Telegram-herald., 1891-11-16

poor. Who do ros earn their bread are
pAuLers, aad should be treated as
sach. IL they viii not WORK neither
ssecid they eat.
There are but two classes in every
community: the producers and the
benefelxries The working people who,
whether oy brain or muscle. coatribuss
20 the well being of the commonwealth
are the true aflstoeracy-even II they
are clotseo IN rags. The IDLE poor and
the idle rich who, whether from pride
or Idolence, refuse 70 labor are meudi-
cants. Whether 4 man be rich or poor
somebody must work each day 10 pro-
duce the bread he eats and the gar
ments he puts on. The only honorable
compensation re can make Tor these
services Is 70 give equivalent labor IN
return. Every human helng costs So
eiety each year certain definite sum
Tor his maintenance. Those who return
to society intellectual or physical effort
equal 10 value received are freemen.
Those who allow others TO feed them
and make no attempt TO enrich or en-
noble the commonwealth IN return are
debtors or beggsrs.
Ii viii De K, cd for the children Of the
rich to early learn this simple less on in
political economy. The inheritance of
their fathers wealth cannot excuse
them from faithful service to society.
They are fortunate in having their pay
IN advance. Ii gives them kind of
independence In that they are IN . po-
sstion u choose for themselves how
they will meet their obligations. TIE
poor man has seldom sucn . choice, but
must give himself 10 the work At hand
whether he likes 1t or not But both
rich and poor alike must do honest
work II they would honorably earn
their bread.
Let us not deceive ourselves with the
fallacy that money can pay our way
through the world. Money in itself is
nothing. 1t Is only representation of
value. The real thing, of which it is
but shadow. is labor. When our
money represents our industry then we
are paying our way. When it repre-
sents somebody elsc's toll then we are
borrowers, thieves or paupsrs.
The idle rich are often TO be commits
Grated IN that they are no longer under
the influence of "beautlfnl necessity"
Unfortunate, indeed. is the man or
woman who does not know how sweet
Is the bread earned by the sweat of the
brow. The pleasure seeker who has
no avocation but to spend what others
have earned has on him the mark of
Cain, and is the most miserable of
mortals. 1t will be q happy day for
him when society arises in its majesty
and striking from him the shsckles OF
idleness and aimlessness bids him 60
firth lfEs ~ =, nd hn
of honest toll. To save the children of
the rich as well as TO protect itself the
commonwealth may be compelled In
some way to restrict the rights of testa-
mentary bequest. Property belongs to
the living and not the dead. A wise
government will not permit any one to
so tie up vast estates as to foster q class
which corrupts and demoraiizea the
nation. 1t would not recognize the
validity Of . will which bequeathed q
large sum to spread broadcast pernl-
cious literature or to train men for the
prize ring. Much less ought It to jeop-
ardize Its own existence and emascu-
late its noblest sons by putting in their
hand wealth which having not earned
3hey know not how to spend.
IL is most praiseworthy for parent
to wish to insure his family against dis
aster after his death. Justice would
demand that enough of his property
should descend to his children to pro-
tect them from want. But beQuests
beyond certain amount not unfre-
quently rob the next generation of ro-
bust qualities and lead into numberless
temptations.
The old English law gave the bulk of
the property to the oldest son. 1t was
regarded as a radical innovation when,
in the early history of this country all
the children were made equal heirs.
Such law was in harmony with re-
publican institutions because it made .
wider distribution of wealth.
1t may be that now, since fortunes
have grown TO such vast proportions,
that the rich at least ought to hhake
their country co-heir with their child
rem. After sufficient provision has
been made for the family why ought
not all, beyond certain definite sum,
60 to the nation under whose laws the
fortune was accumulated by, and Sc
cured to its possessor. II is certainly
worthy of any mans ambition TO be
able at his death to make his country
his heir at law.
The growing tendency among rich
men to dispose of their property for
the benefit of the public ought to be
encouraged. Better than TO tempt his
children TO idleness and luxury and to
rob them of the satisfaction of winning
their own way into the world by homes,
toll. is it to make some provision for
the we'll being of the community. In
what way could man more worthily
hand down an honored name to poster
ity than to build public library, ~
| endow . hospital, or found college.
Even his children would be ennobled
by his philanthrophy and impelled to
like heroic deeds. while society would
cherish his memory as that Of . friend
and benefactor of his race.
rROcSMAN'C tNcRATITti0e.