The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-06-02
RICHES NOT FOR
THEIR OWN SAKE
Why Nelson Opposes Pill
ing Up Wealth Needlessly.
MILLIONS BRING TROUBLE
st. Louis Millionaire Says Getting Rich
Is Merely Habit and Bad One at
That--Tells How It Can Be
Overcome.
MILLIONS BRING TROUBLE

iuuuSlIy Sct It'll &NCtoOh W %NSAooAt, :,
merchant in ST. Louis. head Of the firm
that bears his name and himself a cap
tain In the millionaire class, returns an
emphatic negative
Mr.. Nelson, whose wealth has come
to him in spite Of phiIanthropic prac-
tees and not because of them, aston
shed the natives of Chicago recently
when on that subject he told them that
getting rich was merely a habit, and
bad habit at that. But AIr. Nelson, who
has returned to his desk in st. Louis,
told the New York Worlds staff CORE
spondent there that the conclusion was
no new one to him and that 1t was
merely phrase of his gospel of work
and its just and proper remuneration.
1--WE need to do things, to act out our
beliefs, TO do those things which in
theory we all recognize as right and
just said be, and he added, That's a
fact"
The latter expression Mr.. Nelson
lacks on to most OF his homiletics.
NY little sermon.' said Mr.. Nelson,
dealt with those things of which
knew by actual experience. We are
prone to require authorities for every
thing we do or contemplate doing es-
peciaIly where the thing to be done
may be departure in any line Of phi
lanthropic endeavor. The better part
would be to do for ourselves according
to our own ideas and our own lights.
All the established systems of rell-
gion, law, government business, are not
carrying the world and its people along
without individual endeayor. 1t is the
old truism that faith without good
works is dead We need to do things
ourselves, to live up to those things
which we know and believe to be right
and JUST and recognize as such in theo-
ry.
Il recommend the social laboratory
for those earnest minded students Of
the wrongs of mankind and their prop
er remedy. 1t is worth lifetime Of
speculative or theoretical study. To
see it, to be in it, 70 observe 1t at close
range, to live their lives day in and
day out exactly as they live them, no
better and no worse, is the only way
to know how that other half OF whom
we hear and read so much afar off
lives. A little OF such contact will
arouse any man from the lethargy of
mere elegant study and do nothing
nominations on the wrongs of men and
fire him with a zeal to do things. And
then he will do them. That's fact
IF he has broken the bread that
they break, lived and slept in and paid
the prices that they pay for the mex
cusable tenements they must accept.
he will work to the end that their lot
may be improved, that their vile houses
may be altered and made fit for the
existence of human beings with nat
ural rights to life and health and as
much Of happiness as it may be posi-
BILE to attain.
1T will not be necessary to sweep
entire blocks from their sites that new
or and more expensive ones may take
their places and be rented at a price
that will grind the tenant down still
more. But it is possible to alter the
tenements and give the tenants the
light, the air. the sweetness and or
binary comforts that the rent they pay
entities them TO-
s.This may seem a depression from q
discussion of the duties OF captain
Of industry but it is not. The du-
ties of the employer and the rights Of
those who serve are connected, and
tie latter will never be attained until
the former realizes this and performs
his duties. And so | say that what
ever may be the opinion of those duties
one of them is assuredIy not that of
getting rich. That's fact He is
really manager of men and of prod
ucts, and this. function he exercises for
the dual benefit of the workers under
him and the public. It IL a self eyi-
dent fact that he Is entitled to benefit
also for himself.
whether he knows 1T or not. or,
knowing 1t, will not recognize it, the
Ndpthih VI AAlduollJ - really ~ A9ii-
working servant OF the public. Now,
isn't that a higher status for him to oc-
cupy than that of being mere selfish.
ceaseless, souliess gntherer of wealth
for himself and for wealth's sake? AS
suredly 1t is, and that's a fact. And
he is a better public servant by lear-
ing out Of consideration the sole pur-
pose OF getting rich and improving the
quality OF the service.
ITO be rich or to have riches Is not a
crime assuredly not. Many good men,
earnest men. men Of good impulses
and, what Is better, of good actions,
have riches because they were thrust
upon them. But it is different to ae-
quire riches by the constant neglect of
their duties to their fellows And
that's why say the acquiring Of riches
Is a habit, and bad one
IF those who are in position to ac-
quire riches viii only realize this It
will result in new and better type of
captains Of industry. who will look to