The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-11
CHAPTER XII,
PRIDE AND SIMPLICITY In SOCIAL

CHAPTER XII,
PRIDE AND SIMPLICITY In SOClAb L
RELATIONS.
II, would. perhaps. be difficult to prove
81 subject better qualified than prlue 10
s,,ru,y,. that the obstacles to a better Ire,
4, stronger and more peaceful, are more IN
ourselves than IN circumstances. inc
diversity and abovc all, the contrast u,
sncinI situations, inevitably cause all
sorts Of conflicts to surge upon us. l'ut
how many OF these relations between
s members OF the same society would not
be. III spite of all. simplified II we put
another spirit in the frame traced IN eN-
tcrnal necessities Let us be we'll per-
suaded that II Is not after all the DIFF
ference IN classes, functions, the so dis
similar forms OF our destnies, which
enhroi men. II that were the case we
should see an idyllc peace reign between
colleagues, comrades and all men Win
analogous interests and similar destiny.
Every one knows, on the contrary, lnat
#,he blttcrest aunrrcls are those whlcn
arise among similar beings, ana that
there is no war worse than civil war. But
what binders men from living IN accord
IS. before ALL pride. Pride makes mon
r l1RS Il llcuSt .IlpE' HNAiaN''r $500
any ono without wounding him. Let
,,s speak first of the pride AT the great
ones.
What displcascs me in the rich man
who rasscs III his carriage. is not his
eaulpagc, nor his toilette. nor the num-,
Der and swietness of his domestic SER
vice. 1t is his scoln. That he has
great fortune does not wound me ul,-
less have q hateful disposition, put
that he throws mud on me, rides over
my body, shows in his whole attitude
& that count for nothing In his eyes be-
cause I am not rich like him; that is
where I feel the hurt and with good rem
son. He imposes n suffering upon me,
and after all q suffering quite useless.
He insults me and humiliates me graf
uitously. IT is not what is vulgar III nm.
but what there IS noblest In me, which
rises in fnce Of that wounding pride. 20
not accuse mo of envy, for I feel none.
1t Is my dignity as n man that Is touch-
ed 1t is useless to seek far to illustrate
ones Impressions. All men who havo
seen life have had many experiences
which will justify our words In their
eyes. In certain centcrs devoted to ma
terial interests, pride Of wealth dominates
TO such u point that men quote each other
8;,s they quote values on the exchange
1Istcc1n IS measured according to the
contents of the strong box. Good society
is composed of big fortunes; the middle
class. lesser fortunes. Then come the
people OF little means, and those oftno-
thing On all occasions they act upon
that principle. And he who, relatively
rich, has shown his disdain for those
less opulcnt than himself, is wat2red. in
his turn, with the disdain OF his superlors
in fortune. Thus the rage OF compari-;
son saps from summit TO foundations
Such q center is as though prepared TO
order for the cultivation OF the worst
sentiments: but it is not the riches. It
lis the spirit they put into them that
that we should accuse. Some rich men
haze not that coarse conception-above
all those who, from father to son, are
:cc,ist stoned to case. But they forget that
there is a certain dnlicacy in not causing
The contrasts to be TOO marked. Sup
POSING that there is no harm In the en-.
joynen; of Il great superiority, rs 1t IN
dispense Die to spread out this super
fully. 10 shock the eyes of those who
have MOI the necessaries and to a fix this
luxury close to poverty? Good taste and
a sort of modcsty will always hinder n
portly- in:n from speaking of his vigorous
appetite. his peaceful sluinber, of his JOY
in living. By the side Of some one who Is
fnding away with consumption. Many
rich men luck tact. and sometimes by
that they lack even pity and prudence.
Are they not from then on badly inspired
III, complaining OF the envy OF others,
after having done all in their power 10
provoke It?
But what they lack most is discern
lient, when theyTut this pride in their for
tune, or when they let themselves drift
unconsciously with the scductions OF
luxury. Firstly, 1t is TO fall into u
punrilc confusion TO consider riches q
personal quality Ono could not mistake,
In !, fashion Ilcre simple, between the
reciprocal valve .rf the envelope and its
contents. do not wish to bear too
A heavily OH that question:; 1t is too pain
4 ful. And, yet can one hinder oneself
from saying 10 those Interested: 'Tane
care; do not confound what you possess
s with what you are. Learn the scamy
side OF tho splcndors Of tho world, that
you may see the cIldishness and moral
misery of them moro forclby. Pride III
truth lays traps too ridiculous for us
We must suspect a companion which
makes lis hateful to our ncighbor ana
causes us TO lose our clcarness OF
Sision?"
5 Those who DELIVER themselves up to
The pride Of wealth forget another point
and the most important OF all-which is,
that to possess Is a social function.
Without doubt, Individual property is as
legitimate as the existence even OF the
individual and as his liberty Those two
things are inscparabc. and 1t Is an
Utopia, full Of dangers. to attack such
elementary bases Of all life. But the in
dividual belongs to society with all his
<Il.