The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-06
Honesty, Modesty, and Patriot
Ism Played Out!

Fraud and dishonesty have been SO
highly hoDored by the government and
the churches that really honest man is
looked upon with something of pity,
mingled with contempt. A sort Of
good. easy, innocent encumbrance. -
BiJi,cat Recorder.
Correct. The old saying Honesty is
best policy sounds nicely for young
Sunday School scholars and copy books !;
but 1t isn't worth a cent as guide to
success in public life, and the successful
man In public life is the one who enjoys
the upper crust, in all things, enjoys
the appreciation and the honors of his
fellow-citizens, and dies in the odor Of
sanctity, to leave flaring, towering mon-
ument which totally overshadows and
Obscures from view the humble sandstone
of his neighbor who followed the ancient
precep., lived hard, was uuselfsh, kind
charitable. and undetermined and too
modest to seek the best places In the
scramble of life.
The Charlotte Journal remarks on
this:
"When the rich man spcaketh every
man hOlieth his tongue, and look! what
he saith they extol it to the clouds; but
II the poor man speak they say what fel-
low is thiss and if he stumble they help
to overthrow him."
Human nature has not changed since
these words we're written. They are AZ
true to-day as they were then, and every
days experience in this land whose
boast IS that all men are born free and
equal and that there are no distinctions
of rank or condition. justify the bitter
satire. We laugh 1T an aristocrscy of
birth or brains, and we take off our hats
TO the pOssessor OF wealth, whether
llgotten or other wise.
We attach Importance to the sayings
and doirgs of Mr.. A., who is rich,
though he be an ignoramus or swim
dler, and we regard with Indifference, il
not with contempt, the counsel or the
conduct of Mr.. B., who is poor, though
he be wise and virtuous.
Ii knowledge is power in this country
at all. land it must be in some degree
every where, it is power that ranks
far below wealth. We are monev-lov-
ing, money worshiping people, and yet
we are not at all different from other peo-
pie in this respect. The whole world is
and always has been that way from the
lowest form of savagery where the
largest pile of animal plunder makes its
pOssessor powerful, to the highest form
of civilization where the biggest pile of
human plunder makes it's owner great
All the great political couvulsions which
have stirred the world have originated in
the antagonism between money and
muscle, generally money has triumphed
because it could buy muscle to fight
against muscle which Is the saddest of
all commentaries on our text It will
always be so, and therefore it is ALWAYS
wisest TO be content with our condition
unless We can better it, and that is the
universal aim OF mankind. "Wherefore
my son" saith the man of the world "ac
cumulate the shekel., honestly if you can.
but accumulate the shekels"-and s'may
God bless the rich; the poor can beg"
This is the worldly mans advice and
henison, but if you will 60 to church to-
day, as you ought to do, you will hear
different story, the story of man of
sorrow and acquainted with grief" who
had not where to 'ay his head, but who
spake as man never spake before, warn
ing his followers against the sin Of
covetousness, which his greatest Apostle
declared to be idolatry, and proclaiming
the blessed Gospel of The Poor.