Show Western Environment Besides the time many decisive advantage advantage advant advant- a age e presented d by the arid and area already al- al already already al al- ready mentioned the time typical American American Ameri Ameri- can of the Western plateau is fortunate fortunate fortunate fortu fortu- nate In possessing an environment which tends not only to a stronger healthier bod body but a a. better mind When the view from his door may cover a sweep as large as an entire Ea Eastern tern State as is frequently the case calle in the Western Vestern country of magnificent magnificent magnificent mag mag- distances and dc scenic sublimity ity ty the Westerner of the mountainous mountainous mountain mountain- ous ous' ous arid country unquestionably tends to 0 take a broader and more thoughtful thought thought- ful view of life in its ik various aspects than he be whose and mental horizon is bounded by the narrow confines of a Vermont valley of or a Carolina swamp In a country where topography sparse vegetation and climate combine combine com- com bine to render the unit of distance for a fair days day's ride in the neighborhood neighborhood neighborhood neighbor neighbor- hood of a hundred miles the mile ceases to have the serious importance which it possesses for example in inthe inthe the he up pent-up area of Connecticut And through h such habitual disregard ard for or distance developer de vel an intercourse which promotes new ideas and broader broad broad- er knowledge knowledg and tends to prevent that narrow provincialism which is isso isso isso so easily resolved into bigotry and local ocal conceit The life Itself stripped as it is of all hollow pret pretense nse and leads to the he development of self-reliance self coupled with self The primitive conditions which forced the pioneer to depend for defense defense defense de de- on his own resources and the sparse population with which imperfection imperfection imperfection imper imper- iu iLl the machinery of the l law lawis w is 19 9 necessarily associated compelled the individual to decide promptly and for himself matters which are ed b by precedent and custom elsewhere elsewhere elsewhere else else- where and could not fail to bring out and develop the qualities of good judgment quick decision and a forceful force force- ful tul and dignified character In this new country crime was largely found in such acts of bloodshed and violence as in themselves denoted self-reliance self and unwillingness bv by the individual to invoke the law in his behalf Crimes of petty meanness and oppression oppression oppression op op- op- op of the helpless were and andare andare andare are probably judged with far more severity by public opinion than in inthe inthe inthe the East But it has not taken lon lonto long longto to make life and property in the West of the present day quite as secure as asIn asin asin in the settled older-settled districts of our country Men who wino are not willing to work are aro not wanted nor are they apt Ito to como come or to remain Human parasites find little to feed upon in inthis inthis inthis this more primitive society except as they may benefit from good natu red generosity and prodigality Ed Ed Edward ward L. L Munson in the June Pacific Monthly |