The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-19
ADMIRATION FOR MONEY
HeN. VIM. Hayne Lenycn SAYS MONEY
is flnced Above Intellect

10 the Editor OF The Post
Houston, Texas, August 1s.-In its edi-
ton of the 18TH, in commenting on the
death of famous railway masnate and
muiti-millionaire, The Post is pleased to
say in its leading editorial:
We are quick to accord genius and
greatness to a man who has won dis
tnct'on in war or in affairs of state,
or in the fields of literature and
science. But are not the elements OF
character and the force of intellect
That achieve the great successes in
the business world. though different IN
Kind, as worthy of admiration and en-
during fame as the qualities that the
world is oftener in the habit OF ASSOC
eating with the idea of greatness"
Does not this question imply that the
age does not accord genius and great
aess to" the elements OF character and
the force of intellect that achieve The great
successes in the business world?r II
that be the implication of your editorial
inquiry beg your permission to diner
from you On the contrary. it seems to
Inc that this modern world is oftener IN
the habit of associating with the idea ot
greatness the men vino achieve the
great successes in toe business woild." it
seems to me that the love o; money, al
mlIatlon for the men who can make j.,
commercialism, the spirit OF financial gain
have pervaded and are poisoning all cur
civilization
In almost all realms today the common
standard Of value is the dollar. We do lu-
deed yet respect men Tor their learning
ana honor them for their plety, Dat We
follow them for their money The man
who has money has the secret OF power
and is everywhere accorded distnca ion
1t used to be a proverb among us tnar
knowledge is power but we would
scarcely say that is the proverbial en-
preston of modern faith.
| have nothing to say against wealth as
wealth. l believe that God endowed man
with the acqusitive faculty as well as with
amy other, and that He designed it to ac-
qulre. ! also believe that money not
only has power but is capable of being
made a power for good, But / do not be-
lieve 1t was ever meant TO be standard
Of value in society, or government, or
morals. And our danger is in the direc-
ION of the misuse and supreme endow-
ment OF something which God intended
to be incidental and secondary.
We are accustomed these days to hear
that the longest dollar wins in our great
political contests Public men are arguing
every day that our duty to retain cur re-
cent territorial acquisitions and govern
them either as colonies or territories IS to
be determined by the single interes. that
their retention is likely to prove Of gre Il
commercial value to this country. Indeed.
to hear some OF them talk one would
imagine that the only thing involved N cur
relation with these possessions Is whsthAr
we can make them pay, And in society
men and women everywhere seem 10 be
basing their claim to recognition and
consideration upon their money. Wealth.
however gotten and however unfamiliar
the possessor may be with the luckle S
leisure purchased by ii. seems to be the
open sesame by which the rich obtain adj :
mission into those circles Of society which
hold the boards before the gaping masses.
those most in evidence before the wor a.
1t is not matter Of high and solid char
acter, not a matter of capacity and knowi-
edge, not matter OF the quality and eff
cheney Of service rendered to God and
man, but a matter Of money, matter OF
dollars and cents.
EVERYWHERE the badge Of recognition
seems to be he dollar mark. If we ask
what man Is worth, the answer one gets
is not an estimate Of the mans intellectual
power. his moral proportions his efficient
service but Of the number Of his mill ms.
| Ii is almost an aphorism that "a million
dollars cover multitude OF sins, and ten
millions cover them ALL
Nowhere within the limits OF orr civil
izatlon should money be made the stand
ard of value in society. government liter
efure or morals Ones influence AMI 70
sition should neither be measured nor de-
! termIned by the fact that he does or doe
no. possess wealth. It ought not to be a
factor in the creation of bis power, nor in
securing recognition. Character and ca
pacity and service should be the determine
| ing factors, and these are possessed by
men Independent Of the possession Of
money.
me nossesslon of wealth, but ! do say tina
rocognition and influence in society ard
government. and everywhere within the
limits Of our civilization, should be baFed
Nom charscter and service AMI ranarity,
ard mt uoon money. We should bow tn
,he man ard not to his strong box: 10 the
man for what ne Is. and not to his strong
box for what 1t holds ;.
To accumulate wealth IS not dffcplt 4
ono heg,n early and paw the price. A
wea,thv friend of mine once gave me his
recine. "Do without what Won are
obliged 10 have" and II strikes me as an
infsllible recipe. ~
So far from agreeing with you that ",
modern world does MOT accord gsnlus ~ q,
yreatness' TO the men whose elem en- g =
- ens-scter and force OF intellect
"acb,eys the great successes IN the busi-