That labor and culture should go together, that sweat and science should walk hand in hand, that art and harvest work should know each other for brothers, or that the sense of beauty and the capacity to dig a ditch should unite in the same personality, seems impossible to all those whose capacities are of the hothouse variety, and who feel “lifted up above common things by reason of their refinement.” But the changing order, which is making or shaping a world of reality to take the place of the world of seeming, is bringing just this thing to pass; and the time is not far distant when the gardener’s shears and apron will be in the possession of the man who writes art criticism, while the man who paints masterpieces will often be seen building fences. The “superior person” will then be chiefly interesting as an exotic, to be studied and duly ticketed as “rare” by those who have blood in their veins. Work is the very soul of life; and the idler, cultivated or other, has not lived in the past, does not live in the present, nor will he live in the future. When art and work are one and indivisible we shall not even ask for philosophers to compensate us for the illusions of life. Then the common, transfigured, will satisfy our every need.—_Tomorrow._ * * * * * No real battle between public rights and special privileges ever comes on in simple or unmistakable form. The crucial question is always so complicated with other issues as to bewilder men of the best intentions and of good judgment who happen to be interested on the right side of those other issues. It is upon bewilderments like these that conscious advocates of privilege depend for dividing the forces of their enemy when such a division becomes vital to them.—_The Chicago Public._ * * * * * It was an ill-advised move when Oklahoma joined the crusade against Standard Oil. Mr. Rockefeller may decide not to give her statehood.—_The South McAlester (I. T.) Capital._ * * * * * Recent reports of big industrial concerns show that they are having a good business year, thirty-seven companies paying dividends in March aggregating $24,000,000, compared with $21,800,000 last year and $19,800,000 the year before.—_From weekly circular letter of Henry Clews, Banker, No. 35 Wall Street, New York, dated March 4, 1905._ Yes, the trusts are doing well. It is easy for anybody to make money if he controls the buying and selling price of an article the people must have. It may be a little surprising, though, to some, to learn that the trusts are faring even better now than heretofore.—_The Missouri World._ * * * * *