The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-02

ter that he should not touch it at all. But
| do not think that any harm can come from
adhering to the rule never to go beyond
drinking glass OF wine at dinner. ] know
that the medical profession is generally Of
opinion that after you are forty this is moi
only harmless but beneficial. Therefore
gentlemen. postpone testing the truth OF
this until you are forty or thereab bouts.
will give such nice young fellows leeway
one way or the other of a few years; some
who are not athletes may begin at thirty.
five: others, if they SO desire, wait until
they are forty-fiye. Or it might be good
rule for those of you who intend to pursue
business career to resolve not to indulge
until you become millionaire. This will
proba bly, give you sufficient time to think
the matter over and render your 1nal de-
cision that of not only deliberate but ma
ture juglment.
''Believe me, my young friends, there is
nothing that so completely spells a young
mans carer as giving way, even once, to in
temperance. I have seen that in my own ex-
perience. over and over again. I know
cases of several who occupied high posi-
lions, were intrusted with great RESPONSE
bilities, their future promotion certain, and
partnership within their easy reach. In
ona case remember well when the name
was mentioned for this one, the partner
said it was his duty to inform his assc oiates
-as indeed it was-that he knew this
young man had upon then recent occa-
sion been in low company and had drowned
the God-li1e reason as Cassius did, with
he pf
mine,'' was the decision of the firm, and
the young man never knew why others
were promoted and trusted and he restrict
ed to ordinary duties. Avoid intemperance
as you would vice. Obedience to these
things are requisite to win competence and
wealth.
''The principal complaint against our in
dustria1 conditions of to-day Is that they
cause great wealth to flow into the hands
of the fey. Well. of the very few, indeed.
is this true. 1t was formerly so. as ] have
explained Immediately after the new in
yentions had changed the conditions of
the world. To-day it is not true. Wealth
is being more and more distributed among
the many. The amount of the combined
profits of labor and apital which goes to
labor was never SO great as today, the
amount going to capital never so small.
While the earnings of capital have fallen
more than one-half, in many cases have
been entirely obliterated, statistics prove
that the earnings of labor were never so
high as they were previous to the recent
unprecedented depression in business,
while the cost of living, as you all know. or
perhaps you college young men do not yet
know this, the necessaries of life, have fall
len in some cases nearly one-half. Great
Britain has an income tax, and our own
country is to be subject to this imposition
for time. The British returns show that
during the eleven years from 1876 to 1887
the number of men receiving from $3.50 to
So, 500 per year increased more than n per
cent, while the number receiving from
$1,000 to S25, 900 actually decreased LIZ per
cent.
''You may be sure. gentlemen, that the
question of the distribution of wealth is
settling itself rapidly under present con-
ditions. and settling itself in the right d.
rection. The few rich are getting poorer.
and the toiling masses are getting richer.
Nevertheless, few exceptional men may
yet make fortunes, but these will be more
moderate than in the past. This may not
De quite as IOrLunAto lOI Luo luHSSbh VI bH6
people as is now believed, because great &C
cumulations of wealth in the hands of one
enterprising man, who still tolls on, are
sometimes most productive of all the forms
of wealth. Take the richest man the world
ever saw, who died in New York some years
ago. What was found in his case? Why
that with the exception of small percent
age used for daily expenses. his entire for
tune and all it's surplus earnings were in
vested in enterprises which developed the
railway system of our country, which gives
10 the people the cheapest transportation
known. Whether the millionaire wishes
it or not, he cannot evade the law which
under present conditions c6mpels him to
use his millions for the good of the people.
All that he gets during the few years of
his life is that he may live in finer house,
surround himself with finer furniture, and
works of art which may be added; he could
even have grander library, more of the
gods around him; but, as far as l have
known millionaires, the library is the least
used part of what he would proba bly, con-
slider 'furniture'' in all his mansion. He
can eat richer food and drink richer
wines, which only hurt him. But truly,
the modern millionaire is generally a man
of very simple tastes and even nliserly
habits. He spends little upon himself and
is the toiling bee laying up the honey in the