Evening star., 1897-03-20
WHAT CULPABLE LUXURY IS.
A Question of the Relative Import
ance Of Things,


ance of Things.
Prof Franklin II. Gtddings in " Y Independent
The whole question, therefore as to what
| constitutes culpable luxury is a question of
the relative Importance of different things
We can accomplish in our short lives COM
paratively little. We can enjoy but lin
ited number of pleasures and can satisfy
but limited number of ambitions. What
pleasures shall We choose? What ambi-
lions shall We achieve? The labor force
and the material capital of the community
is at all times limited amount. Into what
channels shall it be directed? When the
rational individual puts these questions
clearly before his mind he will have no
oimcuity IN answering for himself the
moral question of what is cupable luxury
10 begin with. luxury is culpabe when
II Is esthetically bad; If II does no. add 10
e .he hlgher en1oyments Of mankind: If in
tne long run 1t does not increase the sum
or beauty and refinen ent and of serenal
cultivation in the community. In the next
place. any luxury is culpable If il makes
excessive drains upon the capital and in
dustrial resources of society Again any
luxury Is culpable which leads men ana
women to ignore or neglect those great op
portunities which are everywhere today
presenting themselves to men of wealth IL
add to the sum of the comforts and CON
veniences and enjoyments of the general
puplc Does any one suppose that as yet
New York city has been made as cleanly
as wholesome place of residence for is
population as it may be made? Does any
one suppose that We have as many or as
eood and well-equipped school buildings
as we need! Does any one suppose that
we are paying to our teachers tht salaries
that will command the sort OF ability
character and training which sho..ld be APP
piled to the instruction and moral deyelop-
ment OF the children of this community?
Does any one suppose that W. have as vet
developed the possibilities OF common plea
sure and OF public taste "a esth,tic mat
ters? Are our art galleries and Ubrari
all that We could wish? Are our parks be-
yond improvement? So long as these op-
portunities for the expenditure Of wealth
remain as large as they today the
question surely may be raised whe. her II is
wise and right to Ievote enormous sums TO
the pleasures of an hour
FINALLY, any luxury is culpahle IL 1t so far
hxes the atteEtion Of the public upon the
material pleasures of life that no moral
energy remains for the discharge of the
duties OF the citizen. Beyond any doubt
We are today witnessing the decay though
perhaps not the permanent decay Of re-
puoncan institutions. No man in his right
mind can deny this assertion. Corruption
rules Of ignorance does not rule) in the leg
1siatures, in high and low places of govern
ment, and in all the relations of law TO in
dustry If love of those things which
merely minister t. pleasure has gone so
1ar that we cSrnot forget the pursuit of en-
Joyment long enough to enter into publ.
interests, the :lxury has become culpable
But luxury itself-:he enjoyment and cul-
tivation of comfort, or refinemen. and of
beauty.needs no justfffo alton. 1t is good
and rieNt The old Florentine painte-
whose life was, perhaps, not beyond re-
proach. at any rate saw great truth when
he affirmed that
If you get simple beauty and naugh. else
You get about the best thing God invents.