The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-09-21
PUTTING THE DOLLAR
ABOVE THE MAN"

This is a favorite expression with MI
BRYAN. 1t is catchy phrase and Is in
tentionally misleading. 1t is meant to
create the impression that those who are
not in sympathy with Mr.. Bryans opin'
ions regard money too highly and that
possession of il is evidence Of dwarfed
conception of the dignity of manhood.
1t seems a strange declaration whei,
its demagogue purpose Is discarded. Inc
dollar is the fruit of industry. Men do
not love the dollar for itself 1t Is be-
cause that by means of it the comforts
OF life can be had that il is regarded as d
valuable possession. When we denounce
the dollar we denounce that which pro-
duces the dollar, labor. To cast dis
credit upon the dollar is to condemn IN
dustrv. The man who earns compe-
tence. who supports himself and his fam
ily does it by means Of the dollar 10
contemn that which will feed the hun
grv. clothe the naked and contribute IL
every way to ma pleasure and comfort
is to discredit what is good.
Are we to place the shiftless and the
indolent above the provident and indus
trious, by casting reproach upon the
fruits of industry? What good is maj.
without the dollar? Its possession Is &
sign that he has performed mans duty
Is labor an offense to the dignity OF man
Enter the home of the man who VIII
not seek the dollar and mark the wretch
edness which prevails There is hunger
suffering and all the other ills of poverty
The head of that family pinched by pow
ertv. offends the dignity of manhood by
not valuing the dollar as he should. Loci
at the child whose pinched features show
hunger, whose face is IA blank because he Il
denied these things without which health
and Intelligence cannot be, and then fine
excuse for the criminal father who ha.
made his childs life not only joyless bui
a torture, in the fact that he despises the
dollar.
To teach contempt for the dollar Is t.
glorify wretchedness. 1t is made re
proach to love the dollar. Do we not al
honor the industrious workman Every
one, no matter what his position in life
has an innate respect for the workman''
IL 1. g tt-r.t M
what does he work? The dollar. If WE
are to despise the dollar we must despist
the heart under the blouse because it.
love for the dollar urges him to toll
The dollar gives dignity and worth t.
man, and he who seeks it is the better
man for his search. 1t is an evidence o,
elevated manhood that he does seek it
In it he perceives the comfort OF thost
dependent upon him He sees in it the
smile of happy childhood, made happ,
because of the absence of want He sees
in it happy home and comfort assured
during declining years Love of the dol
lar and dignity of manhood go together
as the dollar is the representative o
worth in the man. 1t opens the avenue,
If comfort education and pleasure to
him and to those he loves. Isa thing ca
pable of doing these things an evil from
which we are to fieey Is it the duty o
those who assume to be the disseminat
ors of good ideas. to spread the doctrin,
of prejudice against the means of livel
hood because fortunate people have then
in abundance?
Why not look upon the dollar with the
respect it deserves for the good it does
rather than with the dislike its abus,
causes? If the dollar enables some te
live in luxury, it likewise ministers t,
the needs of the lowly. The dollar and
the man are not in competition nor is
there strife for supremacy. The dol
lar is an attribute of man reduced to \
convenient form to facilitate use.