The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1899-08-18
WILL 1T PAY?

A new standard has been set up in
America. Everything, to-day, must
be measured by its money value.
"Will it pay?" "What is there in it
for me?' These are the great interro-
cations Of the century. Even the
American youth is beginning to meas
ure his acquaintances, his friendships,
everything, by what he can get out OF
them for his own profit or promotion.
When he is introduced to a newcomer
he Immediately asks himself: "Is
there anything in this man for me?"
Can he give me lift? Can he help
me to a customer, patient a client?
Can he be constituent? Can he help
me to capital, to position, to promo
tion.
The first questions asked about a
stranger in some OF the Western cities
are: "Has he 'arrived?'" elias he got
there?" In other words has he made
his fortune? II he has not, he is OF
little account, except to few friends.
1t is most unfortunate that our
youth are brought up to look upon
money as the great measuring line of
values. 1t Is not so very long since
character, srespectability, were so
prominent in this country that little
was thought about how much money
one had il he possessed the sterling
qualities of manhood.
The finer sentiments are being
crushed out of the American charac-
ter 10y this insane greed for profit, this
mad rush for wealth. Everything
which money can not buy or replace
is sacrificed tn this voracious Mann
mon. Even higher education and cul.
ture are now being estimated as the
equivalents of money. "Will it pay
to send my son to college?" asks the
merchant and the farmer. "Will ed.
ucation enable him to earn more sala-
ry?-to get rich quicker?" They
speak as II the growth, the expan.
sion OF mans god-like powers, could
be estimated in dollars and cents!
In this wild rush for wealth our
people are numbering health, energy,
comfort, culture, friendship; all that
we should really hold dearest. Peace,
happiness, often honor itself, the very
things which we struggle hardest to
obtain are sacrificed, only to find that
money has no power to restore or to
replace them.
What have our rich men to look for
ward to when they retire? Many Of
them possess nothing but money.
They have destroyed their capacity
for happiness while they have been
getting ready to enjoy. Their minds
have not be cultivated; they know
little Of books, less OF art; even the
power to enjoy the riches OF nature
has been overcome In the race for
gold. Almost everything for which
they desired wealth has vanished.
They had hoped to yet pleasure from
the works of art their money could
buy, from the libraries they would col.
lect, from foreign travel, from luxuri-
Gus living. They did not realize that
faculties unused would die, and that
II they did not cultivate the athletic
part or the social part Of their nature,
they would shrivel and decay; that
the exclusive development OF the low.
er nature would kill out the higher.
Does it pay the acorn to unfold the
possibilities wrapped up within 1t?
Would you stop its growth and stunt
its future when a sapling? Does II
pay to stop boys growth just as he
is expanding into manhood, and take
him out Of school or college because
for the time he can earn a little more
money! Is this all that education
means? Does 1t mean nothing to un-
fold the infinite possibilities Of the
youths nature; to give him the Op-
portunity 10 act the Columbus 10 his
own undiscovered powers?
Shall we give no time to the culti-
walton Of the fDwering side Of our
naturep Shall oil the sap 60 to devel-
op the coarse, woody fibre, and none
to call out the foliage, the flower, the
frultp Do we need nothing but hard
timber or wooda Has life become 20
mean aud sofdid that We must spend
oil our time IN the Kitchen aud dining
room of life, providing for the animal
part Of use Are We never 10 enjoy the
artistic, the aesthetic, the social slde
OF life Ia the drawing room and the