The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-12-17
For the Ottumwa Courie
ESSAY, NO. Nv.
Obligation Of Wealth.
BY Hsss .


Wo are now prepared to consider another
branch of the subject, namely. the obligations
of wealth. These may be inferred from what
we have already said, but we will point them
out more directly. 1t is insisted, and must be
admitted by all, that the aggregate Of wealth
should be so employed as to produce the great
est amount Of good to the greatest number.
To what other use can it be legitimately ap-
piled? Man was born to benefit himself, and
to this end he has the use Of the elements, the
land, &C.: that, by the application Of his mem
tai and physical powers, he might produce
therefrom all he should need. If he perform
the labor he is entitled to enough, and If he be
4 unable to work his wants must be supplied by
others. What then, are the obligations OF
those who hold the surplus wealth Of the
world? They are bound to do all the good to
their fellows they can by its expenditure As
| long as they have means beyond their own sup
ply, so long must they share with those who
are INDECENT. 1t lie simply matter OF duty and
| Justice, and there is no alternative. Is any
one startled at these doctrines? Do you say
you have earned your possessions, and there
fore have right to use them as you please?
Perhaps you have not toiled half as loEg or Sc
verely as those who are poor aud miserable.
The fruits of their labor have gone somewhere
they have it not-while you have, perhaps,
ten times the value Of all the labor you have
performed. Do you say the poor have s9uan-
dered all they have earned? Doubtless some
Of them have not, from youth up, been as eco
nomical as they should have been, and, doubt
less they have not been half 50 prodigal as you.
I do not pretend that he who possesses wealth
which he has honorably and honestly obtained,
has not more right to it than any one else. 1t
is held as trust for the benefit of those whom
it can bless. 1t is not to be squandered upon
trivial self-indulgencs. 1t is equally in vain
to plead fortune, good luck, &C., in defence of
the dictates Of avarice, for the brighter the
smiles of fortune, the greater the obligations
Of her favored sons to assist the unfortunate.
1t is also vain to pleaj talent, skill, foresight,
&c., as an excuse for holding OF to the means
of comfort, while many Of our fellows are suf-
fering for common el,joyments. for he who has
greater talent or skill has, of course, more
abundant sources Of intellectual pleasure, and
it is an outrage upon humanity to employ this
gift of God to man, in withdrawing from the
common good, its means, and holding them
with q miser's grasp. IL this be good de-
fense, an Alexander was justified in bowling
nations before his feotstool; Caesar was right
in crossing the Rubicon; Bonaparte was doing
Gods service in his attempts to conquer
Europe; in short, we would have no right to
arraign anything that san be accomplished by
the exercise Of talents. No, this argument
will not answer. We cannot reason logically
on this subject except from the premises. that
each individual is bound to act for his own and
fellow being's highest good. If one has not
the talent for acquiring the capital necessary
for his comfort, he must look for aid to him
who has, and the latter is bound to assist him
old as humanity, may appear novel to many.
The worlds standard Of morality is infinitely
below this. 1t does not require the wealthy
to do the least thing for the public good, when
it cannot be done without money. Such
standard must be thoroughly reviewed before
much progress can be made.
But in what general enterprises is wealth,
wheresoever found, and by whonsoever poss-
essed, bound to engage? They may be speci-
fed as follows: 1, In tightening the laborious
burden Of the mass; 2, In giving the INDECENT
pecuniary assistance; 3, In securing to all the
means of education and intellectual advance
ment Il will be perceived, at glance, tha
an incalculable amount of good would be ac-
compshed for the world, could its surplus
wealth be at once turned into these channels.
All who acknowledge chhappy consequence
es of this course, and have the rule Of right
deeply seated in their souls, will ask for no ar
gument on this head. In lessening the burden
of those who toll, two conditions are necessa-
ry: 1, That those who avoid productive pur-
suits throw off their Incidence and earn their
own living; 2, That those who toll shall not be
forced to endure such scarcity and constancy
| OF labor az to render life consequently less
pleasurable. Every one who dimipishes the
pleasure he might enjoy by incessive toll, vio-
iates law of his being. For this those are
responsible who uphold the circumstances es
which force this violation of law. Those who
| do no productive labor, either Of mind or body,
are the guilty ones. These in connection with
those who buy mp at an Unfair price the labor
of others, are drones in society, that feed upon
the gathering Of others, and thereby increase
their burdens. They enjoy all the fatness of
the land without contributing to its production.
These should change their ways and hold their
surplus wealth at the public service. There
is no reason why one should live in prodigal
Incidence, while another endures the prlvations
of burdensome and incessant toll. Many are
compelled to break down their constitutions
and descend to premature grave, that the
few may have their gorgeous mansions, their
beds of down, their enervating feasts, their
| sports and aristocratic vanities. But am l
told the few have wealth and can afford their
Incidence and luxury9 That they can pay
those who are poor for the labor they need?
They can do SO provided they can endure COM
junction Of conscience, or reconcile their NOR
al sentiments to the policy of banqueting on
the blood Of others. No one can say that he is
holier than his neighbors, or that he is too del
icate for manual toll, for all are equal and