The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-05-22
ARIsTocRAcY :
OF ACHIEVEMENT

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From "The Goldfish" published
anonymously by the Century Com:
pany: 1t is a fine thing to assert
that here in America we have "out Of
a democracy of opportunity" created
an arlstocracy of achievement" The
phrase is stimulating and perhaps
truly expresses the spirit Of our ener-
get1c and ambitious country; but an
a~r1stocraC. Of achievement is truly
only when the achievements are fine.
What are the achievements that win
applause, for which we bestow our
decorations in America? Do we honor
most the men who truly serve their
generation and their country? Or do
we taWn' rather, on those who merely
serve themselves?
1t is a matter of pride with US
frequently expressed in disbursement
OF our European contemporaries-that
we are a nation of workers; that to
hold any position in the community
every man must have a job or other
wise lose caste; that we tolerate no
loaflnS. We do not conceal our con-
tempt for the chap who fails to go
down every day to the office or bust
ness. Otten, OF course, our o~stenta-
tlous workers go down, but do very
little work. We feel somehow that
every man owes 1t to the community
to put in from six to ten hours time
below the residential district.
Young men who have inherited
wealth are as chary of losing one hour
as their clerks. The busy millionaire
sits at his desk all day-his ear to the
telephone. We assume that these men
are useful because they are busy; but
in what does their usefulness consist?
what arc they busy about? They are
setting al. example of mere industry,
rerhaps-but to what end? Simply in
seven cases out OF ten, in order to get
q few dollars or a few millions more
than they have already. Their exer-
tions have no result except to enable
their families to live in even greater
luxury.
l know at least fifty men, fathers of
families. whose homes might radiate
kindness and sympathy and set an
example of wise, generous and broad
minded living, who, already rich be-
yond thei' needs, rush downtown be-
fore heir children have zone to school,,
pass. hectic, E~erve-racking days in the
amassing of more money, and return
after their little ones have gone to bed,
too utterly exhausted to take the
slightest interest in what their wives
have been doing or in the pleasure and
welfare Of their friends.
These men doubtless give literally
10 CHdFlty, Out tney CIV lmperSOnally.
hot generously. they r in reality ut
terly selfish. engrossed in the enthrall-
ing game Of becoming successful or
more successful men. sacrificing their
homes, their families and their health
for what" Tt get on; to better their
losition, to push in among others who,
simply pecars they have outstripped
the rest in the matter of filling their
pockets, are hailed with reclamation,
1t is pathetic to see intelligent, cap
able men bending their energies not to
leading wholesome, we'll rounded,
serviceablc !tves but to gaining a slen-
der foothCld among those who are far
less worthy Cf emulation than them
selves and with whom they have moth
ing whatsoever in common except a
despicable ambition to display their
wealth and to demonstrate that they
have social position.
In what We call the Old World a
mans social POSITION is a matter. of
fixed Observation-Disclosures is to say, his
rresumptive ability and qualifications
10 amuse n be amused; to hunt, fish
and shoot; TO ride, dance. and make.
himself generally agreeable = are
the premise that what is known as
society exists simply for the purpose
Of enabling people to have good time,
there is far more reason to suppose
that one who has come to a family
which hac, made a specially of this
pursuit for several hundred years Is
better endowed by nature for that pur-
pose tina who has made q million