St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-09-05
Men and Money.


of money. would be the last one to
find fault with its honest accumulation.
look upon its requirement and uses
the same as | would look upon any
other subiect-the better the sense one
can use in regard to it, the better it Is
all around. Unquestionably, it is one
of the most powerful stimulants to
action in this world. To get it, men
will run the greatest risks,-will dare
anything, will hazard everything. 1t
has even been said, that the love of
money was the root of all evil. Good
sense would say, that when trouble
comes from it, it is because the laws
that govern it have been abused. What
is generally known as able financiering,
is probably real science, governed by
natural laws, that are as strict, absO-
Lutte, and immutable, as are any other
laws of the universe. Men are found
more OF less proficient in this science,
as they are found to be in every other.
1t is not good sense to say that every
one can become rich who seeks to be-
come so. 1t would not he good sense
to say that every one could become
proficient musicians, artisans, or states
men. 1t is a science requiring it's pc
culiar treatment, like every other, and
persons to be successful in its acquisi-
ton, must possess the necessary adapta
bility.
1t is sometimes hard for men to learn
that every thing has its two sides. Yet
they have, and the acquisition of money
is no exception to the general rule. To
start with, then, it is a self-evident
proposition, that the proper acquisition
and disposal of money, or property, is
eminently right, while the opposite
course would be as plainly wrong. 1t
is eminently right, first, to fulfill Il
business law, which requires medium
traffic of peoples and nations. 1t is
right when it points one to good objects
and ends in life. 1t is right when it
helps the causes of benevOlence and
progress,-when it enlarges the mind
and turthers its possibilities. 1t is right
when it helps education, refinement,
good taste, and public morals. Its
proper use has Il powerful civilizing in
tluence, tending to lift men up in life,
and to make them better and happier.
The opposite course, is when one
stultifies his moral and spiritual sensi-
bilities, first, by determining to get rich
at whatever means or cost. AS soon
as one makes up his mind to this
course, he has morally become, as Sam
Slick would say, a ''gOner." Every fine
feeling of the head or heart must sue
cumb, if thereby they stand in the way
of money success. 1t is wrong to blunt
these sensibilities, for the legitimate re-
suit is to make one sOrdid, avariciOus,
arbitrary, hard-hearted and mean.
We should never envy any rich man
who comes into possession of property
fairly and honestly, most especially so,
if he use it benevOlently and wisely.
1t should rather be a pleasure to us to
behold nice equipages, beautiful archi-
lecture, music, paintings and flowers.
This is elevating to the human spirit,
and can be enjoyed by the poor as well
as the rich. 1t is both necessary and
honorable for men to dig the earth and
to make the most of it possible, but it
is not proper for them to burrow i'm it
like squirrels and hogs, for the sake of
the money they can pile up.
When man is "dOing WELL" as is
sometimes said, it looks we'll for him to
be modest about it. Many man has
been decent when he was poor, who
would puff, brag, and swell, the mo-
ment prosperity attended him. MANY
men have a tremendous hankerinr to
impress their friends and the public
with their cuteness and sagacity. They
will look at you with terribly know
ing expression, telling you, perhaps,
where you missed the mark, and where
they have hit it plump in the centre.
1t will have been noticed that such men
have peculiar itching for rich mems
society, and not infrequently like to
poke their noses into other folks busi-
ness. This is an abuse of money pros
perlty, and it makes one appear ridicu-
iOus In society. 1t shows that prosper
ity has turned his head-that he has
put himself into the scales with his
money bags, and found himself want
ing. In this, like all other things. if is
nice for one to know how to keen his
balance.
Looking at this matter carefully. we
see many bad features of inordinate
money getting. Nothing about it ever
appeared worse to me, than the attemnt
that some make to measure ones moral
character, or worth, by his dollars and
cents. 1t makes me think of the story
of the negro barber, who said he was
always called Mr.. Brown as long as he
was prosperous, Old Brown when busi
ness declined, and Niger Brown when
business failed up. So it is with many
money wOrshippers, who somehow re-
gard the man of ten thousand dollars
as smart man, the man of three thou
sand an ordinary character, and the one