Life — December 3, 1908 — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

come an obligation and a burden, in- stead of a spontaneous evidence of good-feeling. They could not bear with the commercial feeling which put a dollars-and-cents estimate on marks of affection any more than they could appreciate the bargain-counter junk of the department stores, made up to sell for Christmas presents. We remember seeing Mr. Santaclaus in one of these emporiums, where he had been lured with the idea of stimulating the gift- buying of its customers. He was a sad sight, and evidently realized that he was being used for purposes of trade. The worst blow that ever befell Mr. Santaclaus was when he learned that certain persons, belonging to that large class to whom joy and mirth are danger signals meaning sin, had told some of his child friends that he was a fraud. It seemed to him both cruel and unnecessary. No child had ever been harmed by a. belief in Mr. Santaclaus, and it had certainly biought joy and happiness into. the lives of countless thousands of chil- dren. If that belief was modified as they grew in years, it left in its place no injury and no unpleasant memory but instead a tenderer feeling for all children and for the friend of all children. Those of us who remember Mr. San- taclaus in his earlier, better days mourn for his passing, not on his own account, but for those future genera- tions of American children’ who can never know him as he really was. Peace to the memory of Mr. Santa- claus and of his old friend, Mr. Spirit of Christmas, _ ISS. BS CLASS ee kbb bin A CHRISTMAS MONOPOLIST shOx LIFESOR “1 Got ER CURISTMAS, TOO’? Character In the nation, as in th long run it is character that coun dore Roosevelt. OCRATES had character. He paid for it by drinking hemlock, and the civilization that nursed him has passed away. Marcus Aurelius had character, and a monument was erected to him that was afterwards rehabilitated; but not by those whom his character was supposed to benefit. Bruno had character, and burned for it. Joan of Arc had character, but it was trampled in the dust and scattered to the four winds. Calvin had character, with the result that the Baptist church is now supported by the Standard Oil Company. George Washington had character, and during the last years of his presidency was al. most, if not more maligned than Theo- dore Roosevelt; and his influence has given place to the Republican party with its bolstered infant industries, its financial rottenness and its truculent hypocrisy. What counts most in the long run is not character, but natural re- individual, in the Theo- sources. When these fail, the race fails, and is succeeded by a new one who slowly gather strength by abstinence un- til they get back more natural resources, when in turn they proceed to gorge themselves to death TLL. M. Great, But a Scorcher OLKS who in the soreness of their hurts deny that Roosevelt has been a great President are mistaken. He has been a great President. The trouble about him has been that he is such a high power engine that he has racked our national machine. That is why it is a blessing to have him go out of office. Once in a while, to cover necessary dis- tances or get us over hard places, these h power Presidents are useful. But for steady going travel about as many cylinders as Mr. Taft carries are plenty. comicbooks.com