The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-03-17
!. The millionaire is infinitely

above his debts. I do not clearly
see that man who can buy any.
thing that he fancies is any better
off than a man who can buy what
he actually needs. He can crafty
his whims, to be sure; but there are
some positive disadvantages. In
the first place, the life he was COM
PEELED to lead in order to accuMu-
late wealth has probably prevented
that cultivation Of taste for art,
music and letters which are essen
tial to the highest enjoyment; and,
in the second place, his life is an
incessant struggle to keep what he
has got and to fight off the COM
petitors who are clutching for it."
Once / called on Elizabeth
Thompson, the New York philan-
thropist, and found her just drying
her tears. II have had a good cry
ing spell" she said, ION finding ou,
that all the money that l have given
away has never done any good"
AS l knew that she had given
away at least $4,000 a year to
charity for a good many years, l
thought that the conclusion was a
hysterical one, and told her so.
mol" she said, seriously. mo, ]
have been over the list. 1t is mos,
saddening and humiliating, for ]
have made conscientious study o.,
how to give money and have it d.
good. Look at the wrecks p
She took blank book from thu
safe behind and Tipped the leave.
to show me the pages of names anc
amounts.
THE only value that wealth has
20 me is the ability it confers fo.
.loing good. Now see this" sh.
continued "Of course majority
If these people have stayed out .,
light SO that don't know whethe,
hey were helped or harmed by tn
money l gave them. 1t is probabl.
fortunate circumstance. Of thos.
do not know about halfaiave heel
positively injured and the othe
lalf have apparently not been al
:ected in any way. There's ma.
who died drunkard probably be
cause | gave him money almos
whenever he came and told me I;
pitiful story. There are whole col
lmns of people here whom l have
i,aralyzed-deprived ofself-reliance,
self-respect, enterprise and industr.
md made sycophants and para
sites. 1t makes me sick to think
# the mischief | have done witt
he money my husband left me
md he tcld me to do good with it !!
Mrs. Thompson was in morbi'
tate Of mind, and, of course, un
Ierestimated the real value of hei
,enefactions, but it is we'll know
hat a good deal of miscellaneous
charity is worse than useless.
Commodore Vanderbilt enjoyed
he great power that money give.
IS a strong boy enjoys athletic
sports, or as Sullivan, at his best
enjoys the power of dealing swing
ing blows. And he despised tht
weak and feeble, and held that boys
hat were pining and whining oughi
to die at once and relieve the earti
If an incumbrance.
w. II. Vanderbilt was much
more humane and considerate, and
nad real sympathy for the weak
md inefficient.
Probably if the exact truth were
known "magnates" do not reali,
enjoy life much, if any better, thar
other people, and the constant car,
md protection of their propert.,
involves a good deal of anxiety +;
out, as nobody declines the Presi
lency of the United States when
,ffered by majority of the electo.
..al college, so the man possessing
he strength of mind to refuse ST.
700, 600 for the purpose of avoiding
worry has yet to be found.