Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-21
NOT a NERVOUS PEOPLE.
FaIIacy of = Popular Motion Clearly
shown.
Philadelphia Record

Philadelphia Record.
30 much has been said Of American
nervousness-of the stress Of business life
In this country and its common effects Of
shattered nerves, insomnia, mental de-
terioration. insanity. physical breakdown
and suicide-that most people accept Il all
as established and nobody stops to examine
whether II be true. Also IL IL assumed that
Americans as a rule are 30 much In love
with the accumulation OF money that they
take no time and have no care for the
enjoyment Of their wealth. The hrst,
foreigner to place his own observations
against the widespread opinion is Ludwig
Max Goldberger. a prominent German who
spent eight months In the United States
with his eyes open and his mind alert. He
denies that the American business man Is
a nervous wreck and that the race for
wealth has robbed him Of his capacity to
enjoy anything but money making. On the
contrary. while one secs endless activity
and ceaseless industry land always In
dustry." still the nerves of the Industrious
one are Of steel and not TO be shattered"
TIL daily experience of Americans them
selves should have proved to them the
fallacy OF the popular notion. Nowhere
else do men continue active IN business to
so ripe an age-in a business OF which the
risks are often great. American business
men find a delight In the identifying OF
their homes and in many forms Of pleasure
and relaxation. Statistics show that in pro-
portion to population the immigrants con-
tribute e a much higher percentage Of in
mates to the asylums than do the Ameri-
cans. II is not to be denied that the bust
ness Of many a successful American Is OF a
kind to wreck a nervous system less Arm
and steady-a business in which a great
fortune may be won or lost as the result
Of q single decision. Losses, however, are
borne with the e~quanimity displayed by a
confirmed gambler. Here is Russell Sage,
in his SOS, still attending to his many
AFFAIRS involving enormous sums and show
ing none Of the effects OF an inordinate
strain on the nerves, Only a small pro-
portion Of men in any occupation live TO
his age, but among the leaders Of industry
and finance in this country are many who
are hale and clear-headed at 70 and not
less happy and busy than are men Of the
same age in other lands.
The business enterprises Of the United
States won the amaZement and admiration
OF the German observer. and to the cour-
age, steadlness, intelligence, integrity and
health Of the average American. and
especially Of the leaders in the business
"orluI No creults tne prosperity OF the ma
tion and its ability to meet trade depres-
sions with fortitude and cheerfulness.
Naturally he can see no limit to the great
achievements Of Americans. and II is to be
inferred from his article that no conceiv-
able combination against the business en-
terprise Of this country could make a
deep or enduring Impression on our flu
ture. In spite Of all the speculative fea-
lures Of our business. especially in rela-
tion to the changes In the ownership OF
the stocks Of great enterprises, absolute
honesty and a strict living up to every
obligation is "a fundamental principle OF
American business life. On the whole,
the European readers Of Mr.. Goldberger's
report of his American observations must
acquire a larger respect for the qualities
of our business men and a higher opinion
OF the business Importance Of the country
as compared with the nations of Europe.