Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-21
CHAPTER Mi.


COURSE OF MEN.
vt would perhaps be difficult to find
more convincing example than
pride to show that the obstacles to
u better, stronger. serener life are
rather in us than in circumstances.
The diversity and, more than that, the
contrasts i'm social conditions give rise
inevitably to all sorts Of conflicts. Yet,
in spite of this, how greatly would
social relations be simplifled II we put
another spirit into mapping out our
plan of outward necessities! Be we'll
persuaded that ii is not primarily diff
ferences of class and occupation. diff
ferences In the outward manifesto
tons Of their destinies. which embroil
men. If such were the case, we should
colleagues and all those whose inter
.ests and lot are virtually equivalent.
On the contrary, as every one knows.
the most violent shocks come when
equal meets equal, and there is no
war worse than civil war. But that
which above ell things else hinders
men from good understanding Is pride.
1t makes man a hedgehog, wounding
every one he touches. Let us speak
first Of the pride of the great.
What offends me in this rich man
passing in his carriage is not his equi-
page. his dress or the number and splen-
dor of his retinue. 1t Is his contempt.
That he possesses great fortune does
not disturb me, unless l am badly dis
posed. But that he splashes me with
mud. drives over my body, shows by
his whole attitude that l count for
rich, like himself-this Is what dis
turbs me, and righteously. He heaps
suffering upon me needlessly. He hui
initiates and insults me gratuitously.
1t Is not what is vulgar within me. but
what is noblest. that asserts itself in
the face Of this offensive pride. Do
not accuse me of envy. 1 feel none.
1t is my manhood that Is wounded.
We need not search far to illustrate
these ideas. Every man Of any &C
with life has had numerous
which will justify our
dictum in his eyes.
In certain communities devoted to
interests the pride OF wealth
dominates to such n degree that men
are quoted like values In the stock
market. The esteem In which a man
Is held IS proportiouate to the contents
Of his strong box. Here society" Is
made up of big fortunes. the middle
class of medium fortunes. Then como
people who have little, then those who
have nothing. All intercourse Is regu-
lated by this principle. And the rela-
H.
Iiisdain for those less opulent is crush
ed I'm turn by the contempt Of his su-
periors In fortune. So the madness OF
RACES from the summit to
the base Such an atmosphere is ready |
to perfection for the nurture OF the
worst feeling Yet it is not wealth. |
but the spirit OF the wealthy, that |
must be arraigned.
Many rich men are free from this |
gross conception-especia is this |
true of those who from father to son |
are accustomed to ease-yet they some |
times forget that there Is n certain del |
cacy in not making contrasts too |
marked. Suppose there is no wrong |
m enjoying a large superfuity. Is IL
to display II, to wound |
NE eyes or tnOse VINO IdCk beCeoSiticS,
10 faunt ones magnincence at the
ioors OF poverty? Good taste and q
,ort of modesty always hinder well
nan from talking Of his fine appetite, |
mis- sound sleep. his exuberance Of spir-
t., In the presence OF one dying of
Many Of the rich do not
exercise this tact and so are greatly
I'm pity and discretion Are
hey not unreasonable to complain Of
.nvy after having done everything to
provoke 1t?
But the greatest lack Is that want Of
which leads men to ground
heir pride In their fortune. To begin
With, II II a childish confusion Of
hought TO consider wealth as a person
II quality. II would be hard to md
more ingenious fashion OF 6eceiving
,neseif as TO the relative value Of the
,ontainer and the thing contained.
ave no wish to dwell on this question.
( II too painful And yet one cannot