The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-01-09
WANT AND LUXURY.
Sam Jones Philosophers on the
Two States Of Mankind
Neither Conduees to Happinsss OF Misery
Greed and Avarice Despen C~haracssr-
Indulgence and P~r5digality Equally
H~armful-The Golden Mean.

!
These are relative terms, and the diff
ference between the two is very small
when properly estimated. A man feels
as uncomfortable who has eaten too
much as the fellow who is hungry. II
had rather go ragged than overdressed.
] had rather have no money than to have
a barrel of money on top of me MASKING
the life out Of me. 1 had rather live in
cabin than to live in a mansion where
cares were thicker than comforts. God
has made humanity so that it is very un-
comfortable to want, so that it is very
miserable when it is surfeited. The
rich deserve as much sympathy as the
poor. The laws OF compensation are as
unerring in human experience in a mat
ter of dollars and cents as in any other
phase of life.
There is nothing in poverty or riches
which of itself conduces to the happi-
ness of man, and not much in poverty OF
riches to make us miserable. Happi-
ness consists in what we are and what
we DO for others. Misery is the result
Of ~selfshness, and a tramp can be as
selfish as a millionaire, or both can be
generous and good. All The poor would
like to be rich. Many OF the rich envy
the poor the happiness, the appetite
and the power to sleep which is the her
itage Of the poor man. If a man is go
ing to raise a family Of children don't
know of anything better than poverty
to raise them on. The lap of luxury
and wealth has Graded but few grand
men into existence from Adam down to
this present hour. The homes of want
and poverty have produced a large ma.
jority of the greatest and the best of
both men and women. Every boy in
America between the ages of 16 and IS
needs a very poor father, a father who
cannot help him at all, but a father
whom he must help. Then you put the
pressure on the boy and develop him
into a grand man.
1t is the nature of man to lie down
and take it easy when you pension him.
Very few men have enjoyed their
wealth. A very wealthy mar once re-
piled to a neighbor who told him that
his son would spend his money faste-
than he had made it: SWELL" said the
wealthy man, "f my son en-
joys spending it as much as I enjoy
making it he will have a good time
while it lasts" But very few men can
really say that they. enjoyed the
drudgery, the toll and the application
which produce a fortune. Making,
money, saving money and giving mon
ey are three fine arts. The two first arc
l - 1911 - 49, y TL. 41s.l -4-s--
money, is Of Heaven, Heavenly. The
poor would give much if they could.
The rich could give much if they would.
The rich do not understand the contin-
ued poverty Of the poor. The poor do
not see how the rich could have gath
cred what they have without the hog in
their nature predominating. I have
been as poor as a dog and scarcely had
anything ] wanted. I have been where
If I had a want that money could buy
/ did not know what it was. / was as
happy wanting everything as I have
been having all I wanted.
What a man has or has not has about
as little to do with his happiness as the
dog star has to do with the tide. I
know many very poor people who are
very happy. 1 know some rich people
who are happy. I know some Of both
classes who are everlasting1y misera-
BILE. Anybody can be rich,lf they wiII
meet me c0adftions on which riches
are gathered. Pat said that he got
rich by doing without the things he was
just obliged to have. Anybody can be
poor if they will meet the conditions OF
poverty. If you want to get rich pay as
you go and save as you go. If you want
to be poor go in debt and stay in debt
until you get to where it is against your
interest to pay the principal, and final
" get to where it is against your princi-
pie to pay the interest. Then move out
to the poorhouse and die.
Greed and avarice will despoil any
character and ruin any soul. In
digence and Prodigality are equally as
harmful. Industry, frugality and lib.
crafty are three twin brothers, which,
when born into q human life, are the
very foundation upon which human
happiness is built, and without them
no man can be happy long. A negro OF
poor white man enjoys his coTn bread
and fat meat on his old pine table with
tin plates and tin cups as much as any
millionaire ever enjoyed the iuxuries
of his French cook and silver service
table. A poor white man will sleep as
soundly on his shuck mattress as the
millionaire ever slept upon his downy
bed. If a man has nothing. nobody
bothers him. 1t is harder for a rich
man TO keep what he has than it was
for him to make it. A millionaire could
give away his fortune in a day, if every
appeal was literally responded to. Il
the poor had TO carry the burdens Of
the rich they would throw down theil
riches with their burdens and say;
"G;ve me my first estate. The gain Is
not worth a CANDLE"
Good health. a good conscience and
an upright life are worth a Thousand
times more than the wealth gained al
the sacrifice of honor. by the ruin O
health and the sullying Of conscience
When ! look back over the past quar-
ter Of a century lean see where. pinchec
by poverty and oppressed BY want, nj
luxury ever came to me. Since then
have seen the time when I had all th'
money l wanted; and if | we're asked
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