The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-21
THE SOBER SECOND THoTcHr

WIZ AAc1NC OCCu 1dlIU1u1.
THE SOBER SECOND THOUGHT.
For the last two weeks there has
been more evidence of paresis in
the press of the country than was ever
found there before. Two opposing
camps have taken up the war cry over
a recent social event, and have We'd
with each other in discussing hysteri-
cally it's moral and it's economic as
poets. One side tells us that for the rich
to spend money freely while there are
others who are destitute incites 10
bloOdshed and revolution. On the
other side came the superficial rea-
soners who insist that lavish expendi-
ture. no matter by whom made or for
what purpose, is a public gain, be-
cause it gives employment to labor"
and puts money in circulation" Be
tween these two propositions "freak"
Journalism has been all torn up for a
fortnight, until the advent Of a new
sensation directed attention awav
desirous of treating nationally. A sober
second thought as to what of principle
was involved may possibly now COM
mand respectful hearing.
The controversy as to whether the
consumption Of luxuries by the rich
does or does not benefit the poor is Of
old standing and will not be finally set
tied by the modern newspaper. 1t all
depends upon the definition Of the term
luxury" 1t is desirable that the
standard of comfort Of the world
should advance and that the peonle
should be stirred to new exertion bv
the desire for more comforts and for
the beautiful and precious things Of
the material world that are Just be-
yond their reach. On the other hand.
ne who contends that the world is
benefited and the laborer encouraged
and supported by the man who
drinks himself into a stupor and there
by adds to the demand for wines and
liquors is ignorant of the first notion
Of a correct political economy. 1t would
be just as well to contend that capital
is nobly and productivity employed
when it hires hundred men to go out
in an acre lot and dig as big a hole
as they can three days in each week.
while on the other three they are en-
ployed in filing it up again with the
dirt which thnu
unproductively employed Is capital
wasted.
The moral foundation Of the contro-
versy over the Bradley Martin ball lies
in this distinction. The argument COM
monty used to settle the point about
giving employment to labor" is ut
terly aside from the point, as is that
of putting money into circulation"
to its benefit when 1t Is employed
in paying wages in productive en-
ployment; that is, in occupations
which increase the aggregate wealth
Of the world, and whose product is val
liable to support more persons who labor
In creating more wealth. AS to capital.
1t IS best employed in the. same way;
and spendthrift and a libertine are
no more public benefactors than they
were in the decadence of Rome or in the
age of Babylon. To spend freely ION
the higher plane" as Emerson puts 1t,
is the prerogative of wealth that brings
to it delight, to the world advance
ment and to labor a lasting benefit. The
indictment against such affairs as the
Bradley Martin ball should not be
framed on the count that they incite
discomfort, but because they do not
put money in circulation" but divert
it from useful to useless employment,
are economically wasteful and there
fore socially immoral