Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07
Sunday Morning Talk
Enough is Enough

That Chicago man, who was heralded
f.r a,d wide not long ago as having re-
tired from, husiness in early middle life be-
canse he had made all the money lie need
ed is sufficiently distinct from the average
run of business men as to make his action
well worthy of comment. And when he for
mulated his rough-and-ready philosophy OF
h.e in three sentences, Enough il enough
More than enough is too much. 100
much is useless" he made genuine al
dition to the maxms that should govern
commercial life Would that all young mon
entering business would keep in sight some
where about their offices these sententious
remarks!
For not many men engaged IN the strus-
gle for a fortune have yet grasped the Idea
that enough is enough 1 asked New York
broker, already more than millionaire,
why he was SO eager to add to his pile. He
turned on me rather sharply and said: you
want to make a success In your profession,
don't Won? Why shouldn't l strain every
me-, to succeed in my calling? So he CON
tinues to play the game vigorously ana quite
likely he will in due time, pe III tne ,f nu.t,
dred million dollar class. but for the lie OF
me I cannot see why he needs or how he
can wisely use on himself and his ramIy
much more than he possesses now. L IKE
better the attitude of an old college mate
who told me frankly the other day that ne
and his wife had come to the CONCLUSION
that they had about all the money they
wanted or that was good Tor thenh 1,, 10 pas
on to their children. So he is pulling OUT
of business and giving himself largely 10
social settlement work.
One likes to let the fancy roam over the
limitless opportunities for growth and hap
piness and service available to the business
man who has come to understand that
enough is enough" He can do so much
with his life If he will, when he has more
l1ie will ia a
does nothing more than to put MS &C
quisitive faculties at work In other neios
and realms. He can collect rare DOCKS ana
read them. He can travel. He can master
some science or art or industry. II he mao
waited to cultivate himself until he had
made a few millions more, he might have
killed within him the capacity Tor ENJOYING
books and music and art and nature ana
friendship.
But he will be doing even better II he
utilize the power his wealth and freedom
from business cares afford for some
worthy unselfish. end. Plenty OF good
causes lag because they lack the backing OF
men of this type. They can do SO much. II
they only will, toward purifying municipal
government, toward easing the strain be-
tween capital and labor. toward bringing in
the better day for all who are unfortunate
and oppressed. Oh, yes, there is plenty of
good work for the leisure millionaire class.
But let us people of average means take
to heart our text, Enough is enough.
Most Of US are just as avaricious as are the
wealthy. The covetouS man according to
Scripture is not the man who wants much
but the man who wants more. We all need
instruction as to when we have had enough
Human nature, when unrestrained, tends
to extravaganza and excess. Even the
sweetest children will be piggish in the
presence of goodies, unless parent or gov
erness is watching. Most of greatly over
estimate our real needs. We incline to over
doses when we ought to realize that too
much Is useless"
An ancient writer once exhorted COM
pany of men and women whom he was try
ing to lift into a nobler life in these terms:
Having food and raiment let us be there
with content" Literally interpreted, he
meant that If the substantial necessaries of
life are at hand we ought not to get into
fever over the frills. When we realize
that we have enough Of this worlds goods
we shall be all the freer to pursue heavenly
treasure, of which we can never have too
much. THE PARSON.