The Penn's Grove record., 1911-08-25
Money
By DR.. Frank Crane

Since the dawn or preaching we
preachers have been threatening rich
men with our right fst-and extend
ing to them our left palm. 1t is hard
ly to be wondered at that we find diff
ficulty in being taken seriously.
And our advice has been so confus-
ing that we have not had much effect.
For now we exhort the youth to all
the virtues, giving as an inducement
the assurance that thus they will be
enabled to get on; and now again we
turn to those that have gotten on and
warn them Of the danger of riches. 1t
might as well be asked. If riches be
dangerous, why acquire them; and II
virtues lead to riches, are they really
worth cultivating?
1t may be well, therefore, to set
down a few common sense facts In re
riches and the relation of the same to
the moral values.
In the first place, money is simply
the token OF sign of our common hum
an wants. 1t means power, power
over others, power to make u per-
sonality felt. No wonder we want it.
Again it means liberty. Poverty is
a curse. It ties the hands. 1t binds
the mind. 1t narrows the soul. One
who has to sweat ten hours a day for
bread has no time nor strength left
70 develop the higher part of himself.
Money means also a full life. We
can crafty our cravings, whether they
be for beer or art, for Paris gowns or
Wagner music. With money we have
a chance to grow; without 1t we are
stunted.
Money, therefore, is simply concen-
trated-we might say canned-human
value.
1t naturally follows that 1t is good
or bad. never of itself, but only as Civ
ing opportunity to its possessor. Here,
then, we have the moral gist of the
whole matter: money is simply-op-
portunity.
1t unlocks the door and bids the
cramped and chatting passion go and
do its will. It liberates desire. Hence
it simply emphasizes a man. If he Is
good he can now be better, having
more scope; If bad he can, and prob
ably will, be worse. If idle and use
less, he becomes a living fountain OF
idleness and u~selessness, poisoning
others.
So, money is like any other gift; as
beauty, which adds power to the per
son: or genius, which multiplies the
efficiency of the mind and hand; OF
position. for kinship magni1es a com.
mon man to heroic proportions. in his
influence on other men.
Now, the sole relation of morals tc
power OF any kind is this: that the
moral sense adds to power-responsi
bility.
The root of any genuine moral feel
ing Is altruism. Given any desire, II
becomes moral as it takes a direction
toward the welfare of other people;
1t is immoral exactly in proportion as
1t d%isregards others and looks only to
self.
Wicked people. therefore. are those
who live, think, and do for self alone;
and that whether poor or rich. Who
ever says, 81 would like to be rich,
for I could do SO much good with my
money" should examine himself and
ask what good he is doing with the
little he has. It's all a matter Of re-
lation. If one is not helpful and lib
eral on $40 a month, he would not be
so on $4,000 a month.
In the ultimate realm of morals
there are no commandments; there is
only one test-do I live for myself or
for others; am l altruistic or egocen-
trio.
The dawdling smart set, fitting
from bridge to matinee. from theater
to bedizened restaurant, from the club
to the horse race, are wicked; but no
wickeder than the better poor who
want to lead such a life, and who
curse their lot because their selfish
ness is bound and chained.
To the real man, therefore, riches
means nothing at all, as to his char
acter; it simply al IN opening to
give rent to his character. And a
cleareyed soul, that sees and realizes
what responsibility means, is never
eager for power and opportunity. 1t is
easier to be good in moderate means
than In riches for the principal reason
that it is easier to bear a small than
a great load of responsibility. ut Is
hard for a rich man to enter the king
dom Of heaven" just because a rich
man to be moral must be great And.
unfortunately, great souls are scare
among great fortunes.
The greatness of Jesus was not In
his wisdom, magnetism, nor ethical
perception, but in the fact that he was
utterly altruistic; that is. he used all
his powers not to advance himself but
to help others. His tormentors IN
Willingly told the truth. and stated un-
knowingly his yer secret. when, as he
hung on the cross. they wagged their
heads at him and cried:
He saved others; himself he IAN
not savei"