The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-03-11

unemployment, lack of confidence, business fail
ures, and hard times. These were the last things
that anybody wanted. The most we can say is
that there has been general lack Of judgment
SO widespread as to involve practically the whole
country
We have found out that we were not so big
as we thought we were. We were riding too high
We shall have to keep nearer the ground. We
may not feel so elated but we shall be much safer
Economic well-beng is very important, but
perhaps it is not so important as we thought 1t
was. If it is used as it ought to be, to minister
to spiritual well-being, we cannot have too much
of it, But If 1t is made a vehicle for stimulating
greed and selfishness, deness and ignorance.
extravaganza and waste destructive alike to
body and SOUL it defeats itself and vanshes,
until, through adversely, we can learn to make
a better use of prosperity.
The development of the real character OF men
and women can go on in bad times as well as in
good times After ALL that is the important thing.
Neither the world at large nor our own most
favored nation is going to discover some miracu-
lous formula which, all at once, will remove the
possibility Of hardship want and deprivation
from the human race With all the power of
mass production, we are long way from uni
versal luxury. But in the United States we
have approached the line of universal convent
ence Our system has produced distribution
of wealth that those having incomes of five
thousand dollars or less, according to the latest
available records are said to receive 81 per
cent of the total national income. If they were
given in addition, the entire income of all those
who receive more the increase would be only
about seven hundred dollars. Great as our re-
sources are, they have distinct limitation.
There is not wealth enough in our country to
take care of our people without the ablest pos
sible management and the hardest KIND OF work
on the part of all of us.
There is no government in the world that can
remove this burden from its inhabitants.
o.
Under the pressure Of events there are some
who have become sullen and resentfu. They
are inclined to refuse to make an effort to pay
their taxes and their interest. II they earn
anything, they propose to spend 1t. They have
lost faith in the standards by which they have
lived.
Such people have made a great mistake They
have been born into the wrong universe for
them. They belong in some place where there
are no risks to be faced, where a backbone
would be considered excess baggage where
courage and perseverance, effort and self-denial
industry and thrift are not virtues in them
selves, to be cultivated for their own sakes.
The absurdity of this position is revealed by
considering what would result if everybody else
adopted the same attitude.
There is no power than can guarantee us eco
nonaic security. We think we want relief from
toll and worry forgetful that all our real salts
factions are in our achievements
If we will but make the effort to develop
them, If we will apply ourselves faithfully to
our tasks, we shall all find we have powers we
did not know we possessed
We shall come nearest to achieving our own
economic security by the practice of the old
fashioned, homely virtues of industry and thrift;
of buying few things we nApay for ratIer
than many which leave us loaded with danger
GUS debts we can never pay; of small savings
securely invested at moderate returns. rather
than spectacular financial performances.
The best recipe for financial security is to live
within our means. This is our ancient faith. We
have found nothing better.
If we should undertake to put into operation
any scheme based on the assumption that the
world owes all of us a living we would soon
find the world was bankrupt If we try to adopt
some plan that will eliminate the changes and
risks of life, we are likely to find that reverses
will come just the same. We shall be better off
If we work on the old standard that we owe a
duty to the world to earn our own living and
instead of supposing we abolish reverses, pre-
pairing to meet them. Under this homely. safe.
and seasoned system we shall probably find we
have the best chance of taking care Of ourselves
anc securing the greatest distribution of wealth
Worid Copyright, 1882. by Calvin Coolidge.
All Rights Reseryedl