The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-10
The Real Roof OF
Public Dis(ontent

Published in The Citizen before the re-
suit of the presidential election was
known.l
1t Is American doctrine, having its sane
tion In experience. that no one with good
health, good character and brains, is shut
out from oportunity to make a generous
living or a fortune by the fact that he
was born poor. The men who have been
most successful in acquiring wealth have
not, as rule. had expensive educations
or capital with which to start in business.
The public schools, their own energies
and native powers, have furnished their
equipment The ranks of the rich are
constantly recruited from the children of
poor parents, and depleted by the falling
out of the inheritors of money who have
failed to keep 1t. 1t Is denied to no man
to better his condition, and no one can he
sure of keeping what he has. With excep-
tions not really worth taking into ac-
count, We must all work If we would live;
and the average wOrkingman--rich or
poor-is ready to take his chance, In a
fair field, to better himself If he can, and
to concede to others the rights he claims.
But. unfortunately, in the race to get
on" the combination of health, brains,
and good character is not the only one
that wins. With our great gifts from ma
ture and our rapid growth, there have
been unquestionably abundant opportuni-
ties for legitmatesaccumulatio on the
other hand, the same quick expansion, and
the rise Of new conditions have afforded
extraordinary occasions for reckless ven-
lures, disturbing to the public sense of
true values; and for money-getting by
methods which 1t would be cruel and
scandalous to exhibit In plain print. The
| impression prevails that the able and un-
scrupulOus man Is getting too large
share; and. II we are not mistaken, it Is
this feeling which is at the bottom of any
| discomfort that can be successfully ap-
pealed to in an attempt at reputation or
a crusade against wealth. When dishon-
esty and trickery become too conspicuous
in the conduct Of business and politics,
and it appears that the game is not fairly
played, the idea of association between
| wealth and unfair or dishonest means Of
acquiring 1t grows in the popular mind to
the belief. now not uncommon, that no
great fortune Is honestly come by; the
spirit of self-reliance is impaired there
| is encouragement, confusion of mind as
| to justice. and d disposition to seek re-
| lief in striking at the money power by
any means that may happen to be sug-
gested.
| of 14.Oo0OO0 voters is called upon from
| time to time to give verdicts in cases
where even experts are at loss, or at all
events disagree. and that our only hope
| for Justice lies in high average of COM
mon sense, good temper. and honesty. If
| the people get into their heads that wealth
comes not by industry, thrift, and fore
sight, but by speculation, act of legisla-
| ture, getting in on the ground iloor,"
l hNt, t,,,r tl,n,
| continually eXasperated by the tergiversa-
| tlons of political ring-masters, and led to
| believe that the eighth and tenth COM
| mandments are ludcrOusly archaic for
| application to modern business, we are
| certain every few years to have our
| spasms of anxiety. 1t would seem as II
| the time had come for every conscientious
man TO ask himself if We. or If even he,
| can afford to condone or wink at any act
or practice which tends to lower the popr-
| lar ideals as to the value and meaning Of
honesty. 1t is well IN the long run for
men who respect integrity and prefer to
be- personally upright to lind excuses. in
| their responsibilities to others or to large
| interests, or In apparent political or COM
| mercial necessities, for doing or allowing
to be done anything that in itself is es-
sentially dishonest? If it Is just to attrjb-
ute. even in part, the shrunken incomes
and diminishing fortunes of the last few
years to the menace of the free coinage Of
| silver and the pOpulist sentiment, Is 1t not
pertinent to inquire how far acquiescence
| in low standard of integrity has been
responsible for these losses? To acquire
wealth, useful and pleasant as it is. is
not after all. the sum of happiness. any
more than are figures the only expression
| of progress. To live in a peaceable, law
abiding. God-fearing community, to be