The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-11-21

iiDpOrtAht cohsluefatiOn-hoW 70 acquire
money rightly, or how to use ii properly
when acquired. Certain il is thatsthe for
mer occupies far larger share Of our at-
tention filan the latter. We all think
ourselves competent 10 use much larger
amount Of money than falls to our share,
while but few Of us feel able to acquire
enough to meet our wants. Hence we de-
vote most Of our serious energies to the
acquisition of property, while its disposal
is either left to chance or regarded as a
pleasant pastime that needs nospeeial study.
Yet the thoughtful observer of mankind
will see how great necessity there is for
just this kind Of culture, which is now SO
much Neglected. Whether It concerns
small or large amounts, the power to get
money is no more essential to happiness
than tho wisdom to use It. Indeed far
larger proportion Of the evils which afflict
mankind proceed from the way in which
money Is spent than from the failure TO
procure it. When we see the sad effects
Of its misuse in the depreciation of health
in the strengthening of sensual appetites
in the fostering of idleness and unworthy
vanity, in the weakening Of courage and
fortitude, and the increase Of sel6shness,
we may well long for time when the art
Of using It wisely shall be considered an
essential part Of every mans education.
Justly viewed, money is valuable only
as means Of producing happiness and do
ing good. If It succeeds 10 this it has
ful6lled its mission; If not, it is uu utter
failure, though il be heapcd up in untold
masses, or spread abroad with the most
lavish profusion. One principle involved
in this is TO make It's influence last as long
as possible. He who gains fortune to.
day, to lose it tomorrow, has brought 0
misery on himself that he would never
have known had he remained poor, and
has involved others in the same misfor
tune. Thus all gambling and rash specl
lation, though it may seem temporarily for
tunate, is eventually ruinous. Money
easily got is easily lost, and the pleasure
afforded by its acquisition is more thar
counterbalanced by its Subsequent forfeit
ure. On the other hand, il the fear o
losing it induces ayarice and miserliness
which very term signifies MISERY, it hai
equally failed in its end No money is SC
thoroughly lost as that which the miser SC
firmly clutches. The happiness it is ca
pable of giving he crushes out Of it by the
very tension of his grasp.
1t was said by an old Roman moralisi
that evil acquisitions were never inherited
BY the third generation, and our OWE
homely proverb, that @Ill-gotten gains new.
er prosper" is continually verified. Some
persons have accepted this truth SO literally
as to imagine that there is something in.
herently different in the gold thus gained
But the cause is far more reasonably ex.
planned. The dispositions exercised in
acquiring wealth by fraud or violence, By
artifce or trickery, are just those which
give evil ideas concerning the use Of thai
wealth, and will in time tend to scatter
and lose it. Even if preserved during th.
lifetime of the owner, his children will in
herit his tendencies and habits and, by
the natural working out of character, the
proverb comes to be fulfilled. The clos
est observers of all ages have noticed al
average proportion between the method,
by which riches are acquired, the tim.
they continue to be held, and the degre,
of happiness they confer The man wht
by honest industry, economy, patience and
energy, gains, however slowly, a comps-
tence, usually possesses the very character,
istics which are needed to use that CON-
petence aright--to extract from it, fol
himself and others, that happiness which
it is meant to convey, and thus to hold Il
secure alike from the extravagaDce that
would squander il, and the meanness that
would hoard it. As a general rule il viii
be found that the money acquired the most
slowly viii be spent the most wisely. /,
is in itself gradual education, each step
of which leads to another, and the happi-
ness thus produced is Of that quiet and
enduring kind which suffers no violent re-
action. But rapidly acquired wealth takes
the owner by surprise hc is unprepared
for it he has not the needful qualifca-
tions to use it, and it is often more Of a
curse than a blessing
There is no better Investment Of money
none that will be more permanently val
liable, or more widely benefcial--than that
Of education In Its broadest sense. We do
not mean here the endowment Of schools
and colleges, though that Is most worthy
object, but rather the constant use
money in such way as shall tend to de-
velop the best that Is in ourselves and
others. In this win be included all that
is needful for our physical well-being, It
win demand the study Of health and its
laws, and win utterly forbid all expenses
which are deleterious to the best interests
Of the body. Anyone who has not looked
deeply into this matter will be surprised
to find how little money is necessary to
secure these results Il is the luxuries
that injure health and weaken the powers
that also drain the purse; the simple, pure
aud wholesome food, drink, shelter and
surroundings that tend to the perfection
Of the body, are cheap and easily procured.
Mental, moral and social culture must
also be the aim Of those who would use
their money wisely, Whatever tends to
develop the mental powers, 10 refine and
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