The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-14
Dollars
and Cents


sometimes think that the most
pitiful exhibitions of the mightiness
OF the American dollar are found in
the American home: not that the
struggle to get the dollar or to stow
It away against time of need is
there SO evident. 1t is rather the
anxiety TO spend it in a practical way
which will commend itself to ones
neighbors; the disposition to accert
the common standards, which ar
usually purely utilitarian, instead II
making the matter a subject Of caro-
tul study with an eye to future good
as well as present necessities. The
struggle for existence emphasizes un-
duly the utilitarian side of existence,
and we are apt to find ourselves re-
garding money not as means to an,
end, medium of exchange for the
real treasures of life. but a precious
thing in itself for the spending OF
which we must rigidly account and
Justify ourselves to the last farthing.
OF course debt, except as a necessity,
Is not to be excused. There is no
more justification in spending money
that we do not possess than there
would be in giving away our neigh
bor's chattels, but on the other hand,
there is no reason why we should
deny ourselves or our children inno-
cent pleasures and means of mental,
and spiritual development because
they seem extravagant and unneces-
sary to other people.
The evil results of a niggardly pol
Icy in the home have been strongly i'm
pressed upon me by the unhappiness
that has come to a certain family,
where a young couple, well endowed
mentally, but both distinguished for
their extravaganza, started out with
the determination to disprove the mis-
givings of their friends and accumu-
late property They succeeded; but
even after there ceased to be any
necessity for frugality, they continued
to practice the most rigid economy.
Children came to them and early in
life became imbued with the idea that
money was the great consideration and
that everything must be measured by
money standards. They became
schemers in small way and when
ever they succeeded in getting some,
thing for nothing, were much elated.
Although abundantly able to have a
good home they lived in a cottage too
small to afford the children any
chance to entertain their friends. No
books or magazines were bought, be-
cause these cost money and were not
necessities; nor were there any mul
sical instruments purchased for tie
same reason. Under such a system
the children developed no resources
within themselves and early learned
to go away from home for companion
ship and entertainment. In time they
married, but the same restless seek
ing for something outside Of them
selves. the worship Of the dollar and
disposition value everything from a
monetary standpoint, persisted and
brought unhappiness to everyone Of
them. Their false standards and lack
Of intellectual and spiritual cultiva-
ton cut them off from simple, healthy
eujoyments and made of them such
selfish slaves of mammon and eager
pursuers of excitement and social
prominence that ordinary home life
was impossible. 1t certainly looks as
though the love of money had been
the root Of all the evil in that fam
lily, as though il the parents had but
suhordinated the dollar and empha.
sized the intellectual and spiritual
things Of life during those impress
sioDable years, it might have made a
difference in the after lives of the
souls for whom they had made them
se'yes responsible.
Emily Hibbard.