Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-11-22
GENERAL ITEMS.
Can Il Man Spend His Money as he
pleaSeSp

Can Man Spend His Money as he
Pleases?
Ali that is wanting to justify natu-
ralsts in classifying the men of the
central labor Union of New York
with the jackass family is an am
pitication and elongation of ear sur
face. They already possess the brains
of that useful animal, or they would
not have passed the silly resolution
they did the other day, denouncing
the members of the Vanderbilt family
for spending thousands of dollars in
frivolities at Newport and. elsewhere.
No one ought to deny the Wander
bits the privilege of spending their
money as they please. If they choose
to distribute a few thousand dollars,
more or less, in giving dinner parties
or supporting steam yachts, or build
ing palaces, they certainly have a
right to do it.
What would the Central Labor
Union expect the Vanderbilts to do
with their money, any way? Distri-
butte it to such thriftless fellows as
those who comprise the leaders of that
organization or would they wish
them to hoard it in banks and vaults
where 1t would do nobody any good ?
Is not the man who spends his money,
whether in frlvolltieS socalled, or in
any other way more of benefactor to
the human race than the man who
from economical reasons chooses to
hoard it
The wives of wealthy men are some
times criticised because they lavish vast
SIMS on costly dresses and fnerles of
one kind and another, and it is sug-
gested that this money if given TO the
poor, so-called, would do much more
good.
Would it
Everything that the rich possess
costs labour to produce. From the
time the tiny silken thread Is reeled
from the cocoon, until the rich gar
ment of which it is made adorns the
person of some wealthy woman, it
becomes a source of benefit to labor
ing men and women Not step can
be taken in its manufacture without
labor.
So it is with everything else.
OF what value is the huge block of
uuarries ? No possible use can be
made of it until labor steps in, aud
from the time the block is hoisted from
its original resting place until 1t stands
in some cemetery, or adorns some
public building in finished condition,
it puts money III the pockets OF labor
ing men.
Thoughtless workmeu, made dis
contented by men who make their
money by agitatlng, walk the streets
of New York sometimes, and, gazing
at the magnificent residences, look
upon their occupants with envy and
jealousy. Now it takes labor to rear
these blocks of brownstone and brick.
Masons, carpenters, plumbers, brick
layers, vast army of mechanics, earn
their daily bread erecting these build
ings, which could not be produced If
somebody were not possessed Of the
requisite capital.
Is there anybody who would be
willing to deny the proposition that
the capitalist who spends his money
freely, whether in necessities OF
! frivolities, is more of benefactor to
the human race than the capitalist who
chooses to practice economy at all
points, and keep his money invested
| in securities of one kind and another
that in no sense benefits labor? We
| think not.
Political parties are all the time
preaching economy in public ex,
penditures. Parties frequently &C