MODERN BLACKSMITHING 19 



doing it, but you should not be satisfied to do the 

 work as others are doing it, but do it right. 



A MODERN GUILD 



The blacksmiths and horse-shoers have at last put 

 the thinking cap on, for the purpose of bettering their 

 condition. So far nothing has been accomplished, but 

 I am sure it will, in the long run, if they only keep at 

 it. We are now living in the license craze age. From 

 the saloon keeper down to the street peddler, they all 

 howl for license, and unreasonable as it is, thousands 

 of sensible men will cling to it in hopes that it will 

 help. 



We are, more or less, one-idea men, with fads and 

 whims. Nations and organizations are just like indi- 

 viduals, ready to fall into a craze and we see it often. 

 It is natural when we consider that nations and organ- 

 izations are simple one man repeated so many times. 



Simply look at the hero-worshiping craze went 

 through at the close of the Spanish war. First, Lieu- 

 tenant Hobson was the idol, and great was he, far off 

 in Cuba. But, coming home, he made himself obnox- 

 ious on a tour through the country, and the worshipers 

 were ashamed of their idol, as well as of themselves. 

 Admiral Dewey was the next hero to be idolized, and 

 he, too, was found wanting. 



Physicians have their favorite prescriptions, min- 

 isters their favorite sermons. Politicians have their 



