The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-12-12
CULPABLE LUXURY.

APRoPUs of paper on luxury be-
fore the recent Church Congress in
England the Spectator has pleasant
and thoughtful old-world essay on
"Culpable Luxury" The Spectator
finds it exceedingly difficultto define
the subject of its essay, Though
we have no sort of desire to deny
that there is such thing as culpable
luxury" says the Spectator, "we can
not refrain from pointing out that
there is a great liability to 'canting'
on the subject. Here, as in SO many
other cases, men are very apt to COM
pound for the sins they are inclined
to by damning those they have no
mind to People are very apt to de-
fine as useless and wicked luxuries
the pleasures of sense for which
they happen to have no sympathy.
In truth, one mans luxury is often an
other mans necessity as much as one
mans meat is another mans poison"
AS the Spectator indicates in the
above paragraph, luxury is relative
term, conveying quite different ideas
not only in different ages and coun-
tries of the world, but also among diff
ferent classes of people. II the mere
criterion of utility, even, be applied,
the question still remains, What is
really useful? To one man the opera
and the picture gallery, to another
his library of choice volumes may be
exceedingly useful to him in his
chosen calling or profession and be
the means of adding to his power,
usefulness and happiness in life. To
others these things would simply be
"culpable luxury" as they are not
only incapable of enjoying them but
of using them to any good purpose.
In other words, as the Spectator
says, "the real test of culpable lux
ury is, we believe, the personal one"
Culpable luxury is luxury which en-
ervates and demoralizes the man who
INDUCES in it.
This is realized by many of the
worlds richest men,-men who,
though having the means to crafty
every desire, live lives of the greatest
simplicity. But even this coursedoes
not shield them from criticism, but
rather the opposite. If Mr.. Russell
Sage, of New York, for instance, goes
into dairy restaurant, seats himself
on a stool and lunches on piece of
apple pie and glass of milk and
toothpick, and after lunch smokes
the remainder of a cigar, his mean
ness is taken for granted and herald
ed throughout the country. Yet it
would be difficult to show that Mr..
Sage has not as much rigot to enjoy
simple, inexpensive lunch as the
newspaper reporter who so carefully
chronicles his doings. Of course no
body likes a miser, man who is
unwilling to spend money for even
legitimate purposes, but the fact re-
mains that two of Americas most
noted millionaires of few year ago
were the most unpopular 81 IMPLY be-
cause of their careful regulation of
matters of personal expense. To
"spend money like lord" is popu-
larly supposed to be the proper thing
for wealthy man, and not few of
them are glad enough to do "the
proper thing" But until wealthy
men are commended, not censured,
for prudent use of their money, it is
useless to declare against culpable
luxury. 1t matters little what good
purpose wealthy man may intend
to devote his money to, the general
public insist on his spending, not
merely literally, but extravagantly.