Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-03-15
Money Us Merit.

MASON anu DlAOu line some Tune ago 4
picked up leading Southern newspaper
and casually looking over the editorial
page my eyes wandered over short
article headed "A Bad Precedent. The
precedent referred to was matter of lit
tie moment, but the closing sentence of
the article in referring to a contemplate
action of New Highlander, tolerated in
good society. said that the man was
''simply product of Northern civiliza-
ton whose universal standard is the
dollar or more properly the cent" This
was severe reflection on the North,
and although actuated somewhat by
sectional luminosity, there is altogether
too much truth in the statement to be
lightly disposed Of Whatever short
comlngs the south may have--and there
are many -superfluous and avaricious
money-getting with the consequent
questionable use of that which is so ac-
quired is not very prominent one.
Any meritorious gentleman in the true
sense. though poor, receives as much or
more attention at their hands as an APP
parent gentleman whose bank account
is his advertisement. If his purse be
his only stock in trade of supposed gen.
tlemanly qualities he isspurned by them.
Not so in the North. Here in Pope's
dictums Worth makes the man and want
of it the fellow"
"Worth" is too often construed as
meaning plenty of cash. In the general
rush for financial and political advan-
tages, true merit, If not absolutely at
discount, is valued altogether too lightly
for the present as well as the future
well-being of our country. Education is
supposed to be the panacea for all evils
that threaten our future, but it is indis-
putable that the feverish American
''greed for gold, and the improper use
to which the lucre is being put, has been
accelerated in proportion to the in
creased facilities for education, This is
not an argument against making edu-
cation the corner stone of our ins titu
tons, but it does go to show that the
prevalent false idea of education, in
making it the out-throat instrument in
the race for filthy lucre, is leading us by
a more circuitous route into the very
notwithstanding pit from which it is
popularity supposed education will save
us. Whatever theoretical ideas may
be promulgated in educational institu-
tons as to what should be taken as the
criterion in rating success in life," so
long as the practice in real life is to
rate everything according to its momen-
tary value and to judge everybody ac-
cording to his financial success, will our
appearantly magnificent progress be but
u hollow mockery,a despicable triumph.
During the transitory period from
boyhood to manhood youths
may be taught to judge men and things
according to real value and merit, but
when once launched upon the sea of
material and active duties of life most
if not all, will be inclined to fall into the
popular idea of means and methods of
success, in order not to be left in the
rear and looked upon by their contem-
poraries as theoretical and very imprac-
teal dreamers upon the problem of life.
This is not as it should be. Merit in
stead of being subservient to money
should be at a premium. Ability and
character may be power but mediocrity
and money working together are person
ally more powerful because of the
g ,vishness of the people. Our govern
Lent is supposed to be democracy in
which the people rule by selecting rep
rcsentativos according to ability and
merit Is it not rather plutocracy in
which the people allow themselves TO be
hoodwinked, directly and indirectly, by
recognizing merit only in the ability to
accumulate sheckels by whatever
questionable methods and in rating sue
cess in life according to this false and
degrading Standard BoErHIUs.
March 8. 1888.