The herald., 1897-03-15

their true colors so that they may see
precisely what problems confront us.
1t seems to me that the causes which
underlie these problems may all be sum-
med up as being due to our two great
national sins of selfishness and luxur-
iousness. Selfshness lies at the root OF
all these inequalities in the body polite,
as indeed it is the source from whence
springs every inequality between man
and man. This may seem like uttering
well worn platitude, but 1t is none the
less true because 1t is well-worn. In the
great battle of life the motto is not the
tune of the CHEEKY song: Lend a help
ing hand, boys, to others In the race
but 1t Is the other one: Everybody for
himeelf and the devil take the hind
most" Why do our millionaires go on
adding millions to their millions?
Selfishness! Why is there the unequal
distribution of opportunity? Selfish
ness! Why these trusts and unions,
when every man should be friend and
brother? Selfishness! And If there is
anything which reacts upon itself and
eventually defeats its own aims, 1t is
selfishness.
And this selfiehness manifests itself
today by ostentatiSus displays of lux
uriousness, which are not only alarming g
but to a great degree irritating to those
in less favored circumstances.
Why was the Bradley-Martin ball in
New York so savagely criticised? Not
because of the spending of money, be-
cause of course the spending of money
puts it in circulation, and large num-
Der of people are. through this circula-
ton. pecuniarily benefited. But 1t was
criticised because the money was spent
In that ostentatious way; because /.
was spent not with the humane thought
Of the good it would accomplish. but
with the selfish fought that the marvel
GUS display would dazzle society, and
the Martins should score the
greatest social success of the season. 1t
was this spirit which irritated many peo-
pie, especially at this juncture when the
social inequalities were never greater
and the conditions of poverty never
more strongly aocentuated.
For let me ask in conclusion who are
to be the residuary legatees of the
wealth which we leave behind us when
we die? Our children? Yes, but let me
candidly ask everyone here If that is the
best heritage they can leave them? Are
we sure that it will be for their best in
terests? / can point to many tomb
stone erected over the remains of young
men all too soon because their parents
had left them unlimited wealth without
that character which alone can make
good use of it. The Psalmist says of
man, not OF any one man, but Of all man.
kind, HE heapeth up riches and cannot
tell who shall gather them" Yes. heap
eth them up" adding dollar to dollar
until the sum grows to mammoth pro-
portions. And then leaving them for
spendthrift to squander or lawyers to
fight over! And all this time. misery
and want and destitution and starva-
tion staring us full in the face. OH be-
loved, you, any of you, to whom the
Almighty has in His wise providence
given the control of more money than l.
necessary for the ordinary comforts of
life, pray you use 1t as He would have
you use it. There are many calls. The
question of the unemployed is pressing
question. You can help in its solution.
In all these problems, they are not to be
solved by the president so much as by
the individual.