The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-04-20
Humbugged by Our
\ Own Cupidity.
XY IE ARE more often deceived
\N/ by our own cupidity than
Y from any other cause.

barQum, Cn0 snowman, is
credited with having said, "The Amer
ican people liked to be humbugged."
While this is virtually true l see no
reason for the application being re-
stricted to any certain nationality. 1t
may be, and probably is, that Ameri-
cans are more frequently the victims
of designing persons than any other
people from the fact that wealth is
easier to acquire and is more evenly
distributed in this than most coun-
tries, thereby permitting risks that
much impunity.
Human nature is pretty much the
same the world over. There is vein
of greed, or desire to get something
for nothing, more or less pronounced
in all of u.s. We liketp be humbugged
or deceived when the imposition or
deception is of a hattering nature.
What we do not like is being unde-
ceived Deception, like intoxicatIon,
is pleasant enough while it lasts, but
when dispelled the sensations are of an
extremely disagreeable nature.
A man may be Happy in the posses
sion of what he believes to he gold
brick, but how quickly that happiness
vanishes when he discovers that said
brick is composed of a base metal that
is comparatively valueless. Therefore
we may be made happy in degree by
deception, the duration of which de-
pends on the space of time that
elapse before we begin to know the
truth
If we were always wiling to give a
fair price for the things we desire the
chances of our being defrauded or
hum5ugged would be materially less
ened. AS long as people have an over
mastering desire to create wealth or
secure privileges, pleasures and other
self-satisfying objects without being
willing to pay reasonable price for
them; they will be the victims of some
bunco game sooner or later. For
those who have regard for morality
they should pause and consider the
legitimacy of any venture which prom
ises greater reward than is earned by
ordinary pursuits. We must bear in
mind the fact that when one party re-
ceives advantages or emoluments
in excess of the services rendered or
price paid for them, some other party
is being correspondingly defrauded.
: Everything of any value has price
and if it is obtained without paying
. that price some one is being deprived
II of their just dues.
/ There is no class that is entirely i'm
| mune from humbugs in some form or
e other. 1t may not be possible to de.
!, ceive the astute business man OF
Q skilled financier by the methods com.
o monty practiced to catch the masses
but they may be, and as we we'll know
q sometimes are, duped la Chadwick
Q or otherwise. It would be we'll for al
Q honest people, and those who like tG
J. be thought of as honest, to exercise moi
n only judicious care in their specula
b tive dealings, but make firm resolve
d and stick to it-that they will no
n seek benefits for which they are un
It willing to pay price in proportion t,
what they are worth. If this principle
k was universally practiced it woult
t, have a wholesome moral effect. Th
N incentive would be destroyed for de
o. vising evil and illusionary get-rich
Il quick schemes and other fraudulen
a enterprises, and those who now thriv
,e on the cupidity of others would b