The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., February 01, 1927, Page 16, Image 16

Page Sixteen
THE UNITED AMERICAN
AT THE CROSSROADS OF LIFE
Anon.
J WO MEN in the evening of life met at a cross­
road. One was clad in rich raiment. The other’s
clothes were coarse and old. It was easy to be seen
that the highways they had trod were widely apart.
Their roads converged now only because their respec­
tive journeys were near the end. And at the end,
you know, there is but one common path, worn and
beaten by the footsteps of the millions that have
gone before. It is the path that leads to the grave.
Upon it meet children who come to gladden our hearts
for such a little time before they pass on. There
gather youth and maid—the middle-aged—the aged,
as we reckon time, but all infants in the slow ticktock
of eternity.
As the two men emerged upon the common road
their eyes met and each recognized in the other a
playmate of boyhood days.
They passed along together—and talked of many
things.
“I have known Power,” said Richly Clad. “I have
sought to elevate to high places those who bended
their wills to mine. And those who have refused
to do my bidding, I have broken on the wheel. What
I could not rule, I have tried to ruin. I have paved my
highway with blasted ideals, with forsaken hopes.
I have sown the seed of Discord in the soil of Hate.
I have watered my sowing with the tears of women
upon whose husbands and sons I have placed a blight.
The harvest has been rich—rich in gold, GOLD that
has glittered in the sunlight and warmed the cockles
of my heart.”
“Friend,” said Poorly Clad, “we approach the
grave. It has been a long, long journey. It is well
that we take invoice while there yet is time.
“I have gained neither wealth nor power. But
joys have not been denied me. I have looked into
the eyes of beautiful children and read there the
depth of faith in me—in me, an obscure wayfarer
on a crowded highway. I have ministered to the
sick. I have shared my small portion with the needy.
I lifted a man from the gutter and he said, ‘God Bless
You.’ I rescued a woman from the mire and she said,
‘Peace Be Unto You.’ I stopped to feed a hungry
dog and the grateful creature licked my hand. No,
I have gained neither wealth nor power, but as I
march on to the Great Unknown today, there is a
song in my heart.”
CONFIDENCE AND ENTHUSIASM
“To be successful in one’s line of work two things
are needed—confidence and enthusiasm. That man
who does not believe with all his might in the work
he is trying to perform, who enters upon it in a half­
hearted manner only, will never reach the top. He
is doomed to be a failure from the start. Faith is
necessary that results may be obtained. Enthusiasm
for a cause has carried many a doubtful experiment
to complete success. People like to do business with
one who is full of pep and who shows that he has
confidence in the thing he is trying to do.
“Anger and worry are expressions of fear thought.”
February 1927
LATIN AMERICAN TRADE
NCLE SAM’S business with the Latin American nations
amounted to two billion dollars last year. The business
was obtained through successful competition with the Euro­
pean nations.
•
Exporters of this country boosted their sales to Latin
American countries by $111,564,000. Imports from this mar­
ket, while somewhat greater in volume, declined in value by
$2,711,000, owing principally to the fall in Cuban sugar prices.
Trade with Urguay increased forty-eight per cent; Para­
guay, thirty-seven per cent; Brazil, twenty-six per cent; Co­
lombia, twenty-three per cent; Argentina, nineteen per cent.
Declines were: Cuba eighteen per cent; Chile one per cent and
Peru fourteen per cent. The Central American countries
showed increased trade from eight to twenty-five per cent.
South America found American markets more profitable
than in 1924 by nearly $53,000,000. Purchases from Mexico
totalled $12,000,000 more than in 1924, while Central Ameri­
can industries boosted their total sales to the United States
over $5,000,000.
Exports to South America were $402,603,000, West Indies,
$340,293,000, Mexico $144,716,000 and Central America,
$72,780,000.
Argentina headed the South American countries as a cus­
tomer with purchases of $148,758,000. Brazil was a good
market with imports of $87,461,000; Porto Rico, $78,078,000
and Colombia, $41,376,000.
Officials of the Department of Commerce say that early
figures for 1926 indicated that Latin-American trade this year
will show another increase.
U
A. A. A. COMMANDMENT
“Thou shalt pass along highway and byway, but thou
shalt not plunder.”
This is a commandment delivered unto the people from
the high mount of Motordom.
Henry P. Thomas, president of the American Automo­
bile Association, speaks as their law-giver:
“Don’t pick too many wild flowers.
“Extinguish camp fires when leaving camp.
“Leave your camp in as good order as you would like
to find it.
“Observe the courtesies of the road.”
As individuals how greatly would we appreciate the
great army of tourists hearing this and heeding: It is such a
bitter awakening from a cherished dream of a long winter
through to arrive at some lovely picnic ground of a season
before only to find it laid waste by the hand of the despoiler.
Where is the dogwood and laurel that bloomed in the spring?
Nothing remains but the bare and broken branches. The grass
which we remerbered so freshly green is trodden under ruth­
less heel. Egg shells and banana skins, boxes and bones
and broken bottles strew the ground. Torn papers flap in
the tree tops, for all the world like unpleasant birds of
prey haunting a scene of carnage. An ugly picture of
map’s making. A day of unbridled merrymaking, blossoms
gathered to wilt even before they reach the homes they
were intended to grace and a whole year of unsightliness for
all who follow in the wake of those first few who so ruthlessly,
selfishly served themselves.
CHARACTER
John Kendrick Bangs.
Some folks in looks take so much pride
They don’t think much of what’s inside.
Can ne’er be made a thing of grace,
And so I rather think I’ll see
How I can fix the inside o’ me
So folks’ll say, “He looks like sin,
But ain’t he beautiful within!”
“Let us have faith that Right makes Might, and
in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as
we understand it.”
—Abraham Lincoln.