Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-04-27

suffering upon me ueedleSSly. He hui
initiates and insults me gratuitously.
IL is not what is vulgar within me, but
what is nohlest, that asserts itself in
the face of this offensive pride. Do
not accuse me OF envy. feel none,
It Is my manhood that is wounded.
We need not search far TO Illustrate
these ideas, Every man Of any ac-
Quaintance with life has had numerous
experiences which will justify our
Uctum in his eyes,
In certain communities devoted TO
material interests the pride Of wealth
dominates 10 such degree that men
are quoted like values in the stock
market The esteem in which man
Is held is proportionate TO the contents
of his strong box Here society" Is
made UP OF big fortunes. the middle
class ot medium fortunes. Then come
people who have little, then those who
have nothing. An Intercourse is regu-
lated by this principle And the rela-
lively rich man who has shown his
diSdaiu for those less opuleut is crush
ed III turn by the contempt Of his SUI
periorS In fortune, So the madness Of
comparison RACES from the summit to
the base Such an atmosphere is ready
to perfection for the nurture OF the
worst feeling Yet 1t is not wealth,
but the spirit of the wealthy, that
must be arraigued,
Man! rich men are free from this
gross conception especially is this
true Of those who from father to son
are accustomed 10 ease yet they some
times forget that there is q certain del
icacy in not making contrasts too
marked Suppose there Is no wrong
in enjoying large superiority, Is 1t
Indispensable to display II, TO wound
the eyes " those who lack necessities,
to huunt ones maguitiCcnCc Mt the
doors of povertyF Good taste and u
sort of modcsty always hinder II we'll
man from talking of his fine appetite,
his sound sleep, his cNuhcranSc OF spir-
its, In the presence of one dying of
consumption Many Of the rich do not
exercise this tact and SO are greatly
wanting in pity and discretion, Are
they not unreasonable to complain OF
envy after having done everything to
provoke IL?
But the greatest lack is that want of
disCernmrnt which leads men to ground
their pride In their fortune, To begin
with, II Is a childish confusion of
thought to consider wealth as Il person
al guilty, 1t would be hard TO find
more ingenious fashion Of deceivlng
oneself as to the relative value of the
container and the thing contained, |
have no wish to dwell on this question.
1t is too painful. And yet one cannot
resist saving to those concerned: Take
care; do not confound what you possess
with what YOU are. Go learn to know
the undcrside of worldly splendor,
that YOU may feel It's moral misery and
its pucrility" The traps pride sets
for us are too ridiculous We should
distruSt association with thing that
makes us hateful TO our ncIghhors and
robs us Of clearness of vision,
He who yields to the pride Of riches
luIEtlH lulS tlh'I punt, lH' lHpNl III
portant of all, that possession is pub
lie trust, Without doubt individual
wealth Is rs legitimate as individual
existence and liberty. These things
are nseparahlc and ii Is dream
pregnant with dangers that offers bat
tie to such fundamentals of life, But
the individual touches society Al every
point, and all he does should be done
with the whole in view Possession,
then, Is less privilege Of which To he
proud than n charge whose gravity
should be felt AS there is an appren.
tlccship often very difficult TO serve,
for the exercise of every social Office, SO
this profession we call wealth demands
an apprenticeship. To know how to
be rich is nm art, ana one of the least
easy or arts to master. Most people,
rich and poor alike, imagine that In
opulencc one has nothing to do but TO
take life easy That Is why so few
men know how To be rich. In Che hands
OF too many wealth, according to the
genial and redoubtable comparison Of
Luther, Is like harp In the hoofs OF
an ass. They have no idea of the man
ner Of Its use