The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-09-05
But WHY TALK.

II
In the current number Of
Peterson's Magazine, is the fol-
lowing forcible presentation OF
well-known fact:
There is not in the world d
more ignohln character than the
mere m y, \ getting American,
insensiaiv H. every duty, regard
less OF principle, bent only ON
amassne i fortune and putting
his fortune only to the basest uses,
whether these uses be to speculate
in stocks and wreck railroads him
jself or allow his son to lead a
life of foolish and expensive idle
ness and gross debauchery, or to
purchase some scoundrel of high
social position, foreign or native,
for his daughter. Such a man is
only the more dangerous if he
occasionally does some deed like
foundinga college or endowing a
church, which makes those good
people who are also foolish forget
his real iniquity.
These men are equally care
less of the workingmen, whom
they Cypress, and of the state,
whose existence they imperil.
There are not very many Of them,
but there is a very great num-
Der of men who approach more or
less closely to the type, and in 50
far as they do so approach they
are curses to the country. The
man who is content to let poll
tics 60 from bad to worse, jesting
at the corruption of politicians;
the man who is content to see the
maladministration of justice with
out an immediate and resolute
effort to reform it, is Sinking his
duty and is preparing the way
for infinite woe in the future.
But what is the use to write?
Words, words, words! Students
and scholars who have delyed
into the mysteries OF economic
propositions; who have sacrificed
their talent and learning to the
adversely born of proftless inyes-
tigation, have plainly pointed
out time and time again that this
age at least placed no premium,
no value and no appreciation up
on the once priceless gem of
virtue; saw no worth in intelli-
gence and in honesty; spurned
honest merit and decried the man
whose deep knowledge sought to
maintain a logical proposition.
"To the winds will your
virtue and intelligence" shouts
the bawling voice of vulgar and
unlettered greed. "Money makes
the mare go, and what care we?
If the country and the people are
corrupt and venal, we have made
our pile and what do We care for
results"
he riotous luxury of
l." i.i,s,iion gains, Acre the
ct H'l.IOnaire" v'.1.,I from
a dung bill into a palace, pur.
chased his gay equipage, his
mounted harness, his livried
lackeys and retinue Of retaimers.
even that vulgar beast, the des-
poiler Of the workingman's
money. hears, as his conveyance
Tattlcs on the street, that still
small voice" ofnaLure, the voice
Of conscience, the voice Of God,
adjuring him to beware.
Then he endows a college:
builds church or constructs a
hospital, as the possible rem.
devious Of his victims, And this
hush money offered on the sacred |
altar seems to have again cleansed
his conscience and he shuts his
eyes TO all the squallid misery, 10
all outside corruption. to every
thing except bis pure aud his
own selfish ends. Gold has
him, and he thinks be-.
cause he made a "diyy" he has
bribed God. When The devil
gets hold Of him he will
Feel the need of water and realizeI,
he uselessness Of gold. i
But pooplO write. and write
ind write. The halfstaryed and
4KsTsw.sasI -. - = 4