The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-01-08

religious vocation may not be sthe transforms
tlon OF military courage and the spiritual reform
which our time stands most in need Of i. We
have grown literally afraid to be poor. We de-
spise any one who elects to be poor in order to
simplify and save his inner life. =. The pre-
valent fear of poverty among the educated
classes is the worst moral disease from which
our civilization SUFFERS"
Bishop John L. Spalding, Peoria, ILL.,,
said, in an address at Chicago, May,
1899:
'Our capital is fast becoming the most inhu-
man, the most iniquitous tyrant the world has
ever known. Its tyranny is a blight and curse
to those who exercise it as we'll as to the multi
tude who are its victims. -. We are hypno-
tized by tho glare and glitter, the pomp and
circumstance of wealth, and are becoming in
capable of a rational view of life. We have lest
taste for simple things and simple ways. !. We
are the victims Of commercialism, We have
caught the contagion of the insanity that the
richest nations are the worthiest and most en-
during. We have lost sight of the eternal prin-
ciple that riches are akin to fear and death,
that by the soul only can nation be great"
Professor James and Bishop Spalding
may hold radical opinions on this sub
ject and therefore be totally wrong in
their analysis. Many persons may ex-
press opposite views with equal lcsndor;
but, nevertheless, there is sufficient
evidence to amply substantiate the
above gentlemen's beliefs. The ma
terialistic current is rushing onward.
Its pulse is high but healthy. It Is q
current that browns ideals. On its
troubled waters civilization must, per-
force, make little headway; and the
danger Of being capsized and wrecked
is just as great now as it was during
the Dark Ages. At present it has not
quite reached the zenith of its power,
but the indications are that it will
shortly be at its flood tide. When that
period is ushered In mankind will be in
better position to estimate the dura-
bility Of g materisIistic civilization.
Tho civilization which has its being
and existence wholly centered upon
wealth is as false as its ideals are dead.
1t cannot live successfully, because the
cultural discords Of millions Of souls in
misery and want, whose ambitions and
cherished hopes have been denied them,
will destroy it.
The man whose only ambition Is to
become Napoleon Of Finance, or one
of the great Captains of Industry is not
necessarily menace to any commune
ty. It is the unscrupulous inancier;
the sagacious cunning of the merchant
prince and blase politician who con-
tribute such gigantic influences toward
degenerating American character.
The dishonest financier tempts thou
sands to pursue his course by. the
wealth he has amassed; the merchant
who rises to fortune and affluence by
leaps and bounds because of the adul-
terated trash which he places upon
the worlds markets, has his neophytes
in every city and town, and the evil
which the corrupt politician inspires,
spreads itself abroad like so much
ether. tr
When wealth is concentrated under
the direction of score or two indi-
viduals whose cupidity surpasses their
honesty, their justice toward their fell
low man and the ideal which promotes
humanity, their power for doing evil
will be colossal. Such powerful
weapon can sway legislatures to elect
senators of their own choice, to pass
necessary franchises and regulate the
tariff so as to protect their industries,
and to charge the public almost what
it pleases for their products. The stand
ard of character which they parade
before the public has demoralizing
effect upon honesty and morals. From
the dishonest fnancier, politician and
merchant to the corrupt councilmen,
the bribe giver, and the thief who plies
his trade under. police projection, is
not such far cry. If you wish to fol-
low the chain of circumstantial evi-
dence, no doubt the verdict will be
against materialism.
1t is true that this country owes a
lasting debt to this materialistic tend
ency. We give it credit for producing
the wonderful prosperity which our
captains of industry enjoy; we give it
lavishly bestowed upon our institu-
tions of learning and numerous libra
ries which it has installed. And it is
self-evident fact that there resides
much within the sbeltering folds of
our present civilization which we can
feel proud Of; but, while we exult and
applaud its achievements, we should
not lose sight Of the fact that our civil
lization can be vastly improved upon.
The evils which are now so plainly ap-
parent, and which are rapidly growing
in power and influence, are retardin0
it's march. lust as the barnacl0G on
vessel lessen its speed. safa 8.