The Arizona sentinel., 1875-09-04
THE CRASH OF THE BANK OF
 CALIFORNIA!
Suicide of ". c. Ralston ]!
A Fearful Lesson ]

Once in a while. in human ex- perience, as all history proves, there comes unheralded, calami- ty of greater magnitude, of deeper significance and of more wide spread ruin than poor plodding humanity is accustomed to; a calamity from which the soul shrinks with horror and dismay, but from the disastrous effects of which, there is no earthly escape. Such a calamity is the failure of the Bank of California. An insti- tuition of the highest financial standing, trusted and honored not only on the Pacific coast, but throughout the Union, and we may say throughout the civilized world, the custodian of millions of money, placed in its vaults by trusting, confding people ; all at once, without warning, goes to the dogs ! spreading ruin and dis. may in thousands of homes, Thcse all of earthly wealth had been confided to it's keeping. At this time R isimpossible even to guess at the extent of the ruin acccom- plished. It is incalculable. But wide spread as is the financial ruin, the moral effects are far grea. ter and more to be deplored. Such 8 crash weakens and shatters the faith of man in man, and destroys that great bond of brotherhood, human confidence. It is discour- aging to know.that in this age of the world such things can be pos. sible.
 And what is the cause of all this ? 1t is easily told. It is no conundrum. It is so plain that "he who runs may read" It is the lnordinate, insane, and criminal rush after wealth, wealth, more wealth Stock gambling, the worst and most demoralizing of all gambling, and more criminal and damnable than any, had much to do with it, and doubtless was the real cause of the crash. But still it is the rush after wealth. Men with their millions upon millions, money that they never can use in this world, and it is certain that they cannot carry ii to the next. still crying give, give ! and gasping and gasping for more, even with their dying breath Oh what folly and wick. edness How true the words oi Solomon: "he who hasteth to be rich shall not be innocent" Or those other words of Jesus Christ, ''it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man tV enter the King. dom of Heaven." Meaning, oi course, that no man can carry his gold with him to the eternal world, and that he whose every aspiration of his soul is wrapped up in gold and its ac quisition, can never be happy here or hereafter. Terrible thought But it is true, Reflect, and see if your conscience don'ttell you it is true. He whose only God through life has beer mammon, has no claim upon the mercy of the only true God. The acquisition of wealth in a moder ate degree is laudable and proper that we may have it to procure the necessaries and comforts o life for ourselves and those depen dent upon us, and leave a reason able competency to those who re main when we pass in our checks Further than this the acquisition of wealth is neither laudable, pro per or sensible, and is often crim inaI and it's possession is a curse Poor w. c. Ralston Yes, as poo as the poorest pauper who fills grave in Potter's field. Wha good does'his vast wealth do hin now? The great banker, tn,
 IL