The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-01
ANOTHER CLERGYMAN
Some Original Ideas-Let Us Thank
God.
DIR. George r. Wallace Discusses
Wealth and Its Effects.
HE'S GOT 'EM BAD.

At Pilgrim Congregational Church
last night DR.. George R. Wallace
spoke on sViews OF the American
Struggle for Wealth" Among oth
things he said:
"The money problem has interested
the world for ages. Efforts to secure
wealth and equalize it have resulted
in endless experiments. Lycurgus,
the Lace daemonian lawgiver, en-
deavoring to produce equality of
and silver coin, and ordered that only
money made of iron should be used,
this iron being made brittle and unfit
tor other service. This iron currency
stopped many evils, such as stealing,
bribe-taking, and robbery, because
the defrauders could not carry otf in
secret their 'ill-gotten wealth. Soph-
lists, wandering tOrtune-tellers, keep
ers OF infamous houses and dealers in
gold and silver trinkets could not be
found in the country; but.the expert
ment reached too far. I he coins
could not pass in the rest of Greece,
being rdiculed, so that the Spartans
had no means of purchasing foreign
products, nor did any merchant ship
unload in their harbors.
Money has its value. Not money,
but the love of money, is the root OF
evil. Milton tells US Riches grow in
hell;" but Emerson, Whately, Lub-
book, Shelley, and hosts of others
have written concerning the true
king john" makes Phillip say:
"whiles am beggar, will rail
And say there is no sin but to be rich;
n hrin then
To say there is no vice but beggary."
Mammonism is the greatest evil of
the civilized world. 1t is destroyer
Of nations, as wisely used wealth is a
preserver Of national power and great
ness. The Pythian Apollo said,
Nothing but avarice can conquer
SPARTA" but avarice was found, and
buried not only Sparta, but Athens
and Rome in the metropolis of ma
tions. Mammonism is the supreme
corrupter Of morals. Men do not dis
believe in Christ and goodness-they
sell them.
Wealth to the few is a means of en-
trance into the higher departments of
life. To the many it is the door to
sensuous luxuriance. A couple of dol
lars held against the eyes can shut
out the universe. Midas prayed that
everything he touched might turn to
gold. That prayer has been dsas-
trously answered for many Ameri-
cans. The realms Of art and litera-
ture, of love and life, have been lost
in the wild desire for money. The
universe has dwindled to coin. The
assertions of Faraday and Agassiz, II
have no time to get rich," appear
amazing evidence Of insanity to the
diluted kakistocracy Of wealth that
rules our political, commercia and So
cial life. The complaint Of Colts
chalk. as he lay sick and neglected in
Nevada city, that If he had been a
dealer in pork instead of symphonies
he would not have been thus neglect
ed, illustrates this sad phase of Amer
can life.
The altar of the American temple
of MammOn contains strange Sacri-
fices-the characters of statesmen
who for wealth betrayed nation and
state; the victims of commercial COM
bination and corners; the wretched
inmates of the sweatshop; the soiled
and despairing dwellers in the houses
of infamy; the wrecked homes and
blasted lives resulting from ouI
American saloon system; the de-
spoiled lives Of many of our laboring
population who are living in poverty
and degradation because of the cupid
ity Of the few.
In return for these cruel sacrifices
Mammon gives some of the princely
but blood-stained mansions that line
our avenues, and some Of the educa-
tional and philanthropic institutions
that adorn our cities-the latter sops