The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-07-14
THE ARIsTocRAoY OF BRAINS AND CHARAc-
ACTER


ACTER.
When these poor butterflies have shed their gilded
wings and are forgotten worms or the food Of worms
the world will continue bow in reverence and honor to
the nober souls who have refused be weryed by pomp
and luxury from the ideals OF success which is unrelated
to success It win remember Agassiz who refused TO
lecture at five hundred night because he was too busy
to make money 10 will remember Charles sumner'
who would not lecture at any price because as senator
all his time belonged 70 Massachusetts" 1t win remem
ber Charles Spurgeon who invited to come to Amer
lea for fifty lectures Thousand each, but said In
answer: 'No, will do better; win stay in London
and try to save fifty souls" 1t win remember Emerson
who steadfasty declined to increase his income beyond
twelve hundred dollars because he wanted time to
Think
And not only in time past but in the living present
there arc brave strong who making history and
building honor upon better base than money Who is
the most dignhed figure in the American senate today
Not Clark, OF Montana, with his pilng millions noI
stewart OF Nevada but George Frisbe Hoar serene and
noble ideast OF Massachusetts, who lives in cottage at
Worcester on three thousand dollars year and does not
even keep carriage What noisy nabob has such genu
inc distinction as old Joe Wheeler patrcian OF Alabama
hero of two republics and gentleman Of honor living on
his pension and loyal to his ideals
And there Is william d. Howells whose standards,
noby and unselahly maintained, have won him fame and
later fortune And ST. Gaudens the sculptor working
with faith unspoed by money carving calmly for the
approval Of the ccming centuries And Elihu yedder in
plain lodgings in Rome laughing to scom the American
money that would tempt him from his beloved art to
garish and profitable advertisement And Thomas Edi-
son. who would scorn to be ranked for the millions which
he spends fearessy and unsparingy for other inventions
aud discoveries for the advancement OF the race And
President Eliot OF Harvard, and President Harper of
Chicago and Butler Of Columbia, each with superb ad-
talents that might win millions In the mart,
living on moderate incomes to the great end Of service
and achievement IN the lives OF the republics youth
Aud there is DR. Bainsford, the New York clergyman,
who might have been not only captain, but general OF
industry holding without wealth personal power over
the most distinguished men in the world with Perpon
Morgan and Mayor Mcclellan passing the plate In his
church. andvng the splendid ideals which he eoquently
preach
And Mansfield and Irving be II said to their infinite
credit might have been vastly rich today II they had
not hefocly poured their earnings upoa the alter OF
higher art and better stage. Who can doubt that
Theodore Roosevelt II he had bowed himself TO gain,
might have amassed enormous wealth? Yet he has so
subboy followed another and nober ideal Of success
that his private fortune today is less than eight hous-
and dollars And William Trayers Jerome whose daily
opportunities have been continuous invitation to be
rich but who has brayey chosen TO be clean and brave
and honest reformer at the expense OF fortune.
Let no man think that these lines deprecate money
nor thu independence and liberty which from easy
means
But let no youth Of these striving times imagine that
money alone brings permanent honor enduring happi
ness.
II the modern arstocracy Of wealth refuses social re-
cognton to the really great unless the great he aso
rich be sure there nober aristocracy Of brain and
character without blazon which despises the foolish
standards Of the poorly rich.
There is mighty cloud Of witnesses that the nobler
idealsm Is not dead in this republic Of the free John
Temple Graves, in Atlantic News