Arizona republican., 1916-02-03
WHAT |SlEAD|NC IDEAL IN L|FE
 OF AMERICANS?

Uf RlW[nIUhW11j | Opinions may differ materially as to what is the leading motive in the 1 life of tie average American and what the leading ideal. We have been charged with being nation of ma terialists, bent on getting money, get ! ting money all the time and all we i can of it-not to save particularly but l to spend Our aim is not to save more, but to earn more. If we can nOc have what we want we do not do without, but work harder for it. We believe in gauging our pleasures by : the cost and not the satisfaction we get out of them. When we make mp our minds that we have been foolish and frittered away our possessions. we try 70 recoup, not by spending less, but hy earning more.
 It must le admitted that we can, as a people, make money. We can save only small part in comparison with other l.ations. but we do have the i knack of getting it. The salaries paid our officials and leading business men would make some European princes envious, and the wages of American Workmcn have attracted hOards of Flu ropean laborers to our shores.
 No one denies that we make money, hut is that the leading motive in American life? The questions: What in your opinion are the leading ideals of the men with whom you associate?" and What do you consider to be the chief points of weakness in American life?" were put to about one hundred leading men-lawyers, bankers editors. business men, farmers, scientists and others, and the replies show that forty-siX consider service to ones fellows to be the leading ideal, while twenty eight think the making of money for selfish enjoyment or per sonal power is the leading motive.
 A Wall street financier and vice president of large trust company said
 I think that the leading ideals of the men with whom I associate are in general the ethics of Wall Street ? where a mans word is of greater value than anywhere else in the coun- try. I feel, too, that their attitude has become much less provincial than heretofore, and that often the good of the country, the state, and business ct large is considered by them more tlan individual profit" A prominent magazine editor re- rlied:
 Our ideals are:
 Honesty and integrity Intellectual achievement Beauty in art and music as so- lace in life
 Domestic happiness
 Congressman had this to say:
 ''Extravaga gance in living. Most Americans prefer to spend money rather than not to spend it, and therefore very many spend money foolishly and upon things which were better not purchased.
 The feeling that what we do ought to meet the approval of other nations. for example, rather than our own ap- proval. This is because as a nation and as individuals we are still rather ! more~vain than proud" Boston banker wrote:
 "The passion for getting on,' with accompanying failure to see what one is getting on toward.
 Pride in power and in the owner . ship of things. Too great reliance on the finality of material
 The lust for spending and having others know that one spends"
 A religious director of 6,0O0 univer- sity students answered:
 One weakness is that of indul- gence. Our life is crammed these days with opportunities for felaxing the picture show, the ball game, the theater, the novel; and the canoe grip the lives of great many and absorb their best energies
 bank examiner gave this list:
 'Materialistic tendencies.
 Striving for effect at the expense of any or all ideals
 Lack of simplicity.
 Lack of serious application to pre- sent or future problems
 Loss of early ideals through the breaking up of what fornierly consti tuted home life
 Lack of interest in religious thought
 The president of one of the largest life insurance companies answered:
 ''In business
 "To succeed. Success means more than mere money; it means the power to advance methods and thereby ben eft others.
 Socially
 An utter contempt for society as that word is usually applied No es- pecial program that does not aim di- rectly at intellectual quickening and social betterment"
 Will you have cherry or an olive in your cocktail, major?" asked the host.