The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-22

which had shocked, the country. Insuf.
ance conditions and municipal abuses
in New York. Philadelphia. st. Louis
and Minneapolis were mentioned, but
it was pointed out that prompt remedial
steps following various exposures indi-
righteousness. Commenting on the
anomalous characters Of men who
guarded their private regulations zeal
ously, but who, in the interests of cor
porations or trusts. would employ
''every vallainy damned in the deea-
! log,' DIR. 'Northrop proceeded: .-...-
1t is sad mistake to trade character, fog
money. There comes to at this moment
the vision of half-dGzen men in various cities
who for long time were most popular. trusted
implicitly by everyone, and believed to be
absolutely Incapable of doing ANYTHING dishon.
est, whose lives have been blasted and the
remnant of whose lives will be passed in prison.
because in their eagerness for money and its
attendant influence they have for long time
/ been doing just what everybody supposed they
had too much principle to do. AS they look
back at their career and realize their present
situation, l wonder if they think it is good
business proposition to trade character for
money.
I fear that the home training of our boys
is not what it ought to be, and that the strain
| ing after a luxurious or snowy life the part
of parents sets bad example before the chill
dren and makes them feel that the great object
! of life is to get money How much better for
us all to be satisfied with simple life. How
much better to try to make as much as We
can of ourselves intellectually and spiritually
i rather than to get much can of ma
ter1al wealth And how much better for our
children to see us cOntented with comfort and
improving in character, rather than striving by
honest and dishonest means to become more
wealthy than our neighbors. Let all resume
our common sense and try TO live for what
makes life worth Lying.
Expressing a high appreciation for
the work of the public school. DIR.
Northrop said he would still willingly
sacrifice part of the educational work
if thereby more work could be done in
the training of character. The immense
fortunes of the present day We're a
menace to national welfare because Of
the manner Of their accumulation and
the royal public gifts of millionaires
could not offset the apprehension Gre
ated by their money-getting methods.
The very lavishness Of their gifts was
a menace in itself as creating feeling
of discomfort among those restricted to
honest wage earning. Such prodigallty
would present a terrible temptation to
:! the young man to regard others money
in his hands as his own and to enter
the preearious and dangerous field Of
frenA1ed finance.
As : to the lesson in all this. the
speaker said:
lue o1uple Lille.
There is Nc better life than the simple life.
A must usually be content with a simple
:; life If he gets nothing which he does not earn.
And unless is content with simple
life, he cannot have any more dangerous in.
citement 10 of the many forms of dis
honesty than the spectacle of men making none,
SO easily that they afford to give away
, these tens of millions year after year without
feeling 1t.
The whole situation today is unhealthy. and
the plutocrats who add millions to millions b!
combinations and denominations, every new
combination being attended with the injection
into the corporation Of many millions of wa
tered stock, upon which the rest of the world
is Obliged in one way another to pay al
income. are doing what is grossly unjust, and
t, are setting example before the young peopI,
of our country the influence of which upol
= our nat ional morals must he deadly canoe
e or leprosy would be to our bodily health.
We may be able to stand it to be robbed
: but cannot stand it 10 have our boys In
( cited to become robbers.
r My hope for the future Of our country rest
l. in no small degree upon the farmers of III
f land, and l hope that no questions Of mer
s party success of sectional interests will eve
= be permitted TO so divide the farms into or
= posing factions that they cannot present
solid front against all the schemes Of dishonest
5 and injustice by which the people as a Who'll
d shall be robbed for the benefit of q few. an
e against all forms Of corruption in nationa
( state or local governments ny which the mora
health of the body polite may be threatened.