The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-07-16
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
Une ertainty Of Riches.

AHw ORJEANS, oU0OAIb cCAh lo' ic'''
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Uncertainty of Riches.
In the money article of the New York
Journal Of Commerce we find an intelligent
response to an inquiring mind. The answer
is in the main so good that we reproduce 1T
entire, although we desire only to ask
special con siderati,n to the statements made
-.latiye to failures and ultimate losses, sus-
ned even by those who gain fortune:
An "OId Subscriber" wishes to know
what proportion of those who succeed in
acquiring a competency in business pur-
suits ultimately retain it. This problem
has been worked at by many statisticians
with about the same results. or those who
engage in business ON their own account,
only three out of hundred escape failure,
and only five out of a hundred succeed IN
avoiding an entire collapse of their first
effort. Of those who, at some time or
other, have in hand reasonable compe-
.ence, and may be said to have succeeded
in business, ninety per cent are SILL the
that only ten per cent of the successful ones
keep their fortunes mistaken. Two things
ought to be strongly impressed upon the
young people Of our country: The insecu-
rity Of riches even " hen acquired, ana their
1nsatisfying character. There is no fallacy
so universally cherished as the notion that
wealth is surely means of happiness. The
care of o large property is one OF the most
burdensome of earth's trusts. The only
material good which comes of any estate is
to be made out of a moderate income far
more easily than from n large one, and
with fewer attendant disadvantages. Few
thoughtful men would undertake the entire
stewardship of large estate on positive
bargain that they should receive no more
for taking care Of it than ordinarily falls
into the cup of its owner. The scramble
after wealth is due to wrong estimate OF
the good to be acquired from it when it is
gained. We speak not now of the immense
Sacrifices made in the pursuit, such as the
waste of health, character, peace OF mind,
and even life itself; but of the little to come
from it in the way of reward, even should
the pursuer be successful. And the corrod-
ing care which each large addition brings
cannot be escaped by the wisest use OF it.
The more conscientious the possessor may
be. the more is he likely TO feel the burden
of the stewardship. The sweetest enjoy
ment in the use of money is in the dispen-
sation of bounty, but this is sadly marred
bv the iudicious care required In the seiec-
tion of recipients. The man who is earning
n rood living, with something to spare an
nnally for the uses Of charity, is far less
tried in this respect. He relieves as far as
he can the cases of distress that appeal
most strongly to him, or touch his heart
most deeply, and is not overpressed in this
direction. But when once he has the repute
of wealth, the applications come in like a
flood. There is not a wealthy man In this
CITY, if he gave judiciously in answer to
. eyery honest appeal to his benevolence,
who would not soon divide his entire estate
among the benefciaries. There is COM
mon Misrepresentation on this point among
those whose sympathies are noo thus teste ..
They believe that a rich man ought tt
answer every legitimate call on his bounty
and if they know of any genuine case
suffering brought to his notice which b
has failed to relieve. they lay up the refasa
to his diecredit. The truth is, however
that the widest possible channel OF benevo
lence cannot irrigate all of earths barrel
wastes, over which it might be made t.
flow. Each steward of large property
however charitably disposed, can select bu
few of the objects presented to his pity
and, if his large resources are publici
known, must reject large part OF the ap
plications made to him. The selection c
those to be helped by him, and the rejec
ton OF SO many that ought to be helped b
somebody, is q great drawback on tin
luxury of doing good. Most thoughtft
men of large income appropriate a ceEtal
sum to cover such disbursements The
often discriminate unwisely, and some
times are governed by mere whim or CT
price in the distribution, for it is human
err even with the best intentions; b,
there is no possible way 7fin=Tw which IA
largest sum they can set apart for chari
could be made to cover all the cases of re
suffering that come before them. Eve
one knows something of the anxiety a
vexation attendant on the care of proper
where it is to be held securely in trust;
have only just limited at the burden WIFI
even wise distribution in charity impos
to show that on it's most favored side (
trusteeship is not position to be so Gag
~ coveted.
A gentleman living in far West