Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-05-11

SO when we encounter man Mt once
rich and simple-that is to shy, who
considers his wealth as n means OF full.
filling his mission In the world--we
should offer him our homage, for he IL
surely mark worthy. lie has sur
mounted obstacles borne trials and tri-
umphed In temptations, both gross and
subtle He does not fail to discrimi-
nate between tho contents of his peck
etbook and the contents of his head or
heart, and he does not estimate his
fellow men In figures. His exceptional
position, instead Of exalting him,
makes him humble, for he Is very SEN
sible OF how fur he falls short OF reach
ing the level OF his duty. He has re-
malned man. That says T. all He
In accessible, helpful and far from
making OF his wealth barrier to sep
arnte him from other men, he makes 1t
means for coming nearer and nearer
to them. Although the profession OF
riches has been 80 dishonored by the
selfish and the proud such man as
this always makes his worth felt by
every one not devoid OF sense OF JUS
tlce. Each of us who comes In contact
with him and sees him live IL forced to
look within and ask himself the ques-
tion, what would become of me In
such n situation should | keep this
modesty, this nnturaness, this upright
ness which uses Its own as though Il
belonged to others" SO long as there
Ia human society In the world, so long
rs there are bitterly conflicting inter
ests, 10 long ns envy and egolsm exist
on the earth, nothing will be worthier
of honor than wealth permeatcd by the
spirit of simplicity. And II will do
more than make itself forgiven; II will
make itself beloved.
More dangerous than pride inspired
by wealth Is that inspired by power,
and mean by the word every preroga-
tive that one man has over another, be
Ii unlimited or restricted. | see no
means of preventing the existence In
the world of men of unequal authority.
Every organism supposes u hierarchy
OF powers; we shall never escape from
that law. But | fear that If the love
of power Is 80 widespread the spirit OF
power Is almost impossible to find.
From wrong understanding and mis-
use of 1t those who keep even n frac-
ton of authority almost everywhere
succeed In compromising II.
Power exercises great influence
over him who holds II, A head must
be very well balanced not to be dis
turbcd by ii, The sort of dcmentia
which took possession OF the Roman
emperors IN the time OF their world
wide rule Is n universal mnlady whose
symptoms belong TO MI times. In ev-
cry man there sleeps tyrant, await
ing only II favorable occasion for wax
ing. Now, the tyrant Is the worst en-
envy Of authority. because he furnishes
us its intolernble cariCature, whence
come multitude of social complica-
tions, collisions and hatrcds. Every
man who says to those dependent on
him, 40 this because II Is my will and
pleasure" does Ill. There Is within
each one of lis something that invites
us to resist personal power, and this
something Is very respectable, for ut
bottom we are equal, and there IL no
one who has the right to exact ohedi-
encc from me because he Is he and
ann !. IL he does SO his command de-
grades me- and have no right 10 sut
fer myself TO be degraded.
One must have lived in schools, IN
workshops, iii the army, In government
offices, he must have closely followed
the relations between masters and
servants, have observed little every
where where the supremacy of man
exercises itself over man. to form any
idea of the injury done Ivy those who
use power arrogantly. OF every free
soul they make slave soul which is
to say the soul Of rebel. And ii ap.
pears that this result. With its social
disaster, is most certain when lie who
commands Is least removed from the
station of him who obeys. The most
! implacahle tyrant is the tyraut himself
under authority. Forcmcn and over.
seers put moro violence into their deal
ings than superintendent and employ
ers, The corporal Il generally harsher