Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1909 — MAN'S WORST ENEMY IS MAN. [ARTICLE]

MAN'S WORST ENEMY IS MAN.

Prominent at present is the hunting expedition of ex-presi-dent Koosevelt in the wilds of Africa. Incidentally one has in mind the danger he is in, in going to that country, from losing his life in struggles with the wild and ferocious beasts he is liable to meet. 7 ~ ' r ~ 7 Terrible as can be imagined the struggles with wild beasts in a foreign country, a more ferocious animal is at our elbows in this country, and this is, man, Of whom are we afraid when we bar the windows and lock the doors that the burglar or assassin may not enter? We avoid dark places at night, not in fear of wild beasts, but man. Who robs us of life, money, honor, reputation—in fact everything of consequence in life? Our fellow man. In our midst is the assassin’s hand ready to plunge his dagger into our vitals. Another assagsin assails the honor of the home. By every subterfuge man strives daily to circumvent his fellow. Our papers are filled with the accounts, from the lowest of evil in its lowest dregs in most brutal and lawless ways, then up the scale in lesser degree or form of brutality, man is constantly struggling to out do the other. The newspaper accounts of a trial at court is simply a struggle between those who are striving for the mastery—in fact our courts are filled with duels between contestants which only tend to show man’s yorst enemy is man. If wild beasts were the only thing to be feared, our wives and children would not fear to be left alone at night, nor lock and bar the doors. It is not a pleasant view to take but the fact that man’s worst enemy is man, is but a record of each day’s happenings. Ours is the best governed country we may say in the land and the most enlightened and progressive. The law abiding, and men good and true, are in the great majority and vastly exceed in number those who seek evil and cause the trouble this article refers to —in fact in any community such persons are only a small part of it but nevertheless throughout our land we will ever have to contend with those who are more dangerous to us than wild beasts. Who is there that has advanced very far in life’s experiences that hasn’t found this out? It is true that we love each other and our friendships are beautiful to behold but never the less we are often kept busy removing the fangs and clipping the claws of those who would harm us. We profess love for our fellow nations, but at the same time we are getting to be quite a naval power. We nations exchange courtesies with great decorum in visiting ports and otherwise but as a matter of fact not so far away we are manufacturing ammunition to exchange—shots. Surely man’s worst enemv is man.