"WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH."

Often life becomes dull and irksome because our living and working seem to be in vain. We are constantly asking ourselves, how we can make our lives worth living. Now, in accordance with the consensus of modern thought, it would seem that the better way to live is, while ever taking active interest in the current affairs of the day, to cherish some lofty aim or purpose, in other words, "to formulate and cultivate a vision."

A vision is the aim, purpose, object or ideal we set before us in our several occupations in life. As we find it stated elsewhere, "A vision, a creative vision, is a pictured goal. There is purpose and vigor in it. It is productive of results, and the loftier the vision, the higher the attainment."

In life and history it is easy to distinguish the man of vision from him who is without high aim. "Eat, drink and be merry" is the maxim of the one, while faithful service in trying to make the conditions of life better, far and wide, is characteristic of the other. Likewise, the nature or quality of every man's vision is capable of discernment. Certainly no aim or low aim is almost crime.

Each of us must find his vision in his own occupation or calling in life. There each must strive not only to grow and enrich his own life, but also that of the few or the many about him, as chance or environment permits.

To the home-maker, for instance, with an ideal like this, life cannot seem listless and futile, nor of such an one can it be said that her life has been lived in vain.

Does it not follow that the only life worth living is that which is actuated by a real purpose, a lofty ideal, a clear vision? How much in the way of successful and happy living depends upon our ideals! Let us look well to our aims; waste no time in idle dreaming, but keep ever before us some far-away and hopeful vision.

PROGRESS AND REFORM

We believe that progress is made by means of genuine reform. In every instance we find ourselves on the side of wholesome reform, for in this way only true progress seems to lie. The changes that have taken place within the past fifty years in our educational system are great, indeed. No doubt these changes have been beneficial in the main, and yet further changes are still needful. Certainly, according to recent developments, some change seems to be called for in our reformatory institutions.

In general, it seems to us the transition from our schools and colleges to the imperative duties and occupations of life is too abrupt, too difficult and sadly unsatisfactory; at least this is true in case of the majority of young people. Education should prepare one to pass easily and readily into some chosen occupation, and the first need of every human being is the chance to earn a living; since every one should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. Do our schools fit or unfit our youth for life's real work? Can they engage at once and successfully in some congenial occupation? Until these questions can be favorably answered, we advocate reform in our forms of education. Labor we must; a taste, even a fondness for wholesome, necessary labor should be cultivated in our schools.

It has been stated and confirmed by those in authority that $300,000,000 might be saved per year in the conduct of our government on a strictly business basis. If this be true, here reform, good and true, is an imperative need. Such a condition of affairs is in no sense humorous. For what do we choose our legislators? Is it to squander or conserve the revenues and resources of the State?

Likewise, in ways of living or the conduct of life, reform is ever in order, provided thereby gain can be made. It has been said that "The whole moral law is based on health. The ideal body is the proper shrine for the ideal soul,—a truth that has yet to be educated into the modern consciousness. Righteousness and health should go together. This is an eternal law,—a law that covers society, education and morality. The real meaning of the word 'temperance' is a careful use of the body. It has nothing primarily to do with mere abstinence from certain forms of pleasure. A man says to himself, I am in possession of a mechanism which will endure a certain amount of wear and usage, but it is the most delicate of all machinery, and for that reason it must be used with more consideration than even the fine works of a watch. Intemperance, of any sort, means unnecessary wear and tear. It increases the waste of the system, the rapidity of the living process, so that repair cannot keep up with use, and it burns where there should be the clear light of life."

DON'T KILL THE BIRDS

For a number of years the scientific investigators have been arguing that a bird—almost any bird—was worth a good deal more to the country alive than dead; worth more in the glorious freedom of its habitat than on my lady's hat or on the plate of the epicure. It has been shown by the dissection of birds and the examination of their stomachs just what seeds and insects they eat. These examinations have made it clear that most birds live principally on the seeds of pernicious weeds, and on the insect and small mammal pests against which the farmer has to wage an increasing fight every year. It is true that some birds damage crops and it is true that any birds will do damage if there are too many of them—just as the extreme congestion of people results in disease and immorality. But under normal conditions of distribution almost any bird is an able assistant to the agriculturist and horticulturist in the protection of his crops against their most dangerous enemies.

The steady increase in the cost of living during the period of a year and a half ending on the last day of March, 1910, is strikingly demonstrated by a bulletin issued by the Bureau of Labor of the Department of Commerce and Labor. It is shown by the careful investigation into the course of prices of 257 commodities, which enter into the everyday life of the average man, that prices last March were higher than at any time since twenty years ago; that in that month it cost the consumer 7.5 per cent more to buy the necessities of life than it had cost him in March, 1909; 10.2 per cent more than in August, 1908; 21.1 per cent more than the average range of prices for 1900; 49.2 per cent more than in 1897,—a rate of progression which is causing a country-wide agitation for means and measures of relief. Yet it is shown that prices in 1909, high as they were, still ranged 2.3 per cent below those for 1907, the costliest year in the period beginning with 1890.

ECONOMY, WISE AND UNWISE

We are trying to publish a magazine in every sense worth renewing. That we are succeeding to a certain degree is shown by the increasing number of our readers who are renewing their annual subscriptions, and calling for back numbers, in order to bind their volumes and keep them in permanent form for future reference and use.

Not long since we shipped to Calcutta, India, back numbers, to complete a full set of fourteen volumes, up to date. A woman who seems to have no special need of the magazine wrote recently, "I am sending my renewal because it seems to me the magazine is entirely too good a publication not to be found in every good home."

Though the cost of living at present is high, we hope no good, earnest housekeeper will begin to practice economy by cutting off her list the only publication, to which she has subscribed, that is devoted exclusively to the teaching of practical, wholesome economy in the management of the household. The subscription price of this magazine will not be increased. For three dollars we offer to renew the subscription of any reader for four years.