Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-25


for wealth! Children cry for the moon
/ but not long. They soon learn that they
/ cannot get it; that it will not come to
/ them for all their tears.
So with men. They may enter for the
race; they may see the prize afar off;
/ they may start upon the course. A briei
while shall convince them they are vast
/ ing their breath, eXhausting themselves
| to no purpose. The strong runners out
strip them at once-leave them hopelessly
behind. 1t is borne in upon them that
/ riches are not for their winning, and
thereafter they rest content with-rather
ale resigned to-humble earnings. To
these, who have despaired of financial
! fortune, the iteration anent haste to grow
rich must sound satirical. 1t is not IN
ike the penurious father who gave his
boy penny with the counsel not to make
a beast OF himself. Not unlike the temulent
vagabond, who, taking home boon COM
panion after tortnight's debauch, asked
his poor wife to prepare dinner. Din
nerr' she echoed; * | have nothing in the
house. | ate the last crust this morning.
You have not given me cent for more
| than month! How can you expect me
to prepare dinner without money!"
Come, " said the husband to his fel-
low, I" let us leave this mercenary wretch
to the torment of her base ingratitude! ~
The talked-Off haste to grow rich, in
forty nine cases out of fifty, is simply the
struggle for existence. In the metropolis
more than elsewhere such talk is tire
somely common, Notwithstanding that we
have a tenement house population of over
half million. Do these unfOrtunates,
deprived of fresh air, sunlight-of the
stimulus even Of future-press forward
to wealth? With perjury, toll and Potter's
Field alone before them, are they feverish
from the pursuit of gold? Among the
educated and less unlucky classes it is not
much better. 1t is computed that gener-
ally six or eight persons rely for support
on each able-bOdied and able-minded man.
Thus, between the competent and incom-
petent, the selt-Sustaining and the depend
ent, there is so little chance of reaching
the goal of wealth that thought of it sell
dom disturbs their mind. They who can
not take care of themselves are not likely
to spend their force IN running after the
unattainable. Those that are borne down
by burdens are not apt to start On con-
test for speed.
The fault Of Americans, instead of
being in haste to grow rich, is imprOvi-
dence, the adoption Of habits that render
riches impossible. They need to be en-
cOuraged to economy instead of being
lectured upon acQuIsitiveness, which,
despite the opposite opinion, they have
less Of than any other nation. The COM
parative few who steadily seek fortunes
here are nearly as much influenced by
love Of excitement rs by love of money
After getting money they spend it freely
recklessly often, as if they ished to be
rid Of it in order to increase their inCen-
tive and Zest for obtaining more. The
unrest which is in the atmosphere of the
country impelS them to eXertiOn when
eXertiOn is not necessary. Their passion
for doing, for achieving results, holds in
allegiance the mercenary feeling. They
think less of the profit than of the pleas
ure Of the pursuit. Nevertheless, upon
these may be charged the haste to grow
rich; upon the great mass, in consequence
of circumstance and disability, it never
can be charged with any show Of justice.
By continual carping and harping on
the disposition to accumulate property,
as if it were sOrdid and degrading, much
harm may be done. The national ten
dency is in the opposite direction. This
is republic of spendthritts, common
wealth Of prodigals. We have so album
dant resources that we are imprOvident
from over confidence not less than humOr.
We imagine we can repair tomorrow the
extravaganza Of to-day; we waste silver
in the vain hope of replacing it with
gold, unmindful that the habit of spend
ing defeats the prospect of restoration.
Homilies on the haste to grow rich have
the effect of exciting a contempt for
money too great already in this country.
In the endeavor to avoid precipitation
toward wealth we fall into precipitation
toward poverty; and poverty is lar easier
to reach than wealth. The former lies at
the bottom of hill, the latter on the
summit of a steep and craggy mountain.
Having no other standard of distinction
than money, and contemning that stand
ard, we think, in our wild repub-
licaniSm, to show our superiority
to princes by outdoing them in
pecuniary profdsion. Every American
breads to be considered mean in a finan-
cial sense; consequently he affects lndlt-
ference to dollars, and advertises his in
difference by OstentatiOn.
There is no mistaking the nationality
OF the stranger in London, who, seeing the
first strawberries of the season in fruit
erer's window, entered the shop and asked
for a saucer of them. Several English
men inside waited to see the Yankees"
amazeme nt and hear his protest when he
should learn the price of the dish he had
ordered. Having eaten them, he was
told they were a guinea. Instead OF show
ing the surprise ne felt, he asked for an
other saucer
This foolish extravaganza of our people,
this disposition to underrate money, re-
quires checking. For the next few years
we might with advantage substitute for
the old and well-wOrn subject, "The
Haste to Grow Poor" which particularly
marks our national character. Would
that we had little more haste to grow
rich; for the haste would insure the dis
position and beget an adequate economy /!
Few persons carry out their ends; a
thousand things prevent; to plan and eX-
ecute are essentially different. If many
of us should try to get rich-no large
number are likely to embark with any
show of success in an enterprise so for
eign to their cOpstitution-more of us
would become independent. And indie
pendence of circumstance rates next in
value to independence Of spirit The
conditions are cOrrelative; they are in
ward and outward One is dependent
on the other. No man can be entirely
| independent spiritually unless he be in
! dependent materially. We need not fear
to become hardened by wealth, which
always contrives not to be held by TOO
many. We need not fear either that we
are growing sordid and mercenary be-
cause we live within our means and labor
| IN add SOmethinC IN OI1r store Amerl-