The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-22

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In quiet and seclusion. both Of which
were denied him by lifc's grim necessi-
ties.
What was necessary for Arthur Hugh
Clough Is necessary for all great men IL
they are TO produce their best II Is as
true OF nation as OF man.
The nation that IN TO produce the best
painters and the best educators is the ma
ton that has first produced material
wealth. As we grow richer our libraries
will have more books. our art galleries
more and better paintings. we will have
more schools and better teachers. more
churches and better preachers. The aver
age will be lifted and where before we
had but one bright and shining light we
shall nave hundred well nigh as good.
ALL CLASSES BENEFITED.
All classes and conditions OF men are
therefore benefited. and today the child
OF poor parents sits under teachers,
handles immortal books and looks on
master pieces that century ago were
only for the elect few.
Our growing material wealth has raised
the standard OF our learned degrees until
a doctorate from Harvard Is worth more
than the same degree from oxford. We
have called from the old world some OF
It's ablest scholars and preachers to the
chairs and pulpits Of the new world.
We have built navies and made our in
fuence felt In, the Orient. We have
adopted. as no other nation. the ingenious
inventions OF skill and genius and made
them minister to human comfort These
things have been done and are being
done because OF wealth. We can do IL
because we have the money. Who then
can question its power and its blessing.
Bu. let US note that money Is one thing
and the mercenary spirit Is another.
A DANGEROUS MASTER.
The one is useful tool, the other IL a
dangerous master. There is no danger
In money but there Is perhaps nothing
that so blots our national history as the
unden.able fact that our money In ceas-
ing TO be our servant and becoming our
master. That mercenary spirit Is all pre-
vailing IL In common expression on
the lips OF young men and women today
that money will buy everything. Conse-
auently avarice becomes the guiding mo-
tive OF youth. plenty the hope OF middle.
age and luxury the dream OF mature life.
Money changes the vote OF a legislature.
1t revcrses the decisions OF grey haired
judges upon the bench. II wields the
marriage bonds at the altar and breaks
them In the divorce court II forces
love into silence, shames honorable
friendships and makes countless millions
mourn. Certainly II will buy everything7
Not everything. No. Mo- 1t cannot distil
one drop OF JOY. 1t cannot give us one
friendship. 1t cannot make our hearts
stir with sympathy or gratitude It
cannot dry one tear. 1t cannot hush one
sob. II cannot soothe a broken spirit
and when we come close to life and live
and know human sorrow and the need
OF human sympathy we cry out:
Thy money perish with three" THE
most precious things man possesses ne has
~ n f---- IA
him learn so to give them"
THE MERCENARY SPIRIT.
This merccnary spirit. this faith that
says money Is the only good, manifests
Itself In two ways. First in its unlawful
getting. There In a syan nge ethics abroad
today. II finds It's way into the church
charitable institutions. The sentiment
fostered by this ethics builds monuments
and engraves plates to the memory Of GER
tain donors. II doesn't matter how the
money has been obtained The man is
applauded II only he gives. How many
heads OF libraries and educational inst
tutions and churches have asked how
Carnegie and Rockefeller and Morgan
made their millions. The reply would
come that they made II in legitimate
business. But that is the question. And
II legitimate does that coincide with the
moral? Would the money OF a wealthy
brewer or saloon keeper be accepted In
the same way? His business is legitimate
Is Il moral to bribe juries and change
laws with money for the purpose OF Sc
uring more money?
We need TO look these things sauarely
In the face. Is It noble thing TO take
the money that by all right and Justice
belongs TO n poor laboring man? m you
give II 10 charity? We need To understand
that there is an ethical question involved
in the act OF getting itself That In
every transaction Of business we can do
right or wrong and that one or The other
we must do. There is no place in the
teaching OF Jesus that leads a man to be-
lieve that money obtained unjustiy and
given to charity unlocks the doors of
heaven.
UNLAWFUL GETTING AND HOLDING
This necessary spirit manifests itself in
still another way. The one usually leads
TO the other. The unlawful getting usu-
ally leads to unlawful holding Wealth
II held as though IL was something
owned IL II made 20 pamper 10 the lux
ury OF one rather than to the need of
many.
The conception OF trusteeship is lost
sight OF. The man does not consider
himself n steward. Wealth ought TO
teach defendence and responsibility. the
mercenary spirit teaches independence
and that IL the curse OF u.
morality. Independence to the rights and
reeds OF other men. II is for this that
many men seek a. They seek N for the
power II gives them. not for good. but