Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-08
AMERICA AND WEALTH.

Very often Europeans who visit this
country for the purpose Of forming an
idea Of conditions here, fail to perceive
what Is essentially good, because they
view everything through their own
highly colored glasses Hoger Drach-
mann, well known Danish poet and
author, Is an exception 10 this rule He
visited this country last year and spent
several months here, and his communl-
cations to the Danish press now prove
that his Impression OF this nation are
different from those many others have
carried away to their respective coun-
tries.
According to the Chicago Inter Ocean,
Drachman says the great merit Of
America Is that II has discovered that
money Is life; poverty is Death" This
fact Is also known In Europe, but there
hypocrisy prevents people from confess
sing that they believe 1t to be true. He
praises the Americans because they are
honest enough to admit that they are
striving for power, and for money
which gives power. He asserts that the
American millionaire appreciates his
responsibility better than the European
nobleman does The wealthy In Amer.
lea are not idle. They are constantly
branching out into active participation
in everything pertaining TO public life
and progress. The American idea Is
that every man capable OF working
shall work. Weak-spined and overcu.
tured Americans, Mr. Drachman says
have tried TO convince the American
people that their ideas about wealth are
all wrong--that the European cant
which tries TO ignore money as a legltl-
mate source Of power is a higher and
nobler conception.
The subject which Mr.. Drachman
treats on In this rational and practical
manner, is one of considerable interest.
From the early ages OF our era an I'm
preston has been formed that there Is
some special virtue In poverty. It has
come down to us from the ancient relg-
ions that produced their hermits. NEIL
dicants and beggars. who claimed 10
have "renounced the world and there
fore were better than their fellowmep.
In the old world this Idea prevailed
largely, and as the majority OF men and
women found II necessary to labor and
TO accumulate wealth, a contradiction
between belief and practice arose,
which to this day has existed more or
less In the New World, however, much
Of that superstition found no suitable
soil, Here a more natural view Of life
and Its obligations obtained. and power
ty was looked upon as misfortune
rather than a virtue That there Is O
LANCER of going to the other extreme
here. cannot be denied, but the principle
Itself, that II is the duty Of everybody |
10 labor honestly to the best advantage
ne can, Is certainly correct. The danger |
" accumulation of wealth Is hardly |
greater, than would be the danger of me-
gecting the opportunities offered for
activity. For country
With a proletariat prevailing Is worse
IF than a country with general prosper
ty and some nabobs,
The fact Is that each human lndlvd-
lal Is endowed with his special glfts,
Some have faculty for accommodating |
wealth and others for gathering knowl-
,dge. Some are Of a practical turn OF
mind and can lay plans and schemes of
financiering; others live and
move In an imaginary world OF poetical
All such gifts are good. and
hould be cultivated. And II they are
Used. not for selfish purposes, but the
food Of mankind, their exercise VIII
ring happiness TO those that possess
hem, both here and hereafter.