The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-18
Another in the Same Strain.

is the use OF making a pile with never a
minute to enjoy it? Now I'm busy and sue
cessful business man but l have far more
admiration FOR q man who can write Eng
lish that charms than l have even for my
own prowess III trade. l would rather be
able to paint as Fourier does than trade as
do. I would rather own that Fourier pic
ture of the Lay stacks, the little, OLD,
whitewashed hut and the sun striking through
rift in the clouds, than the corner of
NicOllet avenue and Sixth street-except tha,
if l owned that corner 1 could convert it
into many such pictures" .
Not Much Chance for a Change,
So long as success in speculation, trade and
industry are considered the great goals for
nations to work for, so long as the people
Of the United States are determined to lead
the world in industrial activity-so long will
the man who can make millions be esteemed
higher than the man who can make verses.
1t can not we'll be otherwise. A nation is apt
to be great in that in which its citizens are
great. America is the most successful nation
at the money making game. chiefly because
Its individual citizens are somewhat more ac-
complished at that craft than the citizens of
other nations. Moreover it will: not be till
man has perfected all the mechanical labor
saving devices, until he has made himself
easily the master Of the material world and
reached such a point in development that
a minimum amount of manual labor will be
required to do the work of the world, that
people can have the leisure for cultivating
qualities that do rot assist in money making.
So far in this world the acme of enlighten-
ment in any. nation has almost Invariably
been accompanied by intellectual darkness or
physical misery and want for the larger part
of the population of that land. 1.-The glory
that was Athens was confined to & small
number OF free citizens among thousands Of
slaves. Men groaned and toiled in shackles
from the Pillars of Hercules to the Euphrates
for 'the grandeur that was Rome Versailles
was very fine The robes Of the ladies were
dreams and 1t was delightful to find at the
French court so much wit and eruditcn but
millions went without salt and lived in win
dowless human lairs that the of So
ciety, rising to the top at Versailles might he
so rich. Doubtless there is nothing in the
world to-day quite fine and elegant and
symmetrical and satisfactory to those who
enjoy it as the life led by the English aris-f
tocracy. But think of the great wastes of
ignorant, boorish, Goldfish Englishmen who
are left to remain as they were born that the
chosen few may enjoy all the perfection of
human existence. We in America are not so
scientific as the French and Germans. not so
socially exquisite as the high born English,
and we are more frankly shot after the
stuff but for all that and for all our rank
admiration and Difference to the man of mil
lions, there is probably to-day a wider
spread love of literature and a more general
appreciation of intellect and intelligence in
the United States than elsewhere Certainly
our men Of money are spending their wealth
and bequeathing it more wisely and with
more OF an eye to the public good and inn
provement than the wealthy men Of any other
country in this any other age ever did
1t is the mission Of America to unite ma
terial success with intellectual greatness. Up
to the present the latter has been shown
chiefly in attaining the former. Later it will
appear in science and letters and arts. In
the meantime let us not undervalue the man
who can mine thoughts, but can not coin
them into wealth.
The Independent Man.
Two classes of men there are who, starting
at the bottom of the ladder, win business sue
cess. One is the quiet, unassertive type that
works steadily along year after year; that
learns the business in every detail; that
never disputes an employers opinion; that
never dares to oppose him on any policy;
that Is always afraid to lose his job This
sort Of man comes steadily up from the mass
of his fellow employees II he has little moro
power of application, little more quiet,
logged determination to get to the top some
day, in much the same slow but certain way
that the mediocre officer OF the regular army
rises from the single bar shoulder strap to
the strap of the stars. The other type IS
born to command. 1t finds difficulty in occu-
plying subordinate position. 1t has views
Of it's own. 1t argues with the employer 1t
gets mad and resigns. 1t is ambitious and
hard working, but it directs and likes not to
be directed. Here is story about one Of
the latter type. He quarreled with the man.
ager of the no, sc where he had been en-
ployed and, after mutually satisfactory en-
change of eplthets, he resigned He applied
to another company for a position He was
asked for references. He gave the name OF