The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-17
GEMS OF TRUTH,

Bob Ingersoll is an infidel but ne gets
at the heart OF a good many truths in
his present campaign speeches. In
speaking of money he says: Money
n is a part of nature. No man ever
made or created money. IL is beyond
the power of legislatures and con-
crosses. It is beyond the power Of the
human race. Money is not made. Ii
has to be found. If the government
can make money by Iaw-and would
like to have some good Bryan man
answer the question-if the govern
ment can make money by law, why
should the government collect taxes"'
I'VE want a little sense. There was
greenbacks, and people called them
money, and still we are getting in
debt. We had magnificent times. But
when the time came for payment then
issue more greenbacks; we had good
times then; let US keep it up But
whenever you issue your promise to
pay the day of payment comes, and
when that comes hard times come
along with it,
Commenting upon present indica-
tons, he said: '.And do you know what
is the matter with the country today :?
We want more business. Talk about
charity. Business is the finest charity
ever conceived of. Business that feeds
the hungry, that clothes the naked;
business that wipes the tears from wild
ows' eyes and orphans cheeks bust
ness that puts dimples of joy in the
cheeks of sorrow. business that puts a
roof above the heads of the homeless;
business that fills the world with art
with happy homes"
Speaking of trusts, and of the rich
and of the class prejudices sought to
be aroused, he says:
''With all my heart hate the trusts
and syndicates that conspire to rob
honest people, and l want the laws
against them enforced. But / have
nothing against the man that makes
money by honest methods. l am glad
l live in a country where its people get
rich. 1t is spur in the side of ambi-
ton. The poor always have hope; and
if not for themselves. at least for their
children. Why should we hate them?
And why should we array class
against class? 1t is all wrong. For in
stance, here is a young man, and he is
industrious. He is in love with a girl
around the corner. She is in his brain
all day and in his heart all night. and
while he is working he is thinking and
he gets little ahead, and they get
married, and he is an honest man, and
gets credit, and the first thing you
know he has business of his own and
he gets rich, educateS his children, and
his old age is filled with content and
love. Good. His companions bask in
the sunshine of idleneSs. They have
wasted their time, wasted their wages
in dissipation, and when the winter of
life comes, when the snow falls on the
barren fields of the wasted days, then,
shivering with cold, pinched with hun
ger, they curse the man who has sue
ceeded. Thereupon they all said they
were going to vote for Bryan.
And why should we envy the rich?
The Astors and the Vanderbllts and
the Rockefellers never drank any cold
er water than l have. They never
smoked better cirgars. They never ate
lighter biscuits nor better potatoes, nor
drank better Illinois wine than l have
than you have. We know the costa
cies Of love as we'll as they. We know
the love of wife and child and friend,
and in some respects we have the ad- |
vantage. They fear and hope. They
are at the top. We are close to the
ground and hope to climb. And, now, /
is a man to be envied SIMPLY because |
he has got more than he can use? What
is the use of carrying one hundred |
canes? What is the use Of having |
more than you can possibly spend?
Il want no class feeling. Blessed is |
that country where the rich are extra |
VACANT and the poor economical. Mis-
cradle is that country where the rich |
are economical and Ii poor are extra
VACANT. A rich spendthrift is q bless
ing. A rich miser is a curse"