St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-13
MINNEAPOLIS,
PEOPLE WILL GOSSIP.

do you notice that man who just
came imp" asked gentleman of a
stranger at the West last evening.
That very stylsh-looking man who
looks as though he had just stepped out
ct handbook" asked the stranger.
The same. lie has every superficial
appearance OF polished gentleman, a
man of honor and finish, doen't hep
Yes; l should judge him as SUCH"
''1e is Il selfmade man."
$50 much the more genuine IuStre:
so much the more to his credit" re-
turned the stranger with an approving
nod.
cit should be, quite true; it is not
necessarily so. There is no doubt that
the man who rises from nothing to
Observation-Disclosures it be in political
or commercial sense-is noble example
to our generation, as Abraham Lincoln
was in his. But this is a subject that
will not bear a complete analysis.
Self-made men are cited, YOU know, to
encourage young men of talent and
genius to greater efforts; to goad them
on TO struggle against adverse circum-
stances. But that man has risen in
the world from nothing to dizzy height
i'll the community where he lives, or in
the nation, for that matter, is not proof
conclusive that he is entitled to the posi-
ton he has won. There are many in
stances right here in this prosperous
city that might use as an illustration,
were it not for the fact that | would be
personal. and, l assure you, detest
personalities. / insist they do not all
become self-made men, as the idlom
goes. by right and honorable means.
The man | directed your attention to is
directly in point. He has been what is
called vulgarly usurer, but what he
calls. in more elegant and less harsh
phrase, money broker. His record. if
written. would include many broken
hearts and many impoverished homes.
1t is TOO often that worldly men reach
greatness through fraud and chicanery.
II
This is true especially of poll
ticians." pursued the lOquacious Mime
apolis philosopher, after lighting fresh
cigar and handing one TO his friend.
I'VE have plenty of bright and shining
lights in Minnesota, sir, who have at
tanned eminence through very doubtful
methods. Such men, however, have
usually had a business career that
would not read pretty nor sound
pretty"
But why doesn't some one expose
them before they reach exalted posi-
tons of political preferment"' inter
posed the gentleman wonderingly.
"Ah, | see you are not familiar either
with our American institutions or with
the American people. 1t is all strug
gle in this cOuntry-a veritable survival
of the fittest. Few who have not in
herited wealth or got it through some
fortuitOuS crcumstance-like a miner
or the lucky fellows who came here be-
fore the city was city. for in
stance, and got possession of the
lands for farming purposes
have not resOrted now and again to
sharp tricks to acquire money. Some
establish business, build up great credit,
and Just when their creditors have the
most implicit confidence in their integ-
rity they suddenly take advantage of
the bankrupt law, after converting all
their belongings that are not exempt
under the law into cash, and then they
let their creditors whistle for more than
a mOdicum of their just dues. Then
they have money for tour, and they
generally return and go into politics.
They use their ill-gotten coin to good
effect. The dear people are greedy,an
are willing to sell their souls for gold.
The rich man gets the Office, and when
the opposition is bold enough to
tear the mask off the face of the
swlndllng hypocrlte, the latter assumes
the air of injured innocence, and he
strightway donates handsome sum to
some benevolent institution, and the
truly good people come CALAMITY to his
aid and denounce his prosecutors.
If
''Such man as l have been trying to
picture to you climb up The ladder of
fame to the high pinnacle and then pull
up the ladder after him for fear some
worthier aspirant might possibly mount
the same ladder and displace him. He
studies and schemes to perpetrate his
sinecure and jealousy guards every
avenue of approach by which rival
may possibly attack his citadel"