Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-16
THERE IS NO MONEY CURSE.


QuftllltnlS VI WtdlWl'
Who Is able better answer any ques-
tion about wealth and the care Of 1t
than Russell Sage?
with the explanation that the
queries were suggested by the death
OF Barney Barnato and Mine owner
Creole, n reporter from the New York
World presented the following questions
TO MIR. Sage in his office. The questions
were written out, and Mr. Sage under
stood that his answers were desired Tor
publication:
wealth tend to unbalance the average
mind? That is, when an ordinary per-
son by some extraordinary stroke of
fortune acquires unexpected riches is
his Judgment apt TO be unsettled2 Are
vagaries. ecccntrcities, insanity itself,
almost ineVltnblc2
Yes. that's true-the sudden getting
of wealth is apt to unbalance the
average intellect" he said. II say this
after nifty years experience and obser-
walton In business life. Unless the man
who gets unexpected riches has bust
ness capacity and sufficient Will power
to control himself he Is in danger. He
should be able to overcome the nervous
strain or his Judgment is very apt to
be unsettled
Insanity? 1t very often follows,
For fifty years, as ] have said, have
watched the rise and fall of men IN
business. and II Is my experience that
the man who gets his footing slowly
IL much safer than the ono that sud
denly gets in control OF wealth"
Q-What is there in the possession
of great wealth that so often Induces
suicide? Is It the sheer weight of re-
sponsbilty-the nervous strain--the
fear of loss-the mania of avaricious-
ness?
1T is the lack of will power TO deal
with the new responsibility. There is
also as / have said, great nervous
strain which was not. present before
wealth came. It Is not so much the
fear of loss that impels the man sud
denly made rich to suicide as II ~
the. great nervous strain which lack
of business capacity makes him unable
to bear"
Q-Do you believe there is such n
thing as a money curse"-the blight
OF ill-got wealth--which some declare
drives to suicide?
"Oh, no; there is nothing In that
nothing In it. There is no such thing
as a money curse. Which reminds
me OF story-I had an experience
once"---- Mr.. Sage unused. But no, /
won't tell about It.. No, no; l won't
speak of 1t now"
No amount Of persuasion could In
duce him to do so. And thus another
great story was lost to posterity.
Q.-Would you sincerely wish any
one whom you loved dearly to become
suddenly rich?
II surely would have no objection.
I'd be perfectly willing for one / loved
to get rich suddenly--yes, certainly.
But / would wish the one / loved to
have n good adviser, a good friend
with business head. The man with
out business capacity who gets sud
denly rich should hire competent
business man to direct things for
him."
Q.-What do you consider to be the
chances of success in life for young
man who Is born to great wealth?
"Well. what such young man most
needs In what I've just said-a clear
headed adviser, some one that would
see he kept out of all kinds of excess
es; that he did not become dude and
start n fast life"
Q.-How do the chances of success
for such a young man compare with
those of the boy who has to struggle
for himself?
1.-THE latter needs to be clear headed
himself. He has to be that to get
wealth In the first place. He needs to
be more clear headed than the rich
young man. The rich young man can
hire clear headed men to direct his
affairs"
Q.-In your opinion, is the attain
ment of great wealth the measure OF
tHt Eltdl'Hl SutCNSS III ne
Mr.. Sage unused again. mo" he
said slowly. mot alone. 1t must be
coupled with something else-a steady
advance In honest principles"
Q.-You have amused n vast for
tune. Do you consider this more self
satisfying than any other thing that
you could have done in life?
81 do not consider the accumulation
OF wealth alone as satisfactory" said
Mr. Sage. There must be an increase
of business experience and continual
advancement steady advance, MS
said moment ngo."
One more question was put to Mr.
Sage. 1t was What rule would you
lay down as most important for the
conduct Of young man who should
wish to become n millionaire
To this Mr.. Sage said he could make
no answer that would be OF. value
"Theres no one thing" he said. "a
young man will not get rich II hi
hasn't got II in him"