Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-09-06
DEAD WEIGHTS

There is often 10 be found in towns and VIII
lages class Of men which, in too many sensex
OF The word, are dead weights upon progress.
and improvement No project can be started.
no improvement made, no actual want supplied
nat costs an pAing which meets with their ap-
proval. Wnh sioical indifference their count.-
nance and aid is withheld from everything which
savors Of the improvement Of the nineteenth
century 10 build up and ornament, to give
character and worth and influence, to prumote
the prosperity of the town In which ihey Iiv.
and expect TO die, is as foreign from their mind.
as Is the idea Of civilization from the mind Of
the savage who roagas the wilderness. They
measure everything by dollars and cen,s.-
'How much shall 1 make e. .'how many dol
lars shall put into my pocket" are question,
which invariably guide them. Every laudable
enterprise, the success Of which in q measure
depends on their liberality aud support is flown
&c upon as arrant nonsense, piece of useless
exiravagance. Churches that bear tho marks.
! OF decay, and are fast toiierine to ruins, are.
good enough for them, School houses which
are absolutely unfit for the health and comfort
Of children, and which mors resemble dismal
PrIson-house than building designed for cdu-
caiional purposes are plenty good enough
'hey had no better accommodations shsn they
attended school, If psrchance they ever enjoyed
that Ines'imable privilege. A town library,
popular lectures and the like, OF What use arc
are ihey! In short, il matters not how wor-
my an object may be, il it appeals to their pock-
e's' 1t meets with sisrn disapprovsl-
We question very much whsiher the lives Of
such men as we have been describing are worth
anything to community. Go whore you will
and where you find the greatest number Of ,hes.
men, whom we denomnaie dead weights. there
you will find everything going to rack and ruin.
Are not men on whom fortune has smiled who
are unwilling TO lend helping hand to worthy
Objects dead weighisi Do they not rsiard
progress aud improvement. and are they not
justly reproach and by-word among all good
meni
Is u not, indeed, sometimes surprising to see
with what ierocous ienacity men cling ia,
their money, and who had rather that all i'm
proyemen,s around them should cease al,oreth.f
er than part with the smallest portion Of it..
ihe world call these men misers. We cali
them brutes -
We love 10 see men Of large and generous
heafls--inen Who stand ready 10 give of llieis'
abundance to worthy objects, who labor 10 pro-
mote the growth, the prosperity and happiness
OF their town, and who are ever active in help
ing forward any enterprise which reflect, credi,
on 1t. Such men ara blessings TO commune
~ such men are loved, honorsd, snd respect
ed. and their good deeds will long survise them.
But man whose grea, and only aim in life 10
money-eeiiing and money boarding, and who
even begrudges the iares which be ia eompell-
ed to pay for the public good, commands ns re-
sPeci; hut on the other hand is an object Of
coniemPti and although be may feel satisfied
with his wealth and ereediness, yet the COIN.
munliy in which he moves justly blsnds him
a mean man.