Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-02-03
Life's Drawbacks.

The rich man of 1905 would generally
be thought to be only moderately well
off in 1881. Wealth has grown with the
facilities for its production, and we now
reckon by hundreds of thousands instead
of tens of thousands. But, with all t;iis
increased capacity for toll and accumul.s-
ton, the human system remains just
where it was. The millionaire can eat
and drink no more on the average than
the poor man. If he transgresses the
laws Of digestion he suffers as much as
would the pauper If machinery, and
railroads, and telegraphs have saved time
andthe waste of muscle, they have greatly
increased the wear and tear of nerves.
We understand hygiene better than our
ancestors, and so there are fewer deaths
from fevers and epidemics The average
duration of life has increased thereby.
Yet by way of unpleasant compensation,
the mortality from brain, heart and kid
ney troubles is growing, and premature
aud often sudden death is likely to be
the fate of the enterprising man of bust
ness. Worry kills and so does over stag
nation. The latter was the danger of the
slow old times, while the former is the
haunting specter Of to-day. Safety lies
in the calm middle way.
Comparatively few people have the
courage or the opportunity to decline fol-
lowing the multitude, even when they
know that the multitude is going wrong.
Yet no one has more than one life to live,.
and he should use it to the best advan-
tage A fair support, with intervals of
rest, and proper attention to morals and
refpements is to be preferred to wealth
gained by the sacrifice OF every comfort,
liable to be lost in the first financial
storm, and perhaps not gained at all
| Still the majority does not so conclude.
Everything goes with rush. Even the
sunday leisure of former day is often
deemed wastefui though we can now do
rs much in six days as our fathers did in
thirty. Hardly any one is satisfied to
move on calmly and regularly. There
has been no modification of natnrs. laws
ii behalf Of the supposed exigencies Of
the period.
Suicide by overwork is as sure and
often rs speedy as by dissipation, aud
tue most successful toilers, if they do not
actually die Mt once, are often untitled
FOR the enjoyment of wealth before they
aSe gained it, There may be a feverish
,njoymentin speculation and rapid ac-
iuisition, but there is none Of the tran
/ guil happiness of moderation, and the re-
.etion when disaster comes is fearful.
/ There is the same restlessness in social
spheres MS in financial. Almost every
10 is striving and pushing, not with
smmendable ambition only, but with
npetiious and selfish energy. OF course
there are exceptions to the rule, but we
ave not misrepresented the characters
ics Of the day. 1t may not be possible
d weigh the aggregate of happiness at
present existing with that Of any earlier
.sriod, for the growth OF knowledge aud
ile increased prevalence of philanthropic
IDEAS should also be takea into account
! let it may safely be affirmed that old
sources Of misery not only exist, but
nave been joined by new ones, and that
i multitude Of inventions has brought
with it multitude Of anxieties. - Gin
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