and will be a home owner if so sit- uated to use it. Such a person will be a good citizen, a desirable citizen. Such teaching, systematized, will be organization in an onward movement for the perfection of civilization. The result is obtained be- cause specific subjects are taught which make character. It Will Arouse Interest Such teaching will arouse interest. When interest is attained, education is easy and learning rapid. Interest aroused is a key that unlocks the mind ; if the genius of developing it is possessed by a teacher, in any school, the pupils learn rapidly. Teaching character building is of itself an interesting subject in which the pupils can be more easily interested than in the school of letters. In the teaching of each subject, the teaching carries with it a reason that ap- peals to the mind, something that is tangi- 52 THE REMEDY ble, that one can take hold of, can grasp — mentally ; that is logical and unanswerable. It promises and justifies the expectation of a reward, happiness, contentment, a pros- perous condition, the advancement of civ- ilization ; with a reliable, well-founded hope, ultimately, of universal peace and happi- ness. With such an incentive, it can be- come a universally popular study. And what may we reasonably expect? It is said that one has a conscience, more or l€ss developed in all, and that it is innate in one to wish to do good, though with char- acter much corrupted; and this is true. Again, experience teaches that in all the na- tions of the world, people in great numbers have followed some form of religion; it is because it is inborn in mankind to wish to search for what is good. For the same rea- son, will not this cause, these teachings, suc- cessfully appeal to millions of people ? In reducing character building to a sci- ence, we put forward as one of its cardinal principles the Common Good — wherein we act, collectively, to produce a civilization; with a growing incentive to make it a good civilization, a better civilization, a perfect civilization — to emancipate mankind from Evil, and when one is assisting in this he is doing good. He is using the intelligence the Creator gave him to work out his salva- THE EEMEDY 53 tion and tlie salvation of the human race. It is a practical remedy that all can, more or less, grasp, and all can mentally kneel at its shrine and rise with a higher and nobler spirit. Will Aid Religious Obdees It will be welcomed by those teaching spiritual religion as materially aiding them. For if one is aiding to construct a happy temporary kingdom for mankind on this earth he is more fitted to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If one does not possess the character that appreciates a perfected civ- ilization here, how can he, when he lays down to die, expect to claim his fitness for a perfected Kingdom in the hereafter I Is it not a practical religion on which all can agree ? And a preparatory school making possible the success of spiritual religion? Are not all organizations promoting spir- itual religion now hampered and embar- rassed by the Evil in human character? And will they not welcome a practical move- ment that will aid them in eliminating Evil from human character? It will create good citizenship. Neigh- bors will respect each other more and each regard the other as having an equal right in the pursuit of life, health and happiness. Each will have a concern for the new- 54 THE EEMEDY born, of their own and those of others, that the material to replenish the human race be advancing in moral, mental and physical character. The young man tempted by voluptuous passion who has learned the ten lessons, will hesitate before tempting the young woman to do that which will destroy her peace of mind, happiuess and contentment. His tendency will be to lift his hat to her and with courteous gallantry encourage her that she may become the loyal mf e of someone and the mother of children who will add lus- ter to a rising civilization. He will not seek to pull down, but will seek to lift up. Happy Marriages Both the men and women, seeking mates in -wedlock, will be instinctively guided by what is required in character to win admira- tion and produce happiuess ; and love and marriage will not be the offspring of frivol- ity, vanity, expediency and covetousness. Love will be of a character that binds them together in comradeship, union and har- mony. Husbands and wives will be industrious ; the husband a good provider and the wife a good housekeeper, both indispensable to married happiness. Idleness, ostentation and false display will not tempt them be- THE REMEDY 55 cause they will know it leads to unhappiness and discontent. Their home will be one of simple life, of love and comfort, and one of the millions of miits forming for the per- manent establishment of a civilization. Intemperance in the use of alcoholic liquid, and intemperance in character in all things will be brought more under subjec- tion by character building. A knowledge of the force of habit will be a danger signal and a guide ; and self-reliance will give con- trol, growing stronger by inheritance and education. Hatred and Abuse Will Disappear Religious prejudices and race hatred, now ever smouldering fires threatening de- struction, will give way to an intelligent dis- cussion and settlement of such questions through respectful and forceful reasons ad- vanced, addressed to the intelligence of mankind. Abuse begets abuse and hatred begets hatred ; and this maxim under char- acter building will be appreciated and ob- served. Vanity and false pride will begin disap- pearing and will finally disappear from hu- man character. Foolishly cultivated desire for display and to attract attention will give way to wholesome bearing in manly and womanly appearance and traits of pleasing 56 THE REMEDY character, that will be infinitely more ad- mired. Selfishness, covetousness,will be brought Tinder control. One will see the evil of it, the vice of it. It will be replaced by an in- telligent selfishness that sees wherein self is best benefited by promoting the best possi- ble civilization. Independence and self-respect, acquired by industrious and self-reliant habits, will result in a higher standard of happiness, comfort, peace of mind and contentment. The labor and cares of the world now borne by the few, will be borne by the many — till it will be a light load. Work will have be- come a pleasure and there will be time and desire to beautify the earth and make of it a paradise. — And crimes, suicides, poverty and all the attendant ills that now mark our civilization will be disappearing. A New Era Under the influence of such an era, would it not be reasonable to expect that a hun- dred years from now, in passing through the country, one will find in every town and village and in picturesque places by the side of beautiful roads, elevated pedestals and on each, in bronze or marble or granite, commanding statues representing some ex- pression in character building. On one, the THE REMEDY 57 word Industry, and a finely proportioned man with muscles glistening in shadow and sunshine. On another, Self-reliance, rep- resenting mental, moral and physical strength. On another. Home Ownership, a sturdy and manly man, at his feet sheaves of wheat and emblems of the home. On an- other. Matrimony, a man and woman in love and companionship, his right arm encircling her waist, the two looking into each other's eyes with all loyalty, confidence and trust. And on the faces of all, expressions of hap- piness and contentment. And here and there, in city and by coun- try roadsides, high on a pedestal, lying limp and dead upon its oval top, the life-size fig- ures of three men, bearing upon their facial expression what they were in life ; on one. Prejudice, the look of hatred ; on another. Vanity, the foolish look of silly pride ; and on another, Covetousness, the wrinkled and drawn face of greed. And on the smooth surface of the side of the pedestal in raised letters these words: "After creating un- told suffering and misery for centuries, they died and departed from this world in the 20th century. '* And this statuary representing the liv- ing virtues and the dead vices, will be edu- cational object lessons, perpetuating the virtues and sealing in death the vices. 58 THE REMEDY And these lessons in character building will be erected by men and women who have found an incentive in a holier ambition, than was once inspired by the love of vainglory and the unlimited accumulation of wealtL INSERTED next is the copy for a little school booklet, that the Author suggests for use in the schools for teaching character building. CHARACTER BUILDING 61 CHARACTER BUILDING 63 PREFACE How this booklet may be best taught, as learned by experience, may be later imparted to teachers in a printed circular. It will be seen, however, that one way is provided for now in each lesson, requiring less than five minutes each morning when the school assembles. Another way suggested is to have the pupils write essays on the different subjects. This will cause each to read the booklet to prepare for writing an essay, and writing the essay will serve to impress the subject on the mind. Each pupil old enough to make the responses should have a booklet and be told to show it to the parents, that they, too, may see what is being taught. When first pre- paring the school to use each response, the text of the chapter should be read aloud. Use only one response each morning and continue using that one each morning till the school is fairly familiar with it before passing to the next one. CHARACTER BUILDING 65 CHAPTER I The Common Good Man serves himself best by promoting the Common Good. A civilization is necessary for the peace and content- ment of the people. The better the civilization, the easier it will be for each and all to be prosperous and happy. The worse the civilization, the harder it is for each and all to be happy. The true THOSE SUPPORTING THE COMMON GOOD ARE BTnixDING THE TEMPLE OF CIVILI- ZATION. prosperous and purpose of civi- lization is the advancement of the human race. Those who promote the common good are building the temple of civilization. And those who do not help to promote the common THOSE WHO ARE good, but ucglcct it or try to PT/tJCKING THE GOV- , , . , . . , ,, ^S?J%^. in P^^^k 1*' ^6 tearmg out the ^^^i Xm ^t^ pillars that support the tem- cvnuzf-S^^^ OF pie of civilization. 66 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE A morning exercise when the school as- sembles. Teacher, when ready to bring the school to order, gives one stroke of the tap bell on a table on the platform, on the sounding of which, the pupils will be seated and give the teacher their attention- Waiting until all are seated and quiet obtained, the teacher will tap the bell a second time, and the pupils will all rise. Teacher, addressing the school : How does man serve himself best? Pupils, all responding at the same time: Man serves himself best by promoting the Com- mon Good. Teacher taps the bell. Pupils take their seats and the regular rou- tine of the school day begins. CHARACTER BUILDING 67 CHAPTER II Habit "What one gets in the habit of doing, becomes second nature If one is in the habit of doing right, it will become easier, day by day, to do right. If one is in the habit of doing wrong, it will become easier, day by day, to do wrong. If one is in the habit of be- ing neat and clean, it will be- come second nature to be so. If one is in the habit of be- ing polite, it will become nat- ural to be polite. If one is in the habit of telling the truth, it will be- come natural and easy to tell the truth. If one is in the habit of telling falsehoods, the habit of doing so will grow, till a lie will often be told where the truth would answer the pur- pose much better. "Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day till it becomes so strong we cannot break it." BY HABIT HB IS POLITE. 6g CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE For morning exercise when the school begins. Teacher will give one tap of the bell as before, for all to take their seats, waiting patiently till they have done so. Then the second tap for all to rise. Then: Teacher : What effect has habit on human character f Pupils, all answering together: Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day till it becomes so strong we cannot break it. Teacher taps the bell, all are seated and the day's work begins. Teacher will practice the pupils on all re- sponses till later on in the session, when a ques- tion is put, it will be answered readily. CHARACTER BUILDING 69 CHAPTER III Prejudice Prejudice injures the person who nurses it in his breast more than it does the person against whom it is directed. One should be slow in permitting prejudice to arise in the mind. If you think one is seeking to offend you or to injure you, and conclude finally that such is the case, do not let prejudice ferment in your mind. If necessary, defend yourself. Observe the character of such person as one who is unfortunate — an object of curiosity — something to be let alone. One who is quick to take offense, who is quick to think someone is trying to impose upon him, is lacking in breadth of char- acter, and will lose sleep over imaginary wrongs. If you would be contented and happy, form an intelligent opinion of others without preju- dice or hatred. PBEJUmCE. 70 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE For morning exercise. Use the bell, as before stated, to seat the pu- pils or to bring them to silence and attention if already seated. And then a second bell to rise. Teacher should see that they stand erect, shoul- ders back and breasts out. Pupils will appre- ciate such physical training. Then : Teacher: What effect has 'prejudice on one's character? Pupils : Prejudice injures the person who nurses it in his breast more than it does the person against whom it is directed. A tap of the bell seats the pupils and the day's lessons begin, CHAKACTER BUILDING 71 CHAPTER IV Vanity Vanity is to be foolishly proud of oneself. It manifests itself in one's manners, bearing, dress and conversation, and if cultivated, be- comes a stumbling block to true success. One should have self-respect, be clean and dress well, self-poised and strong of confidence, but not vain. One of healthy mind will dress comfortably and have clothing that fits well and becomingly The vain person — one light of mind — will wear useless ornaments and frequently dress uncom- fortable in a self-conceited display. A vain person is weak morally and may be tempted to commit crime. One may be lead by vanity to want to be President or Congressman. But such person does not want it that he may assist in promoting the Common Good, but wants it from motives of vainglory or self-advance- ment. Vanity is a weak- ness, preventing the perfection of human char- acter. VANITT. 72 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE For morning exercise. Using the bell as before to secure method, harmony and discipline. Teacher : What ejfect has vanity on human character? Pupils : Vanity is a weakness, preventing the perfection of human char- acter. A tap of the bell and all are seated. CHARACTER BUILDING 73 CHAPTER V Selfishness Selfishness is a love of self with a desire to have, to possess, regardless of the rights or hap- piness of others. Vanity is a false pride — to have a foolish love for oneself. Selfishness is a greedy love for oneself or one's offspring. Selfishness is one of the causes of war. A selfish person is lacking in love and respect for the Common Good. Individual selfishness put into laws will in time destroy a republic, and is the mother of despotism. Selfishness — unchecked — may be said to be a consum- ing fire that burns out and de- stroys all that is pure and no- ble in one's character. AVARIC3B. If you find that you have a selfish nature, do all you can to remove it from your disposition, and by trying, in time you will succeed. 74 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE For morning exercise. Teacher : What influence has selfishness on human character F Pupils: Selfishness, unchecked, is a con- suming fire that burns out and destroys all that is pure and noble in human character* CHARACTER BUILDING 75 CHAPTER VI A Cheerful Disposition If you would be happy, cultivate a cheerful disposition. A cheerful disposition will make one more popular with others. A fault-finding disposi- tion will make one unpop- ular. With a cheerful disposi- tion, one is more apt to suc- ceed in life. A cheerful disposition imparts happiness to oneself A chee™^ disposi- and to others. A cheerful disposition is the sunshine of life I 76 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE For morning exercise. Teacher : What is to be gained by having a cheerful disposition f Pupils: With a cheerful disposition, one is more apt to be happy and to succeed in life. CHARACTER BUILDING 77 CHAPTER VII Honesty If you would be content and have peace of mind, be honest. A dishonest man is looking over his shoul- der, as it were, to see what is going to hit him. If a man is honest, it will tend to give the face a pleas- ant appearance and to the per- son a manly bearing. In a woman, her expres- sion will be more attractive and her manners more pleas- ant. Take only that which is yours and accord to others that which is theirs — and do not resort to selfish reasoning to quiet a conscience that will HB IS LOOKING OVER be bruiscd and discontented HIS SHOULDB3R TO , , , , SEE WHAT IS GOING by such treatment. TO HIT HIM. "^ 78 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE Teacher: Why id it best for one to be honest f Pupils: Because it assists one in having peace of mind and tends to bring contentment and happiness. CHARACTER BUILDING 79 CHAPTER VIII Industky To be happy one should be industrious. An idle person cannot be happy ; one who is indus- trious may be. Idleness is the Devil's workshop. Industry, properly directed, tends to a happy state of mind and contentment. The lazy man tries to make a living without work. This causes him to lose re- spect for the rights of others. He wants someone else to support him, and that is dis- honest. An idle woman is usually a gossip. Her mind not being attracted by useful work, she busies herself with her neigh- bor's affairs, causing trouble for others- Idleness weakens the mind and softens the body. Industry brings with it a stronger mind and a stronger body. When one gets in the habit of being indus- trious, it becomes a pleasure to be so. 80 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE Teacher : What ejfect has idleness or indus- try on one's happiness f Pupils: An idle person cannot be happy. One who is industrious may be. CHARACTER BUILDING 81 CHAPTER IX Self-Reliance If you would succeed, be self-reliant. It strengthens one to fall into the habit of relying on oneself. If you would be manly and noble, be self-reliant and carry your part of the respon- sibilities of life. By doing so you will have respect for your- self — which will tend to make you more manly, or womanly, as the case may be. If you impose on someone to provide for himself and you, too, you will make for yourself a poor character. HIS FATHER LEFT HIM $100,000 AND IT TOOK AWAY HIS BELF-RELIANCa Such a person is a parasite. It is better for one to iai- herit a character for honesty, industry and self-reliance than to inherit a fortune in money. The former will be a foundation upon which to build, while the latter may be lost or dissipated. Self-reliance makes one stronger, physically, mentally and morally. HE HAS HONESTY. INDUSTRY AND SEILF- RELIANCE . 82 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE Teacher: What effect has self-reliance on one's character f Pupils: Self-reliance makes one stronger physically, mentally and mor- ally, ' CHARACTER BUILDING 83 CHAPTER X Home Ownership The love of home is implanted in all people. To be happy and contented, it is necessary to have a home. To be a home, it wants to belong to one or to one's parents. Home ownership encourages industry, better houses, better crops, better fences and the plant- ing of flowers. A tenant lacks encouragement and does not plan or build for the future. The tendency is for him to become less industrious and not so good a citizen. A nation of home owners is a strong nation. A nation of tenants is a weak nation. The rise or decline of civilization may be marked by the increase or decrease in home ownership. 84 CHARACTER BUILDING RESPONSE Teacher: What ejfect has home ownership on civilization f Pupils: The rise or decline of civilization may be marked by the increase or decrease in home ownership. CHARACTER BUILDING 85 A DIALOGUE For Use at School Exhibitions Two Characters — John and Dick. John on right side of stage, as it faces the audience, and Dick on left side. John: Dick, I belong to an Order. Dick: An Order ? To what Order do you be- long, John? John: To the Order of Civilization. Dick: Has it a grip, signs and a password? John: A grip? Nol Except the grip of a manly man. As for signs and passwords, if one belongs to the Order, it may be known by his deportment and the answers he may make to questions asked. Dick silent. John turns, folds arms, walks to corner of stage. Speaking to the audience, says: I will try him and see if he belongs to this Order. Walking back, facing Dick, says, speaking slowly: How may man serve himself best? Dick: Man serves himself best by promot- ing the Common Good. John: But may not a man ignore the Com- mon Good and gain great riches? 86 CHARACTER BUILDING Dick: One does not gain great riches who loses character, his good conscience, and his peace of mind. John: Folds arms, walks away. To the audience says: He speaks well, I will try him further. Walks back, addressing Dick. But one is not prepared to serve himself best or promote the Common Good who has not at- tributes of character that thus forefend him. What say you to this question : What effect has Habit on human character? Dick: Habit — habit (thinking) is a cable; we weave a thread each day till it becomes so strong we cannot break it. If one does what is right, it becomes easier day by day to do what is right. If one does what is wrong, it becomes easier day by day to do what is wrong. Thus, habit may become a cable, till it is so strong we cannot break it. John: Walks away, face to audience, says: He speaks a wisdom that even a youth can grasp. I will try him again. Walks back, facing Dick, Tell me — what think you of prejudice — its effect on man-making. Dick: Prejudice is a weakness in one, and injures the person who nurses it in his breast more than it does the person against whom it is directed. John: Yes. It causes loss of sleep and illy distempers the brain in which it curdles. Van- ity? What say you of vanity? CHARACTER BUILDING 87 Die k : Vanity is a weakness, preventing the perfection of human character. John: Aside to the audience. He answers well. Now to the greater test. Turning again, he faces Dick: Selfishness. Self-ish-ness. What think you on this subject? Dick : Selfishness ? That selfishness which ignores the common good? Which places a penny before the eye and obscures the light of the sun? Is it of that you would have me speak? John: Yea, speak on. Dick: It has bathed the world in tears and blood. Selfishness, unchecked, is a consuming fire that burns out and destroys all that is pure and noble in human character. John: Dick, you have stood the test. Right gladly do I take your hand. Stepping forward and offering his hand. Die k : Ho Iding up a hand and waving Jo hn off. It is now my turn to ask questions. Folds his arms, walks to and fro on the stage for a tyio- ment, with head down, as if thinking deeply; then facing John: You have spoken of the evil forces in human character — prejudice, vanity and covetousness. But what of the positive forces? You have named material that should not be used in construction. But what of the constructive material? I am now going to put questions to you. What affect on one's char- acter has one's disposition? John: If you would be happy and success- 88 CHARACTER BUILDING ful, cultivate a cheerful disposition. It is essen- tial in molding a proper character. Dick: With left elbow in right hand and left hand to chin, aside to audience: He has answered right. To John: And what of honesty? John: Be honest if you would have peace of mind. The dishonest man is looking over his shoulder to see what is going to hit him. Looking first over his left then his right shoulder. Dick: Twice you have answered right, A third question is this: What of industry and its relation to human happiness? John: To be happy, it is necessary to be industrious. Idleness breeds discontent. It is the devil's workshop. Industry, properly di- rected, gets one interested in his vocation, tend- ing to a happy state of mind and contentment. Dick: To the audience. Three times he has answered as he should have answered. I am keeping count. Counting on his fingers: A cheerful disposition, honesty and industry. Now, there is a fourth I would put. Turning and facing John: In character building, what importance do you give to self-reliance? John: Self-reliance makes one stronger physically, mentally and morally. Shoulders back as if conscious of his self-reliant strength, speaking slowly, with right hand extended, showing palm to audience. All honest per- CHARACTER BUILDING 89 sons hate an almstaker — one who would Hve on the industry of another. Dick: In thoughtful mood, walks to corner of stage, and facing audience, says: Again he has answered right. He questions well and he answers well. I will put a final test to him. Turning, he walks back and faces John: Tell me, sir, what relation has Home Ownership to Civilization? John: Home ownership encourages indus- try, better houses, better crops, better fences and the planting of flowers. A tenant lacks encour- agement and does not plan or build for the fu- ture. A nation of home owners is a strong na- tion! A nation of tenants is a weak nation! The rise or decline of civilization may be marked by the increase or decrease in home ownership 1 An increasing number of home owners means a rising civilization ! Dick: Now, sir, I am ready to accept your hand, and readily do I recognize that you are a member of the Order of Civilization, the true purpose of which is the advancement of the hu- man race. Extending his hand to John, they cordially shake hands. Dick with right arm over John's shoulder, and John with left arm on Dick's back, advancing to the front of the stage, say in unison, John with right hand and index finger extended: The true purpose of civiliza- tion is the advancement of the human race!!! 90 CHARACTER BUILDING Eelating to the Booklet It will be observed that time taken in the schoolroom, by using the foregoing booklet, is not more than five minutes each morning. There can, therefore, be no objection from the standpoint of time. It should, however, be done deliberately and impressively, not hurriedly. The teacher can aid in this by walking down the aisle, seeing to it that all are standing in straight rows, lining them up, heads up and shoulders back, before putting the question and receiving the response that is to drive home in their minds an impression that is to be lasting. An elementary truth is easily taught. It is moving along the line of least resistance and aids in its teaching itself. One of the greatest benefits, no doubt, will come from essays written by the pupils on the subjects. I think care should be taken in not over- teaching. There is a slight sensitiveness in one if the impression is made that a lecture on char- acter is personal and intended as a rebuke to one. Pupils are brighter than the average per- son will give them credit for being, and in their youth, their hearts and sympathies will quickly distinguish between right and wrong. They will, as a rule, enjoy character teaching where it is done with a pleasant system, but for the teacher to harp on it or nag at it, might create prejudice. CHAPTER V Wherein We Act Collectively IT is again important to refer to wherein the citizens acting collectively try to set Tip a civilization and the effect character building has thereon. In the collective effort to begin and im- prove a civilization, rules are established called **laws"; — that provide for money, roads, schools and many other necessary things, among them a system of revenue, commonly known as taxes, for money to pay the expense required to do these things ; and men are elected or appointed to fill the offices who are relied on to enact needed laws and to perform the official duties. The power, collectively, to elect officers and do the things intended for the general good in the republic of the United States, is divided between towns, townships, counties, states and the nation. Each is given power to levy taxes and make roads and to the na- tion, only, is given the power to make money. Many other things are given each to do. The law making power, to establish rules of action, is given, mainly, to the states and the nation, vested in a body of men, in the states, known as The Legisla- ture; and in the nation in a body of men 91 92 THE REMEDY known as The Congress ; and a separate set of executive officers is provided for to look after the business of each division of the government and to enforce the rules of ac- tion established. The division of government into so many parts is to give local self-government and bring it closer to the people ; and this, probably, in a general sense, cannot be im- proved upon. This form of government was the result of experience as people groped and felt their way up and freed themselves from tyranny where a few men, imbued by selfishness, ruled the people, di- viding the land among the few, and, in many ways, lessening the opportunity of the peo- ple to acquire homes, comfort, contentment and happiness. Having secured a popular form of gov- ernment, where the people should be inter- ested, generally, and feel responsible, nat- urally, the character of the people affects the outcome. If conducted wisely and effi- ciently, its beneficial results are practically unlimited ; but if conducted ignorantly and corruptly, it falls into confusion and results disastrously. In going about it, the people having, more or less, an imperfect idea as to what would be best, and selfish interests conflict- ing with disinterested motives, it has re- THE REMEDY 93 suited, with all popular forms of govern- ment, in two or more organizations among the people known as political parties, each giving itself a name, each naming its candi- dates for the offices and each advancing its views as to what it thinks best to do, ex- pressed in a printed statement of principles that is circulated among the people. The Convention System Each political party adopted the method of first holding township conventions to which those believing in its policies were in- vited and at which men were named as its proposed township officers, or candidates of that party for the people to vote on at the general election ; and, selected delegates to a county convention of its party, where, in like manner, by a majority vote of the dele- gates assembled in county convention, names were submitted to the people to fill the county offices; and the county conven- tion selected delegates to attend its party 's state convention, where, in like manner, as in township and county, its party's choice was made for men to fill the state offices; and the state convention, in turn selected delegates to a national convention, that in turn, submitted to the people its party's choice for such national officers as were to be selected by the people. In legislative 94 THE REMEDY and congressional districts the same process named the candidates of each political party and the congressional conventions ap- pointed delegates, also, to its party *s na- tional convention. So, when the general election came, the people, by a majority or plurality vote, decided which party's principles they preferred and who should be their ofificers and law makers ; they select- ing from the names submitted by the two or more political parties. The result of this method was that the people did not take a general interest in at- tending the to^vnship conventions, naming proper candidates and selecting delegates to the county convention. And, in time, in the main, only those attended conventions who had a selfish interest to be served by the offices to be filled or the platform of principles to be adopted. It resulted in cultivating a set of office seekers who saw how the indifference of the people enabled them to manipulate the con- ventions. Cliques and combinations of office seekers wanting the many offices and selfish interests, influenced the appointment of delegates. This practice became general where a political party was in the majority or when it had reasonable hopes of being so. Beginning with the township conventions that would name delegates to the county THE REMEDY 95 conventions, those seeking comity offices would have some one looking after each township convention, the indifference of the people being well known to them. Usually not to exceed a dozen men would meet in the township, most of whom had come influ- enced to do so by candidates or agents of candidates for the county offices, and where a larger number attended it was the friends of rival candidates, each induced to come as a personal favor to a candidate or as a personal favor extended to one of the candi- date 's friends. And the selection of delegates by the county conventions and so on, in turn, by the other conventions, in all the parties that had a reasonable chance of winning at the elec- tion, the same influences were at work in naming the candidates that, if elected, filled the offices, both legislative and executive. And in time, through the convention sys- tem, selfish influences predominated, result- ing in laws to promote selfish purposes, at- tended with great extravagance and in- creased tax levies and appropriations, and unskilled, unwise and often corrupt man- agement of the public business. Thus, a collective effort to promote civilization met with a serious hindrance in the characters of men, aided and made possible by a gen- eral lack of appreciation on the part of the 90 THE REMEDY people as to how a civilization is effected, made or unmade, by the rules of action es- tablished for it and the character of the men placed in charge. The convention system came to be re- garded as a failure on account of the lack of interest of the people and the selfish char- acter of those who used it for their personal advantage. The conventions, instead of se- lecting men solely for their fitness for the offices to be filled , and in legislative and con- gressional conventions, instead of selecting able and honest men who were making a study of the science of government as affect- ing civilization, selected, as a rule, men for whom the delegates were voting as a per- sonal favor and who, if elected, represented a vain desire for self -promotion, or a selfish interest in some form. Primary Elections A counter influence lead by broad- minded men, had contended against selfish influences in political party organization, pointing out its effect ; and finally a law has been adopted by the people in many states taking away from conventions the nomina- tion of candidates, and adopting in its place, a system by which the voters in each party, vote directly on the names submitted to them for their choice, with the free right for THE REMEDY 97 anyone 's name to be thus submitted. This is known as a party primary election — the primary elections taking the place of con- ventions. In most of these primary laws, a majority choice is not required, only a plu- rality, as between three or more candidates for one office, giving the nomination to the one receiving the most votes, though not a majority of all the votes cast. However, in some states a method is provided for whereby a majority preference is made practical as among numerous names sub- mitted for the same office at one primary election. The object of primary elections to nom- inate the candidates for the various polit- ical parties, was to try to escape the influ- ences of selfishness in human character that had made the convention system a failure, and to try to overcome the indifference of the people. It has made the method of selecting the candidates of the various political parties more cumbersome and expensive, both to the people, who pay the taxes, and to the candidates and those promoting the candi- dates of their choice. But this would not be a serious objection if it resulted in allaying prejudices and freeing the result from self- ish influences. This method, however, has resulted in 98 THE EEMEDY the confusion of many men announcing their own candidacies before the primary, and also in bringing to the front the same class of men who exerted a selfish influence on the conventions; and, personally and through runners and agents, bringing to the primary elections in each township and pre- cinct as many as possible who will vote for them through some selfish motive or as a personal favor, the same method they used in controlling the township conventions. The primary election has awakened more interest among the people as to what the public welfare has to do with the personal welfare ; but evil character is there, not al- ways, but in the main, predominating as in the convention system. The people do not take a sufficient interest for a number of them to get together to unselfishly and wisely promote the candidacy of men to vote for at the party primary, but in their indif- ference, leave it a choice between the men who are advancing their own candidacies. Under the primary election system it has now become a common practice with many candidates to corrupt the elective franchise by the use of money to buy the influence and active support of one or more men in each precinct to increase their votes. And the practice is indulged of candidates using abuse of their opponents and falsehoods re- THE EEMEDY 99 garding them, aided in this by their inter- ested supporters, till a man of character who would make a good officer shrinks from becoming a candidate. Thus we see that whatever method is adopted to select the candidates of political parties, the question of character is the vital question. In a convention of able and unselfish men, representing the men at home of this class who have selected them, having in view, solely, the adoption of principles lead- ing to a better civilization, and the selection of candidates fitted to fill the offices, meeting in a room where they can confer and discuss the principles and the fitness and availabil- ity of men suggested for candidates, unin- fluenced by sordid or selfish motives, a bet- ter selection would, no doubt, be made than by the primary system where it is not prac- tical for all the voters of each party to get together and advise, confer and act with de- liberation, but the convention system, as has been found, is not practical until the charac- ters of the people have been remolded or a new generation of men are on the scene of action possessing the desired character — and to secure that, we must rely on an edu- cational method. The Elections The necessity of character building is again emphasized when it comes to the gen- 100 THE REMEDY eral election for the voters to choose be- tween the candidates that are presented to them by the different political organiza- tions. Here the same confusion exists and the same influences are at work, where the contest is reasonably close, as in the con- vention and primary systems. The people can only vote, choose, as between the candi- dates that have been previously selected by conventions or by party primary elections. Here and there we find a conscientious statesman through oral and printed speeches advocating the success of a party and its candidates, hoping for an onward, though slow progress of the people; and many good and unselfish citizens support- ing one party or another, likewise trying to secure progress ; but underlying the whole effort is the polluted source of party's prin- ciples and the selection of their candidates ; and the same selfish influences as in the conventions and in the primaries are now brought to bear on the result of the general election, especially where the contest is close or the parties about evenly divided. Abuse is used and prejudices are aroused, selfish instincts are appealed to and corrupt practices are resorted to to se- cure votes; especially is the latter true in county, state or nation where the contest is supposed to be close. In Adams County, THE REMEDY 101 Ohio, under indictment, recently about one thousand men plead guilty and confessed to selling their votes. In a county in Virginia a similar condition became known ; and the press, the other day, reports eleven hundred indictments in Pike County, Kentucky, for buying and selling votes. And what is true in Ohio and Virginia and Kentucky may be said, more or less, of conditions elsewhere. Politics has been so corrupted by evil characters that a percentage of the people have lost confidence in a favorable result be- ing obtained ; and many of them, having no confidence in better conditions prevailing, are willing to sell their influence and votes as between opposing candidates to relieve their temporary wants ; made more numer- ous by mismanagement of the government and by selfishness and covetousness that are depriving them of the opportunity for inde- pendent citizenship. Naturally, all this has resulted in the election of officers, including members of the state legislatures and congress, who, as a rule, are not statesmen but men prompted by vainglory and selfish motives, and who have no proper conception of how to pro- mote a better civilization. Thus, through vanity and selfishness and a lack of positive forces in human char- acter, the attempt by collective effort to 102 THE KEMEDY build wisely is being corrupted and brought into confusion and to failure, with disas- trous results impending and threatened dis- integration of our civilization. The One First Eemedy • There is but one remedy underlying it all and that is character building ; and that remedy is educational. The fault is world- wide and the remedy needed is world-wide. So great has become the confusion and the dread of what is to follow, new political parties are forming, with honest motives and intentions, which, in the very nature of things, will crumble and become corrupted by the same influences that are destroying the usefulness of the older political parties. There is no hope of collective effort estab- lishing a better civilization till an improve- ment is made in the character of the people ; and, a majority of them realize that we are dependent on unselfish, intelligent, collect- ive effort to establish a better civilization — and present conditions emphasize the im- perative need of character building among the people generally. Thus it will be seen that wherein we act collectively to promote a civilization, the first of the ten subjects in character, the Common Good, must be understood and ap- preciated. THE EEMEDY 103 It is first important that we well under- stand that the growth of our civilization and the happiness of mankind depend on the intelligent and unselfish handling of the col- lective function. That those voting at a convention, or a primary, or an election, should have in view the promotion of those principles that vnll make a better civiliza- tion; and the selection of men to fill the offices who are capable, and who have a knowledge of and appreciation of the im- portance of their duties as related to the common good, — and this is a subject of education. At conventions, in primaries and at elec- tions, is no place for the man seeking office who aspires to vainglory, or who is prompted by other than a worthy ambition. He should be a man who understands char- acter building, is familiar with each sub- ject that makes character, has given evi- dence by words and acts that he sincerely desires to promote the common good; and realizes that the making of a better civili- zation depends upon the efficiency, intelli- gence and unselfish action of public officers from the township road overseer to the highest officer in the nation. In asking the people for an office, or applying to an ap- pointing power, where the office is thus con- ferred, one should feel that he fills these re- 104 THE REMEDY quirements and when he does so feel, he should be willing to assist and to initiate his candidacy. And the people, one and in groups, should be interested in seeking out and initiating the candidacy of men who fill this standard, — and this is a matter of edu- cation. Education, properly applied, is the most powerful influence in the world. As the hand can reach out, take hold of and mold putty, so can education, beginning early, di- rected right, in a sense, in a way, mold char- acter. And in time it will overcome the tendency to go wrong acquired by heredity. The underlying, basic prompting is the con- science and it seeks to go right. It is in the power of the human race, by education, to free itself from Evil. The work of character building should begin at once, systematically, vigorously and universally. It will not do to wait — to put off the day of applying the remedy. Delay is dangerous ! To defer too long will bring us to the dead line ! And when across that, it will be too late ! We stand in the presence of imminent danger and every in- stinct of heroism appeals to us to act, and to act at once ! A storm is threatening, compared with which the European and Asiatic wars, and the anarchy in Mexico, is but a prelude! THE REMEDY 105 The indifference that preceded the present cataclysm is but similar to the threatened indifference to precede a World's tragedy! An educational revolution coming quick and swift cannot come too soon! Each good citizen can be a leader ! And each school- teacher, even into the remotest fastnesses of the mountains, the home of the log school- house, can be a hero ! CHAPTER VI Twenty Years Hence Suppose education for cHaracter building has been generally applied and made universally popular, in con- nection with the chastisement the people are receiving for having lost their way, would not the following ap- pearing in current literature twenty years from now be practical and rea- onable? IT is now the year 1935, and as the dele- gates from all the nations in the world are assembling in convention in the room of the House of Representatives at Washington, in the United States, to dis- cuss the progress of the world's civiliza- tion, a retrospective view of the events lead- ing up to this day will ever have a living in- terest that time will not dim and no events of the future can efface. It is a span of twenty years between the conditions that were and the conditions that are. At the further end of this bridge of time were chaos, character demoralized, nnhappiness and discontent — co-extensive with the boundaries of the world; a black pall of smoke hung over the contbient across 106 THE REMEDY 107 the seas, where the people of more than one- half of the inhabitable globe were in san- guinary conflict, killing each other and de- stroying the works of man that had been centuries in the making. — And at this end of the bridge of time, peace on earth that has come to stay and civilization crowding to the front by rapid strides that promises the fulfillment of man's utmost hope. At the close of the great war, in the world's convention that met at The Hague, the cause of war and man's disputes and quarrels were analyzed. Man's purpose here on earth; his aim, the crowning of a great civilization; the object, peace, pros- perity, happiness and contentment of the people, not the people of one nation but of all nations ; the victories of peace, greater than the victories of war; were the senti- ments that inspired and moved the members of that great world's assembly. And out of it came the magna charta, that enunciated a rule of action for nations. In the agree- ment there signed, were the following prin- ciples and binding rules of action, accepted by all the nations : 1 . To get ready for war is to encourage war. To train men to kill men is to edu- cate in them the desire to do that which they are trained to do. However, until by character training, which we recommend 108 THE REMEDY be instituted, vigorously, in all the nations, to the end that false pride, race hatred, prej- udices and covetousness be, in the main, eliminated from the character of the people and the positive forces for good in human character have been improved and culti- vated, we recognize the necessity of a re- straining force to check the selfish, protect the weak and establish justice among na- tions. 2. We agree that all the nations of the world shall disarm, except to provide a joint naval force, hereinafter provided for, and each a standing army for police duty within its own border; which standing army shall not exceed in number one-tenth of one per cent of the population of each nation, but which may be increased on cause shown, temporarily, with the consent of the International Court of Justice here- inafter provided for; and each nation agrees not to train or maintain a reserve army, and, except men for what is com- monly known as a civil police force, no one shall be trained for armed duty except as herein provided for. 3- A mutual naval force shall be main- tained by the nations to this agreement, which shall consist of the type of vessels known as "cruisers," or of less tonnage and expense; to which joint navy, nations hav- ing a population of seventy-five millions or more are to contribute ten such vessels ; 50 THE REMEDY 109 million to 75 million, five such vessels ; 25 million to 50 million, three such vessels; and less than 25 million inhabitants, one such vessel. Vessels of like kind, to have like armament, and each manned by a crew equal in number and an equal number of marines. This joint navy shall be in com- mand of a commodore or admiral, to be ap- pointed, annually, by the International Court of Justice ; and its duties shall be to preserve international peace, enforce the policy of the International Court of Justice and be under its direction. In addition to the foregoing, each nation may build and maintain, to be under its own direction, not to exceed one armed vessel for each 100 miles of sea coast front, for police duty as against smugglers or other criminal vio- lators of its national laws, but no such ves- sel shall be built at an expense in excess of $100,000 ; and all other war vessels now in existence shall be disarmed, dismantled and destroyed as ships of war. 4. Each nation agrees not to maintain factories or shipyards within its territory, or permit the same to be maintained, to manufacture guns or other implements or munitions of war, or war vessels, of a total capacity, respectively, in excess of the re- quirements herein; and the International Court of Justice will appoint inspectors to see that this requirement is observed, such inspectors to be of a different nationality to 110 THE REMEDY that of the nation inspected. And in this and other matters pertaining to interna- tional peace and the integrity of this agree- ment, the International Court of Justice will enforce the same. 5. An International Court of Justice is herewith provided for, to consist, from nations having a population of 75 million or more, five members; 50 to 75 million, three members ; 25 to 50 million, two mem- bers ; and less than 25 million population, one member ; to be appointed by each na- tion every four years in such manner as its constituted authority may direct, with power to recall and to fill vacancies. The International Court of Justice shall have power to establish its own parliamentary rules and a code of procedure for all mat- ters before it; and will annually appoint the commodore or admiral in command of the international fleet. No such officer shall succeed himself, and his successor shall be a citizen of another nation. It will meet, first, at The Hague, in Holland, within thirty days after the ratification of this agreement by nations representing two- thirds of the population of the world, and annually change its place of meeting, not remaining in session two consecutive years in any one nation ; and, excepting reason- able adjournments, shall remain in contin- uous session. It will settle all disputes be- tween nations and its judgment will be THE REMEDY 111 final, except by its own judgment on re- hearing. Its naval force will execute its judgments, and if additional armed force is necessary, it will appoint a commander- in-chief and call upon one or more nations for armed land forces to compel obedience to its decisions. It will fix the number and class of all implements of war used by the standing armies of nations, proportionate in number used to the proportion of armed men hereinbefore provided for. 6. However, the International Court of Justice will observe and be bound by the following principles and limitations : (A) To each nation will be left, solely, the re- sponsibility and authority for its internal policy, except as to its armed force pro- vided for herein, and the International Court of Justice will have nothing what- ever to do therewith ; but in case of rebel- lion or revolutionary factions in any na- tion, or a question as to where, or in whom the sovereign power of a nation is vested, on request of either faction, or on its own mo- tion, the Court may appoint one or more peace commissioners to investigate the cause of the disturbance and to try to bring about a reconciliation. (B) When a citi- zen of one nation gets in personal or prop- erty trouble in another nation, he is sub- ject, solely, to the laws of that nation in which he has placed his person and prop- erty, and aside from the friendly interven- 112 THE REMEDY tion of the diplomatic agents of his home nation and friendly interests of others, there will be no remedy for assumed inju- ries unless it be presented to the Court by the nation feeling aggrieved, and only then where it is an aggravated case. (C) It is recommended that land titles, in each na- tion, be confined to its own citizens, native and naturalized, and that people of one na- tion not intending to change their alle- giance, do not attempt to establish their homes or business in another nation, except for temporary purposes — this with a view to harmony among the citizens of each na- tion ; but visiting and touring is encouraged that the people of each nation may see and study the progress being made in civiliza- tion by the people of other nations. (D) The debt of a nation and of any of its peo- ple to another nation, or to the people of any other nation, will not warrant or au- thorize the seizure of custom houses of the debtor nation or any forcible method of collection except through the courts of the debtor nation and in conformity to its laws, except as hereinafter provided. It is not intended that the independence and integ- rity of a nation is to be threatened or de- stroyed by reason of debt. A national debt is a debt of honor except as it may be col- lected through its sovereign, constituted au- thority. (E) Each nation as it now ex- ists, is to be held inviolate and protected in THE REMEDY 113 its territorial integrity, except as it may be changed by the people within the respective boundaries ; boundary line disputes will be a matter for settlement by the International Court of Justice. No act or decree of the International Court of Justice shall work to destroy the sovereignty of a nation as the supreme power within its boundaries. (F) In case of rebellion or revolution within a nation, or other good cause shown, the In- ternational Court of Justice, upon applica- tion made, may permit such nation to tem- porarily increase its army for such purpose only. With these limitations, all other powers to enforce peace and settle interna- tional disputes are within the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. 7. No nation shall invade another na- tion with armed force, except on demand and by authority of the International Court of Justice to enforce its decrees, and if it do so without such authority, the Interna- tional Court of Justice will immediately summons the armed force of all other na- tions, or as many of them as may be neces- sary, to summarily repel and drive back the armed force of such nation into its own ter- ritory, before hearing or determining any questions arising thereoutof. 8. "WTien the International Court of Justice has awarded judgment against a nation, in a case for settlement before it, and has fixed an amount in money for it to 114 THE REMEDY pay as a penalty or indemnity, it will, if necessary, to enforce payment, seize the custom houses of such nation, or use such other forcible means as may be necessary to collect the same. And when it is deemed necessary to maintain order and peace, it may establish an armed border patrol be- tween two or more nations. 9. Each nation will pay the personal expense of its member or members of the International Court of Justice; and each nation will pay its pro rata part of the ex- pense incurred in common. 10. This agreement to be in force upon its ratification by nations represent- ing two-thirds of the population of the world. Within twelve months from the time the agreement was signed by the members of the convention, all the nations had ratified it, except three, that later hastened to do so. The clause guaranteeing the territorial integrity of each nation as against the ag- gression of other nations was one of its most popular clauses. Thus was a movement started that was to grow stronger, year by year, relieving an anxiety in each nation that had theretofore made necessary an enormous burthen in maintaining a military force to meet an an- ticipated force from without, a system that made certain ultimate hostile encounter. THE EEMEDY 115 Henceforward, the ambitions of men were to be along the lines of peace; the study and advancement of mankind, in which nations might vie with each other; and the promotion of great races of peo- ple, vying, too, with each other in the solu- tion of the problems of civilization. This was the new current of thought, of events and progressive spirit, in which selfish and sordid ambitions sank like lead sinkers, dis- appearing beneath the surface. And how has this new movement fared here in the United States? Character building was soon being uni- versally taught. A new Congress that met March 4th, 1919, showed a vast improve- ment in character over former congresses. Appropriations for the different depart- ments of government provided for by form- er congresses, had been reduced by over three hundred million dollars, notwith- standing a new class of appropriations made, which were to affect, favorably, the prosperity, welfare and happiness of the people. It provided for a loving cup, weighing four pounds, to be given to the boy or girl under twenty-one years of age, in each coim- ty in all the states, for the Ijest essay or composition of 500 words or less, on Char- acter Building. Each cup to be sent to the 116 THE REMEDY one winning it, in each county, accompanied by a letter signed by the President of the United States. Methods of judging and all details were provided for in the bill. Thus was national sanction and impetus given to an educational movement to prepare the people for their self-advancement. The contest was a memorable one and attracted general attention from the day of its an- nouncement to the day of the delivery of the cups ; and universally called the atten- tion of the people to the subject of character building. Good Eoads The same congress appropriated one hundred million dollars each, for two years, for building a system of roads in the United States, under the direction of the govern- ment engineers, and all subsequent con- gresses have continued this appropriation. As a result, at an average cost of five thou- sand dollars per mile, twenty thousand miles of well graded and macadamized pikes have since been made each year, giv- ing us at the present time three hundred thousand miles of national turnpikes, for which ten million dollars each year is now being appropriated for maintenance. This is in addition to the expenditures by the states for roads, averaging each, three mil- THE REMEDY 117 lion dollars annually ; and the United States now has, in quality and mileage, the finest system of roads in the world, totaling eight hundred thousand miles of fine macadam- ized roads, built in fifteen years. And these amounts appropriated by congress and the legislatures have been more than saved from expenditures that had been for- merly made in a reckless, unbusinesslike, extravagant and, often, corrupt manner of handling public money. It soon became known that the people did not object to the expenditure of public money when it could be seen that it was doing them great good. Thus, in fifteen years, there has been scattered among the farmers, who mainly furnished the labor, and among the people of the interior, three billion, seven hundred and fifty million dollars, where the circula- tion of money does the most good in ad- vancing civilization — multiplying homes in the country, the trend of population follow- ing the flow of money. It has made farm- ing more profitable and popular and added to the charm and comfort of country life, drawing tens of thousands away from the crowded tenement quarters of the cities, adding to the rural population where sun- shine and fresh air are contributing to health and happiness. As population had followed money to the congested centers. 118 THE REMEDY it is now following it into the country. It has, as computed in the agricultural depart- ment of the government, been a saving to the farmers of three hundred and fifty mil- lion dollars, annually, in the cost of market- ing farm products. And this was money that had previously been spent mainly in navy yards, on armies and in cities, congesting population, em- barrassing health and happiness, with un- wholesome environments for children. The last congress has provided for a canal connecting Lake Superior with the Mississippi River that will make certain a boating stage of water in that great tribu- tary at all times of the year, with locks to shut off the lake water in times of flood ; and has declared its policy to build a like canal connecting Lake Erie and Lake Michigan, and one across the northern neck of Florida. Internal improvements of this nature, it was found, had been amply provided for in the constitution of the United States, mak- ing it lawful for congress to build roads and canals. In 1920, the ten-year period of reappor- tionment of members of the House of Rep- resentatives, that body was reduced ninety in number, making it more practical as a deliberative body. THE REMEDY 119 National Institution of Science In 1923, a bill was introduced and passed both houses of congress, establishing our National Institution of Science, for scien- tific research and promotion of health and prolonging life, that is now making discov- eries that are astounding the world. The legislatures of the states co-operated and, by authority of laws enacted, from convicts in the penitentiaries, the National Institu- tion of Science selected men sentenced for a term of years for harmless experiments, and men sentenced to die, for dangerous experiments. The corps of scientific men in the institution went to work with a zeal and ambition, unequaled in its scope, bene- fiting the human race. Its work was not confined to results to be obtained from experiments with con- victs, this opportunity given to science be- ing one, only, of the avenues opened to it. Its advantages, however, among many, were examining and selecting from the prison inmates those sentenced for years, who, un- like private patients, were absolutely at their disposal, to be dieted, eat and drink as it was given to them, and the condition and work of each organ of the human body observed, before, during and after diges- tion, by the eye of science through power- 120 THE EEMEDY fill electric rays. This and many otlier methods, opening up infinite research, were thus made practical and possible. Those sentenced to death opened up other avenues of research and examination where dan- gerous experiments were made. The Institution of Science became popu- lar with the prison inmates. Those selected for harmless experiments were made com- fortable, had the freedom of the grounds, were given congenial work, sport and other exercise and, more or less, they took a deep interest in the purpose and object of the Institution, some of them becoming in- ternes, assistants, to the scientific men. Those under death penalty, selected for dangerous experiments, feel that they have a chance and their execution postponed. Hence, the National Institution of Science for promoting health and the prolongation of life, became popular with the subjects upon whom the experiments by scientists are being made. Hundreds have been cured of diseases, discoveries of importance have followed and in 1932, it was officially announced that the cure of tuberculosis, the white plague, was discovered beyond a doubt; a discov- ery, that has since given health and happi- ness to hundreds of thousands throughout the world. THE EEMEDY 121 That inventions and discoveries have no limitation, and that all things desirable are possible, is now generally believed ; the de- sire, created by this new era, to promote the welfare of the human race, has quick- ened inventive genius in a thousand private laboratories and no item of news, as chron- icled in the daily papers, ranks higher than discoveries and events bearing on health and prolongation of life. Eugenics Co-extensive with the absorbing interest taken by the people in this field of activity, is the work and study of Eugenics — how to create a better human race by regulating marriages and discouraging the birth of children inheriting criminal characters and organic diseases. The discovery made that by a simple and harmless operation, the power to aid in con- ception could be taken from either a man or a woman, without taking away in the least the pleasure and happiness of con- jugal life, was the basis of a movement now assuming concrete form and organization. It is growing intensely popular, owing to the now, almost, universal desire to im- prove on and perfect the human race. Many husbands and wives who recognize their im- perfections, in one or more respects, are 122 THE REMEDY voluntarily applying to be made immune. The study of Eugenics is having its influ- ence on those healthy in mind and body in the selection of a mate in marriage, and laws encouraging it are being enacted. When a couple is now joined in wedlock, each possessing fine character and physical stature, it is, instinctively, in the minds of all present, that the progeny of such a pair will be a step forward in the making of a better race of men and women. Henceforth, there will be no fears as to an overcrowded population in the world, and the character of the population will continue to improve. Economic Legislation Great progress has been made in eco- nomic legislation. Laws have been enacted in all the states placing a limitation on cov- etousness; and men who have ability for easily acquiring wealth are giving much of their time and surplus wealth to those things that assist in advancing civilization. A few have always done so, but now the number thus prompted is a multitude. A Theme of Interest The growth and progress of civilization, with all its possibilities, is now an engross- ing theme of interest to an industrious, self- reliant and prosperous people. Envy and THE REMEDY 123 jealousy and a desire to have more than an ample competency are disappearing from the human character and being re- placed by an ambition to promote the com- mon good and a curiosity and desire as to what the future holds in store for the indefi- nite extension of life in health and happi- ness. The daily papers bring news from all parts of the world, telling us of the hap- penings, commercial and industrial, and giving market reports, but the big headlines and leading news of interest are of events having a bearing on and relating to the progress of the new civilization. The in- formation, as it is annually given, on crimes, suicides, insanity, tenantry and divorces, is noted with eager interest and compared with receding years in the past, showing a rapid decrease in them all. A great change has come to the citizen- ship of the United States in those twenty years. Patriotism was once the expression of false pride and vain boasting. It was the howl of the dog as it pursued the wolf. Now it expresses civic virtue — conscious pride, in the relation of one 's nation to the civilization of the world. Commerce continues with its bustle and busy life as the products of the earth and the factory find their way to the consumers, 124 THE EEMEDY giving mental and physical employment, but here, there and everywhere, uppermost in the minds of all, is the thought that by col- lective effort a civilization is in progress that leads onward and upward with infinite possibilities. In 1923 the International Court of Jus- tice recommended that the nations appoint delegates to an international convention to meet, annually, at the date of the beginning of the official year for the International Court, and at the place and in the nation where the International Court of Justice would remain for the year. The agreement of nations had provided that the International Court should, annu- ally, change its place of meeting to another nation ; and to add to the influence and har- mony that this had in view, it was recom- mended later, that at the annual period for opening the court, delegates from all the nations should meet in convention, bringing reports fresh from the people of the prog- ress of civilization in their respective na- tions ; and the recommendation of the Inter- national Court of Justice was adopted. These conventions have had a great in- fluence for good and the members of the International Court of Justice have been present at each session and deeply inter- ested iu what they heard. Delegates become THE REMEDY 125 acquainted with each other, information is exchanged, suggestions made, the spirit and aspirations of the movement sounded in words of eloquence again and again, giv- ing new birth, as it were, to the movement from year to year. And all that is said and done at these conventions is reported verbatim and appears in the press of the world, thus bringing all in touch and mak- ing it, indeed, a world's convention and ex- position of the best thoughts of mankind. The good effects of these conventions, however, are greatest on the people of the nation where the convention is at the time in session. The newspapers of that nation can handle it best and cheapest; and its nearness to the people brings home to them more forcibly its value and importance. So, that changing each year to another im- portant nation, gives a local value to the influence of the convention in the nation in which it meets. And now it is this convention, its eleventh session, that is assembling in Washington and the world will hear again from all portions of the earth the progress of the new civilization and its hopes and aspirations for the future. The hall of the House of Representa- tives has been prepared to receive the con- vention and is beautifully and appropri- 126 THE REMEDY ately decorated, including the shields of all the nations. Behind the informal platform prepared for the Chairman and speakers, on canvas, artistically framed, in letters large enough to be easily read from any portion of the room, are the words of Fred- erick Lawrence Knowles : When navies are forgotten And fleets are useless things, When the dove shall warm her bosom Beneath the eagle's wings ; When memory of battles At last is strange and old When nations have one banner And foes have found one fold ; When the Hand that sprinkles midnight With its powdered drift of suns Has hushed this tiny tumult Of armies, swords and guns ; Then Hate's last note of discord In all God's world shall cease, In the conquest which is service, In the victory which is peace ! CHAPTER VII Feasibility of the Movement I AM aware of the fact that it is often true that one conceives an impractical idea, or an idea founded on false prem- ises, and encourages it to develop and grow in his mind till he can see no error in it. Wishing to eliminate the possibility of this in this instance, I have been cautious in balancing my judgment and in testing my analysis of the subject. In testing my judgment I have experi- mented with the education treated herein. I have gone before many schools and lec- tured to the pupils for about twenty min- utes on character building along the line of the subjects treated in the school booklet printed in this edition, and each time have had absolute attention. While speaking, each time, one could have heard, as it were, a pin drop, so quiet and attentive were the pupils, showing their interest in the subject. Several times on these occasions grown people, including parents of some of the pupils, were present and personally thanked me and expressed their appreciation for what I had said. On one occasion I had gone to a country community to address the 128 THE REMEDY 129 people on another subject. The school- house had been selected as the place for me to speak and the school was in session, it re- cessing for my address. At my request, the pupils remained in the room and I began by first addressing them for twenty minutes on character building. At the close of my speech, which followed, many men and women in the audience said to me that what I had said to the school children was better than my speech. Being invited to address the constitu- tional convention of Oklahoma, I organized a class of ten boys in the Logan County High School, the county which the city of Guthrie is in, and trained them for a few days in character building and took them before the convention, putting them through a drill or character exercise, and at the conclusion, the audience applauded the boys long and continuously, greatly pleased and forming into groups, discuss- ing the subject as the meeting adjourned. As the boys trained, mainly under a captain, one of their number, they became very much interested. On the morning of the night the convention assembled to hear me, I was in Oklahoma City and phoned the boys to meet me at 7 :00 p. m. at a certain office in Guthrie, that I might take them through a rehearsal to test their efficiency. On the 130 THE REMEDY arrival of my train at Guthrie, at 5 :00 p. m., the boys all met me at the depot, cordially greeted me as I got otf the train and accom- panied me to the place I had appointed for meeting them. There, we went through the drill and I found them perfectly prepared. A young lady present, as we finished said to me, ' ' That is the best thing I ever heard, ' ' At my request, I was permitted to ad- dress the pupils of the high school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where they have one of the finest high school buildings, probably, west of the Mississippi river, being cau- tioned by the superintendent that he could give me only twenty minutes. The meeting was in the chapel, at the morning hour for the school to begin, with the faculty on the platform and several hundred pupils in the room. I was again cautioned as to my time limit. The pupils gave me what appeared to be absorbing attention and as I con- cluded, in just twenty minutes, the superin- tendent told me I could take more time if I wanted to, all the teachers expressed appre- ciation and one of the faculty said to me that it was the most interesting subject that he had ever heard discussed. I am living at present in the Ozark mountains at Monte Ne, Arkansas, and the experiments I have made have been at THE REMEDY 131 places convenient to me, but hiunan nature is the same everywhere. A few years ago I had 10,000 copies of a little booklet printed, substantially the same as the one printed herein between pages 57 and 88, except that it had no illus- trations, and distributed them, mainly, in this and adjoining counties. I have had let- ters from many people commending it, some from as far away as the New England states and, personally, many expressions of appreciation, including school teachers. In many of the letters I am asked where the booklet can be obtained, it having no publisher and not being on sale. Among the letters recently received, is one from John J. Maddox, principal of the Blow School, in Saint Louis, Missouri, and one from Mr. K. T. Byrd, a teacher at Fayette- ville, Arkansas, both wanting to know where they could secure more copies of the booklet. The one from Mr. Byrd says, **I have read the little booklet, entitled Character Build- ing. I think it is worth its weight in gold. I have had several persons to tell me that they Ve been helped by reading and study- ing the booklet. I am using it in my chapel exercise * * * j expect to see whole- some results by the end of the school year. In my opinion the booklet is really indis- pensable in school work * * * Charac- 132 THE REMEDY ter forms the basis of all true education.** Mr. Byrd does not know that I am writ- ing this book or that I am using this extract from his letter. I find that many of the teachers in the free schools who would like to use the booklet are waiting for word from their superintendents. ORGANIZATION CHAPTER VIII ORGANIZATION is necessary to pro- mote education, especially the edu- tion proposed. The necessity of organization to make a success of a busi- ness or anything requiring promotion is well known and realized by all successful men. To write a book on the subject of char- acter building, have it published and take the ordinary channel for circulation of books, no matter how forcefully or attrac- tively written, with no organization behind it to accelerate its circulation, or to put into practice its teachings, would fall far short of what is now necessary to meet an emer- gency. Such a book, such teachings, with no or- ganization behind it, would secure for itself little more than an average circulation for books, would be discussed for a time, create a favorable impression with those who read it and then be forgotten in the strife for existence and in the commercial fever to have and to possess. It would not reach a sufficient number of the people and its rec- ommendation for teaching the rising gen- eration would be slow in its application and so indifferently applied the catastrophe of 135 136 THE REMEDY a civilization overthrown would be upon us when too late to apply a remedy. With supercilious egotism and false pride we view the strife in Mexico as one from which we are immune, when, in fact, the same causes are at work with us to "Mexicanize" the United States, — threat- ening, for us, domestic revolution, the loss of resjject for and the overthrow of our civil institutions, the confiscation of the property of the rich and a reign of blood and anarchy for all ; placing us in a position where it will be impossible to extricate ourselves. With the increase in poverty and tenantry, the minds of the people thus effected, influenced by the ostentatious luxury and vanity of the rich few, revolutionary anarchy with all its horrors will come with the same cer- tainty as the lighted fuse reaches the dyna- mite. And when it comes, if permitted to come, it will be too late, — the opportunity for an educational remedy will have passed. The opportunities for making an inde- pendent citizenship are decreasing and the number of the dependent are gradually in- creasing with nature as bountiful as it ever was. And when we take into consideration man's improved knowledge for cultivating the soil and his inventions for more easily manufacturing raw materials into useful and finished products, nature is more boun- THE REMEDY 137 tif ul than it ever was and our facilities for creating and establishing an independent citizenship is easier and more accessible now than it has ever been in the past. And yet, today, the number of the imemployed and the increase of poverty and tenantry is staggering ! and assuming ugly and formi- dable proportions ! Which leads to but one conclusion and that is our ignorance in knowing how to put together a civilization. And, such igno- rance has been produced by defects in hu- man character ; — defects in character that have made us lose sight of the common good and kept us from the knowledge that when acquired will lead us and show us how to construct a civilization in which there will be opportunities for all and no poverty and no crimes. Hence, the one great necessity is education for character building and its ap- plication to the construction of a perfected civilization. The situation is now so seri- ous character teaching should be hurried, applied promptly, and to do so, the help, the speed that comes with organization is im- perative. To those who are advocating a remedy by legislation and who believe that their proposed remedy is essential before tran- quility and contentment can come, I would say, character training must precede get- 138 THE REMEDY ting an intelligent audience. Any legisla- tive remedy, with merit, will not now get a fair hearing. Until the people, a ma- jority of them, possess character that com- prehends the importance of promoting the common good, turmoil, confusion and fail- ure will attend all merited efforts. Till character training is in successful operation all attempts at a remedy by legis- lation will be addressing people who ''have eyes and will not see, and, ears and will not hear." It is all right for those seeking a remedy by legislation to go on trying, but it seems to be evident that we are now walk- ing in quicksand and will be until character teaching puts a solid foundation under our feet. Hence, the importance of organiza- tion and co-operation that will hasten its coming. There can be no objection to char- acter building from any source except those who would ruthlessly butcher our prospects of a better civilization to add to their imme- diate selfish desires. And, organized edu- cation will check their rapacity and reach their children. We have been relying too much on legis- lation and too little on education. We have organized education, schools, exceptionally advanced, but the sole aim has been intel- lectual education to prepare the pupils for a business life, to enter the various channels THE REMEDY 139 of production, trade, commerce, professions and business; but not to prepare them, to teach them, the principles in character by which a civilization may be built and main- tained, by which Evil may become extinct in the human character and Good univer- sally prevail. And the want of it now brings us face to face with an enemy trained in the destructive forces of Evil that is cre- ating distress and discontent throughout the world. Much has been done in the way of organ- ization to promote legislation. It exists in all the political parties, each, with a na- tional organization, and, each, every four years spending large sums of money, in some instances reaching into million of dol- lars. And, numerous minor organizations, maintain agents at the capitals, all, at much expense, seeking to promote legislation. To promote ''intellectual education,** there is much organization and tens of mil- lions of dollars spent, annually. This in- cludes the free school system and numerous private schools embracing colleges and academies. It was announced the other day in a press dispatch from New York City, that $10,500,000, was that day divided there between different educational institutions. Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Sr., has given to the Rockefeller Foundation one hundred 140 THE REMEDY million dollars, the annual income from which $5,500,000 is largely used to promote "intellectual education," by sums given to colleges. Among its recent donations is seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the Wellesley College. I get these facts and figures from a printed leaflet issued by the Rockefeller Foundation now before me. From it I quote the following : "The funds of the Foundation, all of which were contributed by Mr. John D. Rockefeller, consist of securities the mar- ket value of which at the time they were donated was one hundred million dollars. In making this gift, Mr. Rockefeller ex- pressly empowered the directors of the Foundation in their discretion to utilize either the principal or the income or both for the chartered purposes of the Founda- tion, namely, to promote the well being of mankind throughout the world." Thus we fiind that organization, state and private, is at work with money, including the taxing power, spending tens of millions of dollars, annually, on "intellectual edu- cation. ' * And, not one dollar of it is used for any method of education in character building ; and no book or system or treatise for education in character training is used in the schools. THE REMEDY 141 In education, the human race is on an unchartered sea without a compass. "In- tellectual education" has promoted suc- cess in the arts and sciences, has facilitated and made easy the conduct of business, given mental culture to a few and has in- creased the facilities of a few who wish to do good. But at the same time it has cor- respondingly increased the facilities of those who wish to do evil. Character has not been considered a subject for educa- tion; — when, in fact, it is easier taught than so-called "intellectual education"; and infinitely more important. Without it, civilizations will follow each other into ob- livion, each burnt to ashes in the fires of selfishness, — in the wake of each, the cry of distress and agony of untold millions of people. With character building a part of our educational system, handled by those who are in sympathy with it and resourceful in its teaching, a vast change for the better must soon come to the human race. It will improve the character of teaching. There will be more teachers who will love their work, — which means good teachers; and fewer teachers who are simply teaching to draw a salary, — which means poor teach- ers. There will be a new meaning, a new interest, given to education. The vital 142 THE REMEDY spark of a new life will inspire the human race; and onr civilization will not join pre- historic civilizations burnt to ashes on the pyre of human selfishness fed by the fagots of ignorance, vanity and prejudices. To accomplish this we need organiza- tion. To finance us, we do not need the vast sums of money being spent, annually, on "intellectual education." We do not need $10,500,000, the sum recently dis- bursed in New York City from private con- tributions and which sum, about, is, annu- ally, contributed with that point the distrib- uting center. We do not need, annually, as much as the $750,000 given the Wellesley College. We will later discuss the practical work to be accomplished by an organization pro- moting character teaching, and from that, my estimate of the sum needed is $250,000 for the first year after permanent organiza- tion is established, and, about $200,000, an- nually, thereafter. The reader will see upon what I am basing my estimate when we discuss in the next chapter the system of organization required to accomplish the re- sult desired. And the sum needed is, com- paratively, a small sum to what is be- ing spent on "intellectual education.*' A larger amount than $250,000, to begin, would be better, but that sum of money will be suf- THE REMEDY 143 ficient. Two hundred and fifty contribu- tions of an average of $1,000 each, will make this sum ; and 2,500 contributions averaging $100 each, will aggregate the $250,000. It will give added strength to the movement that it is founded and sustained by popular subscription and small contributions should be accepted; making it a movement of the people for an educational Foundation for promoting character teaching. No one man, or select few, should be permitted to finance this organization. Fixed Principles of the Organization The organization that takes charge should be broad, comprehensive and capable of mastering details. It should confine itself strictly to promoting teaching in char- acter building along the line of the ten sub- jects named, taking no part in political or religious issues. A fundamental law of the United States provides for the separation of church and state. Hence, it will be, obvi- ously, in bad taste and improper to refer to religion in any of its forms, in a book or booklet on character building to be used in the public schools. The church organizations are not envi- ous of this principle in our government. They have opportunity, and, ample oppor- tunity by sermons and in Sunday schools. 144 THE REMEDY each, to teach character as reflected and taught by the textbooks and the immortal examples of those who founded, respec- tively, their religions. They will also teach character as aided by religion in the re- spective private schools in their charge. And, we recognize the great assistance that will come from this potential source to bring ultimate success. Emphasis wants to be laid upon one of the logical elements of strength this move- ment possesses, which is : If we succeed in promoting character as has been outlined, the result of our teachings insures good citi- zenship, good laws, an advancing civiliza- tion and, ultimately, the emancipation of mankind from Evil ; and that to depart from the simple teachings of character building and to try to use our influence, as an organ- ization, on one side of any political, re- ligious or industrial question would be to injure the influence of the organization and retard or prevent the accomplishment of its purpose. It should invite the co-operation of the schools, the churches, the press, literature and other agencies. It should be a busi- nesslike organization for the promotion of teaching in character building, and, utiliz- ing the influence and assistance of all organ- izations and citizens possible. THE REMEDY 145 It should start in the United States with a general office, and, later, possibly with an office in each state. And if made a success in the United States, the general office to be a world office with a branch office in each nation. The head officers of the organization should have nothing whatever to do with political parties ; and its chief officer, in ad- dition to this, should eschew political office for life, not aspiring thereto while holding such office nor afterward. One of the ef- fects of the organization is intended to make thousands of men able, competent and wor- thy to hold public office, to where there is one now ; and the chief officer directing the work of character building will be doing more good where he is than if he could mul- tiply himself a thousand times and hold that many public offices ; and for him to aspire to public office at any time would cast distrust on the organization. This inhibition should not extend to any one of the other officers or those working in the ranks. There, each man who feels that he has mastered the principles of character building, appreci- ates their importance, knows that upon in- telligent collective effort depends the prog- ress of civilization and feels that he is capa- ble of filling a particular office, should be willing to do so and honorably aspire to se- 146 THE REMEDY cure it; and the people should take an active interest in finding such men. But the central officers, heads of departments of the organization, should not be candidates for public offices ; and while voting as they desire, should not otherwise side with or assist any of the political parties. The central officers and all others from whom continuous work is needed should give all their time and have no other work or occupation to divert their minds; and should be paid sufficient to free them from want and care, giving them ease of mind and independence from relying on any other vocation. All their time, genius and enterprise \vall be needed. And men should be selected who are fitted for their respect- ive duties. The work of evil influences is continuous. Vanity, prejudice and selfishness are com- mitting their daily depredations ; and self- ishness serves to organize and combine peo- ple for their mutual selfish benefit; and when an epidemic of corruption or crime prevails, the people have heretofore moved emotionally to combat it and then quieted down. The work we contemplate should be continuous and advantages gained, sus- tained, aiming at continuous progress. In undertaking what we contemplate, we should realize that it vdH be a mistake to THE REMEDY 147 underestimate counter influences. It is far better to overestimate the difficulties and be ready to meet more opposition than is found, for in that event the victory is easier and more speedy. But if the opposing dif- ficulties are all that are anticipated, prepa- ration will have been made to win anyhow. For securing the best possible results we want to master organization as adapted to the object in view and combine genius in versatile resourcefulness for methods in teaching that will accomplish the object sought. In trying to make good that "the victories of peace are greater than the vic- tories of war" we hope to marshal an army of millions that will not be limited by age or sex, inspired by music and songs and a holy ambition to give to the world a perfected ci\dlization. While we realize that our success with those whose habits and characters are al- ready set, and, in a measure, fixed, will be only partial, those under age whom we will reach direct, will be daily coming of age and rolling in a vast multitude onto the scene of activity and the stage of action, and from these we will hope to form the future army of peace for the conquest of Evil. CHAPTER IX Permanent Organization WHEIsT financed and permanent or- ganization is effected, as it appears to me, the movement should be in charge of a chief executive officer and the work in charge of six departments. The Family Department. The School Department. The Church Department. The Press Department. The Literary Department. The Treasury Department. And each department in charge of a sec- retary or manager, a man of ability, fully comprehending what is expected of his de- partment. The Family Department The secretary of the family department will have charge in promoting and aiding home work in training the characters of chil- dren. Among his many pleasant duties will be the preparation and publication of a book on the effect of the disposition, health and character of the mother on the child in the foetuSf the unborn child. In doing so, he can invite competition from authors on 148 THE REMEDY 149 snch a book, paying a premium if thought best, to the one whose book is accepted. The book adopted, to be promoted by us and as nearly as possible gotten into the hands of all wives. He will analyze and study the best meth- ods of the home training of children, giving the benefit of his knowledge acquired to all parents, from time to time, by a printed treatise on the subject. His study of char- acter training will begin with the child in the cradle. He and his assistants, among whom will be mothers, will be making an ex- haustive study of the subject. Experi- ments will be made, and, results secured re- ported to his department. He will aim to get demonstrated results tending to take out of the child, as early as possible, the evil traits of character that may manifest them- selves, and, encourage the growth of healthy traits of character. His researches will have in view char- acter building, aided by the mental and physical health of the child. His methods will seek to aid the parents in making home and its environments popular as well as in- structive, and, the children to have an obe^ dient and high regard for the parents. 150 THE REMEDY The School Department The sdiool secretary will have charge, promoting the teaching of character build- ing in the schools. We will adopt a school booklet entitled Character Building, free from any religious or political objections, for use in schools, and he will seek to get the legislatures to provide that it shall be taught in the public schools. This will set the work going in all the public schools in the United States ; and its use in the private schools will be promoted. He will examine one of each class of books being used in the schools, such as spelling books and readers, with a view to suggestions and seek to have them contain some reading matter and illustrations that will be of assistance in character training. The old Blue Back Speller, in use 30 or 40 years ago, had a little of this, but it seems now to have disappeared from the school- books. In the legislation asked of the states will be the request that character building be one of the specialties taught in the State Normal schools; and that county superin- tendents or other oflEicers who grant certifi- cates to men and women to teach school, shall not grant such certificate unless the applicant is well informed on the subject of THE REMEDY 151 character building and proficient in how it should be taught. In securing state legisla- tion, the school secretary will employ an able and competent man to go to each state capital and understandingly present the matter to each legislature. The school secretary may maintain in each state one or more experts in how to teach character in the schools, each train- ing instructor traveling from school to school, visiting each, as often as one time during the year, first calling on the teacher and going over the subject with him, and then putting the school through a character drill, that can be made very popular with the pupils. The teacher can prepare the school for this and thereby incite the pupils to commendable pride in preparing for his coming. It is not intended to go exhaustively into details as to what can be done in each de- partment, but sufficiently to give the reader a general idea of what may be accomplished. The Chubch Department The secretary of the church department will be in touch with the church organiza- tions and his work will be through the min- isters, where the opportunity will be for ex- erting a most powerful influence in charac- ter building. It will be left to him and the 152 THE REMEDY heads of the church organizations to work ©ut the details of this department. The Press Department The secretary of the press department will co-operate with the newspapers in the promotion of the movement. Their aid will be most important and cannot be overesti- mated. The handling of the news, local and gen- eral, often has a bearing on character build- ing and the editorial support of the news- papers is indispensable to the success of the movement. It will at once occur to all in- telligent editors the importance of the move- ment and how they can co-operate. This will be a most important depart- ment and we will let the secretary and the editors and proprietors of newspapers work out the details. Thij Literary Department The secretary of the literary depart- ment will put himself in touch with maga- zines and authors of stories and books ; also the writers of plays and managers of plays. The stage itself presents a wide field and when the multitude of people, daily, attend- ing moving picture shows, are considered, the stage, alone, presents opportunities in character building that is very great. THE REMEDY 153 The stage might well be a department to itself but as plays, in the main, are taken from stories and books first written, the two for the present may be classed under one head. The movement in general, the work of all the departments, will have an influence on the writers of fiction and plays and many of the best educational lessons that will be taught will come from these two sources. A story or a play does not need to be heavy or loaded down in teaching ; in fact, it would be less effective if this were done ; but in a story or play, something said now and then or a thread of character and refinement running through it, or amidst humor and drama, a moral lesson may be taught and can make a story or play very valuable in character building. The Treasury Department The secretary of the treasury depart- ment will have charge of promoting the finances of the organization. As has been before stated, money is the blood of civilization and there can be no civilization without it, so, it is necessary for this organization to exist. It will have to have a home, its officers and agents who will give all their time to its work, will need to be paid, for we want them to be efficient 154 THE REMEDY and untiring in their work and that can only be done by their devoting their minds and energy to its accomplishment and having no other vocation. And there will be postage and other and many detailed expenses, the whole aggregating yearly, even monthly, a large sum, for the work will cover a big field. We will rely on this money to come, from year to year, voluntarily, from thousands of people. Millions of dollars, each year, are donated by the people of the world to education in one form or another ; and we will confidently rely on the comparatively small sum needed to finance this movement ; — hoping that it will be sufficiently gener- ous to make efficient the work of its organi- zation. The secretary of the treasury depart- ment will look after the source of all moneyed income. He will not be the cus- todian of the money. The man receiving the money will be the treasurer, selected by the Board of Governors, and they will also elect an auditor to check up each transac- tion and see what money is being received and what it is being spent for. The secretary of the treasury will be promoting the income and the treasurer will be receiving and disbursing the money. This book, when permanent organiza- THE REMEDY 155 tion is reached, will be rewritten making such changes as the Governing Board may- direct, showing permanent organization. The secretary of the treasury will then have charge of promoting its circulation and all profits from its sale will belong to the organ- ization ; as in like manner the profits, if any, from the sale of any other books controlled by the organization. Not that there will be any special intention to make a profit on such books, but if any profit is made on books it produces, it will belong to the or- ganization. The Charteb The laws of all the states provide for in- corporating an organization, "not for profit," and we should secure a charter for our organization from one of the states un- der this law. It should have a Board of Directors, or Governing Board, that will adopt by-laws and elect a chief ofiicer to be Imown as Pres- ident or The Teacher, or other title by which he may be designated ; and elect a Treasurer and Auditor. The charter, I think, may name the Directors or Board with which the movement may start. In this respect, we will be governed by the laws of the state se- lected, under which we will incorporate. I think the chief authority and responsi- 156 THE REMEDY bility for execntive work should be vested in the president, we will call him that for the present, and he looked to for results. It is the experience of all successful men that the best results are obtained by concentrating authority and responsibility for executive work, in one man — with a Governing Board behind him that can remove him if he does not show results. The president should appoint the heads of the six departments. While the presi- dent will have the six secretaries to consult and advise with, he should also advise, when opportunity offers, with the members of the Governing Board. The Governing Board will adopt by- laws, prescribing the work, purpose and ob- ject of the organization and its limitations, and will provide a method of electing future Governing Boards and for filling vacancies ; and will elect its officers. The President should be the chief officer directing the policy and work of the organ- ization within the limits prescribed by the Governing Board ; and be the general man- ager of all things incurring financial obli- gation and responsibilities. The Treasurer should receive and dis- burse all money, keeping an intelligent and practical account thereof. He should pay out money, only on a voucher-check signed THE EEMEDY 157 by the secretary of the department in which the expense originates and approved by the signature of the president. If the expense originates in the general management and not in one of the departments, the voucher should be signed by either the Chairman of the Governing Board or by the president and by the secretary of the treasury. All voucher-checks directing the payment of money by the treasurer should show who is receiving it and what for and the payee's receipt thereon for the money. The Auditor should be an expert ac- countant, to audit the receipts and disburse- ments of the treasurer and the expense of each department and report to the presi- dent and the Chairman of the Governing Board. I have suggested no name for the organ- ization, that being a matter to be deter- mined when permanent organization is effected. CHAPTER X Tempoeaey Organization THERE is much to do to secure per- manent organization. It will require time, work and the help of many. And something like a temporary organization is necessary to secure permanent organization and put the movement on its feet. I will take the initiative and as the move- ment develops, from those who get behind it, I will select a temporary Board of Gov- ernors whose counsel and advice will aid and assist me. I will provide for a royalty, with the pub- lishers of this book and will use it all toward the expense of securing permanent organ- ization ; and will render an accounting of it to the permanent organization. When per- manent organization is reached, the book will belong to the organization. In trans- ferring all my rights therein to it, it will then go to its second edition and all royalty thereafter on the book will be paid direct to our permanent Treasurer and will belong to the organization. The second edition will differ from this edition in that it will show permanent organization established, who constitutes the Governing Board and who 158 THE REMEDY 159 the officers are. Those contributing will be advised in advance of organization and given an opportunity to vote on who will compose the Governing Board, and the lat- ter will be selected by this method — the Governing Board electing the officers. In the last pages of this edition will be found two kinds of contribution blanks for use in aiding to finance the movement. One class of the blanks, Form A, is for contribu- tions toward the $250,000, or more that is to be first subscribed before permanent organ- ization is perfected ; and, payment is condi- tional on $250,000 being first subscribed, permanent organization effected and a Treasurer elected to receive the money. The other contribution blank. Form B, is for immediate assistance, financial, to assist the temporary organization in its work in securing permanent organization as speed- ily as possible. I have appointed Mr. Perry N. Clark, cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Rogers, Arkansas, as treasurer of the temporary fund. Form B, and he consents to act as such treasurer. On the contribution blank will be found printed information as to the use of this fund. I know Mr. Clark, who will act as tem- porary treasurer, pending permanent or- ganization, and my favorable attention was recently attracted to him by his delivering 160 THE REMEDY a lecture before the teachers' institute, in our county, on the importance of character teaching in the schools. We live only five miles apart and can communicate by phone. He will act as treasurer only of money con- tributed on Form B. The contributions under Form A are not payable until the whole $250,000 is subscribed, which will be paid to a treasurer elected by the Board of Governors. Any one who has had experience in pro- moting the sale of the capital stock of a com- pany, that looked to popular subscriptions to finance the enterprise, knows of the ex- pense incurred, and necessary, in the sale of the stock, and without which it could not have been accomplished. In our case, this expense will be limited in proportion to the number of volunteers who assist and their success in securing subscriptions to the $250,000 fund. An army of volunteers will make quick work of it, and would reduce the expense at the main office, mainly, to clerical help, postage and printing. We wdll aim to reach all the proprietors and editors of newspapers in the United States as soon as practical with a letter and a com- plimentary copy of the book and this will be done at considerable expense; and is here mentioned as one of the items of expense that will be necessary preceding permanent THE REMEDY 161 organization. The home office for tempo- rary organization will be at Monte Ne, Ar- kansas, and all letters may be addressed to me until a temporary secretary is an- nounced. The second edition of the book, found- ing the organization, will print the names and addresses of all persons who have con- tributed to either the permanent or tempo- rary fund, giving the amount of each con- tribution, thus making a permanent record of the names of those who assisted in start- ing this world's movement. This is re- garded as important for the reason that the movement will have just begun, with so much depending on its future growth and influence; and one of the elements of strength to give it growth and influence will be the long list of names of those who have contributed towards starting it. It will give to the movement added prestige and importance and make more certain its an- nual income from future contributions. After the circulation of this edition has reached a creditable number, I ^vill have the publisher print about monthly on future copies coming from the press, a page in the back of the book, giving the circulation of it to date, number and aggregate amount of contributions received and other informa- 162 THE REMEDY tion with a date on the page giving the time the information is given out. And, I now submit, the whole proposi- tion, to all thinking men and women, who feel an interest in and concern for the fu- ture of our civilization. THE END BY THE PUBLISHERS THE Mundus Publishing Company has been formed to take charge of the pub- lication of The Remedy. It was deemed best that its publication should be managed by a company in sympathy with the movement the book proposes. Hence, the step taken to put it in the hands of its friends. A publisher is the promoter of one or more books. And a publishing house that is the pub- lisher of many books, on taking one more, as a rule, lists it in its catalogue and gives it general attention, only, in connection with its other books; usually, viewing each book from a commercial standpoint only. The possibilities of an important and popular book for acquiring an extensive circulation is very great if properly promoted ; and, believing that The Remedy is such a book, we will use our utmost endeavors to give it the circula- tion it merits. We have arranged with The Western News Company, of Chicago, and its affiliated Whole- sale News Companies, practically covering the United States and Canada, to handle the book and supply the trade. By this special arrange- ment the book-stores and newsdealers will have no trouble or delay in securing it from their Wholesale News Houses. Liberal terms will be made on the book to the trade. 163 164 - THE REMEDY It is important that the book should reach readers, to whom it is not convenient to secure it at book-stores and news-stands ; and, this sug- gests agents who will take it into the remotest districts. We believe that many men and women and boys will act as agents for this book who would not, ordinarily, act as the agent of a book. It is one way that many may help the great cause the book represents. A Special Department To encourage such persons an Agents' De- partment will be established. This department will be exclusively conducted through a Branch Office that we will at once establish at Monte Ne, Arkansas, in order that its work may be under the supervision of Mr. Harvey, the founder of the movement. All w^ho wish to handle the book, as agents, will address The Mundus Publishing Company, Branch Office, Monte Ne, Arkansas. What is here said as to agents, also applies to those who wish to buy the book, in lots, to give away, or to start circulating libraries. They, too, will address our Branch Office at Monte Ne, Arkansas, where Mr. Harvey will personally be in touch with the work of this special depart- ment. If the movement promoted by The Remedy is to have the success contemplated by its friends who are already familiar with the contents of the book, we are not laying too broadly our plans for its circulation. The book w411 be sold at the lowest possible ■ THE REMEDY 165 price consistent with its successful promotion. The price, in single copies, will be 50 cents, with a liberal discount to the trade, to agents and to those who want them in lots of ten or more to give away. It will be published only in cloth binding and printed on good paper. It is not deemed advisable to print it in paper cover. A book so bound, soon goes to pieces and dis- appears from circulation ; and has no value as a library book. The Remedy is a book to be preserved and read again and again, in the years to come — and any one would, probably, rather pay 50 cents for it bound in cloth than 25 cents for it bound in paper, the cover of which would soon curl up, be torn off and the book lost. One of the books, sold, bound in cloth, will in time, have more readers than two, sold, bound in paper cover. Who Mr. Harvey Is And now a few words as to who Mr. Har- vey is. *He is the same man who wrote Coin's Financial School, and A Tale of Two Nations, pubhshed in 1894; that had an extensive cir- culation in the United States, reaching the un- precedented number of two million copies by the summer of 1895, in one year; having more influence than any other one agency in bring- ing on the remarkable campaign of 1896. The "School" was translated into nearly all the foreign languages of the principal govern- ments of Europe, its circulation, finally, reach- ing millions of copies. 166 THE REMEDY His two books, of that time, dealt with the silver question. Mr. Harvey now says on that subject, 'The increased production of gold since 1894, has settled that question. From a world's production of gold in 1894, of about 150 million dollars, it has since increased to nearly 500 million dollars annually; about double the world's annual production of both gold and silver in 1894. What we contended for then, was a larger volume of money; and we believe that the great educational movement of that period in which tens of thousands took part, helped to bring it about. The subject being discussed, practically world-wide, caused probably, as many as ten men to go looking for gold, to where there would have been only two or three prospecting for it, if the question had remained quiescent; thus giving the world a greater volume of primary money — the same object, in a way, that would have been accom- plished by the remonetization of silver." Mr. Harvey has never written a book ex- cept with a purpose to promote the general wel- fare. He is now living in the Ozark Mountains, in Benton County, Arkansas, at Monte Ne, a village founded by him at a beautiful and healthful place where he expects to continue to make his home. This book, The Remedy, is copyrighted by Mr. Harvey, which it is wise to do, as it gives him the right to say who can publish it, and, know when it is printed that it is printed right. If any one had a right to publish it, which would be the case if it were not copyrighted, THE REMEDY 167 there would be no practical method for putting business organization behind the circulation of the book. He requests us to say, in this connection, that all publications may quote from it, using any part or parts of it, in connection with com- ments thereon, without its being regarded as an infringement on the copyright. When per- manent organization of the movement the book promotes is perfected, Mr. Harvey will transfer all his rights in the book to the organization; and in the meantime will use all the royalty we will pay him, which is the usual and cus- tomary royalty, in promoting the movement to a permanent organization. Its Possibilities The Remedy has been carefully read and considered by many representative citizens, before being printed; a sufficient number, we believe, to get a concensus of opinion as to how it will be received ; — and the uniform opinion is that it presents a real and substantial remedy, and, one that is practical ; provided, a sufficient number of men and women interest themselves in it and apply it ; — and it will now enter upon its mission of testing the sentiment of the people. Much will depend on the inter- est taken and the assistance and co-operation re- ceived in bringing it to the attention of, prac- tically, all the people ; for, one of the distinctive merits of the remedy, is, that it presents a plan at which all can help. 168 THE EEMEDY If it meets with success in perfecting a per- manent organization, it will become one of the most powerful educational organizations in the World. And, sufficiently financed and re- sourcefully managed, its possibilities are, prac- tically, unlimited. And, now, as publishers of the book, we wish to say to its readers that we have undertaken a great task, and, will fall short of what is needed without the co-operation of thousands of people. While we can put behind it business system and organization, the greatest help of all will be the assistance of others in aiding to promote its cir- culation. See that your book-store and news- dealer carries it to meet the demand for it. Do what you can to have the school teachers use the School Booklet which is printed separately and now ready for use in schools. See separate page giving prices. While the school booklet may be revised by the permanent organization, it is not necessary to wait till then to begin this great educational movement in the schools, where it is now so urgently needed. Again inviting the assistance of one and all and hoping that a copy of this book, in time, will be in every household, where the sons and daughters will have an opportunity to read it, we are, Respectfully, The Mundus Publishing Company, Chicago, 111. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars ($ ) to the educational movement to pro- mote Character Teaching, explained in the book, en- titled The Remedy, by William H. Harvey, payable when the sum of $250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable persons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (NAine) (Fostofflce) (StAU) (Dat«) (Street No. if In Cltj) CAUTION Those signing contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home Office. Each subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For the present address all communications to, Wm. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, Ark. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars ($ ) to the educational viovement to pro- mote Character Teaching, explained in the book, en- titled The Remedy, by William H. Harvey, payable when the sum of $250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable persons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (Name) (Pwtofflce) (SUt«) (D«t«) (SUeet No. if in Cltr) CAUTION Those signing contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home Office. Each subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For th3 present address all communications to, Wm. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, Ark. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars ($ ) to the educational movement to pro- mote Character Teaching, explained in the book, en- titled The Remedy, by William H. Harvey, payable when the sum of $250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable iPersons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (Name) (Fostofflce) (Stftte) (Street No. if in Cltyt CAUTION Those signing contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home Office. Each subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For the present address all communications to, "Wm. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, Ark. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars (I ) to the educational movement to pro- mote Character Teaching, explained in the book, en- titled The Remedy, by William H. Harvey, payable when the sum of $250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable persons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (Name) (Ptostofflce) (State) (Date) (Street No. If In Caiy) CAUTION Those signing contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home Office. Sach subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For the present address all communications to, Wm. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, Ark. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars ($ ) to the educational movement to pro- m,ote Character Teaching, explained in the book, en- titled The Remedy, by William H. Harvey, payable when the sum of $250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable persons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (Name) (FoetofflM) (SUto) (Dat*) (Street No. U in CUr) CAUTION Those elgning contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home OfQce. Bach subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For the present address all communications to. "Wm, H. Harvey, Monte Ne. Ark. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars {% ) to the educational movement to pro- mote Character Teaching, explained in the book, en- titled The REMBajY, by William H. Harvey, payable when the sum of |250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable persons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (Name) (Fbetofflce) (SUte) (Date) (Street No. if in Citj) CAUTION Those signing contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home Office. Each subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For the present address all communications to, Wm. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, Ark. Contribution Blank FORM A The undersigned agrees to contribute the sum of Dollars ($ ) to the educational movement to pro- mote Character Teaching, explained in the l)ook, en- titled The Remedy, by William H. Harvey, payable wjien the sum of $250,000, at least, has been sub- scribed, for that purpose, and, the movement is organ- ized by a charter, has a Governing Board or Directory, composed of twelve or more responsible and reliable persons, who have selected a treasurer to receive the money. And, if I so elect, I will make my contribu- tions in four equal monthly payments. (Name) (Postofflce) (State) (Date) (Btreet No. if in Cltr) CAUTION Those signing contribution blanks, will please write their names and addresses plainly, so as to reduce the possibility of getting names wrong at the Home Office. Each subscription received will be promptly acknowl- edged by letter giving the progress of the movement. For the present address all communications to, Wm. H. Harvey, Monte Ne, Ark. Contribution Blank FORM B The undersigned hereby contributes the sum of Dollars ($ ), herewith enclosed, to assist the work of promoting the permanent organization of the edu- cational movement for promoting Character Teaching, explained in the hook, entitled The Remedy, by Wil- liam H. Harvey. (Najae) (Postofflce) (State) (Street No. if in CUy> DIRECTIONS In remitting use personal check, bank draft, express or postofflce money order, payable to Perry N. Clark, treasurer, and mail to him at Rogers, Arkansas. This money is to be used in promoting permanent organiza- tion and will be paid out by Mr. Clark, who acts as the temporary treasurer of the fund, only on a voucher- check, itemizing the account, signed by the Chairman or vice-Chairman and Secretary of a temporary Board of Governors. The contributor will receive an acknowledg- ment by return mail from Mr. Clark; Mr. Clark will notify the Home Office at Monte Ne. and a letter from there to the contributor will follow, giving Information on the movement to-date. Please write your name and address plainly. Address, Perry N. Clark, Cashier, Farmers' State Bank, Rogers, Arkansas. Contribution Blank FORM B The undersigned hereby contributes the sum of Dollars ($ ), herewith enclosed, to assist the work of promoting the permanent organization of the edu- cational movement for promoting Character Teaching, explained in the book, entitled The Remedy, by WiU liam H. Harvey. (Name) (Postoffloe) (SUte) (Date) (Street Na if in City) DIRECTIONS In remitting use personal check, bank draft, express or postofflce money order, payable to Perry N. Clark, treasurer, and mail to him at Rogers, Arkansas. This money is to be used In promoting permanent organiza- tion and will be paid out by Mr. CHark, who acts as the temporary treasurer of the fund, only on a voucher- check, itemizing the account, signed by the Chairman or vice-Chairman and Secretary of a temporary Boara of Governors. The contributor will receive an acknowledg- ment by return mail from Mr. Clark; Mr. Clark will notify the Home Office at Monte Ne, and a letter from there to the contributor will follow, giving information on the movement to-date. f lease write your name and address plainly. Address, Perry N. Clark, Cashier, Farmers' State Bank, Rogers, Arkansas. Contribution Blank FORM B The undersigned hereby contributes the sum of Dollars (I ), herewith enclosed, to assist the work of promoting the permanent organization of the edu- cational movement for promoting Character Teaching, explained in the book, entitled The Remedy, by Wil- liam H. Harvey. (Name) (Postofflce) (State) (D«te) (Street No. U In City) DIRECTIONS In remitting use personal check, bank draft, express or postofflce money order, payable to Perry N. Clark, treasurer, and mail to him at Rogers, Arkansas. This money is to be used in promoting permanent organiza- tion and will be paid out by Mr. CHark, who acts as the temporary treasurer of the fund, only on a voucher- check, itemizing the account, signed by the Chairman or vice-Chairman and Secretary of a temporary Board of Governors. The contributor will receive an acknowledg- ment by return mail from Mr. Clark; Mr. Clark will notify the Home Office at Monte Ne, and a letter from there to the contributor will follow, giving information on the movement to-date. Please write your name and address plainly. Address, Perry N. Clark, Cashier, Farmers' State Bank, Rogers, Arkansas. AGENTS WANTED To Sell This Book A special price is made on The Remedy to agents, in lots of ten or more. One situated so that he or she can do so, will find this an opportunity to do some good and, at the same time, make money that you may need. Address The Mundus Publishini^ Company Braach Office Monte Ne» Arkansas A Special Price I« Made on THE REMEDY to Those Who Wish to Give Them Away There are many ways in which one can help the educational cause which The Remedy pre- sents. And one of the many ways is to get the book in the hands of those who will appre- ciate it when presented to them. A special price is made in lots of ten or more for this purpose. The Mundus Publishing Company Branch Office Monte Ne, Arkansas The School Booklet Character Building For Use In Schools ILLUSTRATED The school booklet printed in The Remedy is published separately in a 32-page SCHOOL BOOKLET Securely bound, neatly printed and now ready. Price of single copy 10 cents each Ten or more copies 8 cents each Fifty or more copies 7 cents each One hundred or more copies. . 6 cents each In single copies, 10 cents, lots less than 50 copies, 8 cents each; we send by mail, parcel post, prepaying postage. In lots of 50 copies or more, 7 cents each, or 100 copies or more, 6 cents each; we send by express or parcel post, carrying charges collect. Remit with order by cash enclosed, bank draft, post office money order or express order. Addreaa The Mundus Publishing Company Branch Office Monte Ne> Arkansas Character Builders The author of The Remedy, takes pleasure in recommending the reading of the books listed on this page. We start the list, now, with two books, and will add others when Mr. Harvey from his own reading discovers them. This is done voluntarily and without the knowledge of the publishers or authors of the books. POLLYANNA. By Eleanor H. Porter. Publishers, L. C. Page & Co., Boston. THE EYES OF THE WORLD. By Harold Bell Wright. Publishers, The Book Supply Company, Chicago. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped below SOV 16195®* N1/\V2 1957 \^^ Form L-0 20m-l,'41(1122) IJNIVKKSITY OK (JALifUKNlA AT LOS AKi;ii:LES M64 H26r SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000 821 645 9