Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-01-29

In these days of luxuries. when men
think more about the 'simpIe' Injuries
than they do about their future we are
always led to refer back to the writings
of poor Richard" on the occasion of
the birthday of benjamin Franklin.
If Americans would deprive themselves
of tenth part of the unnecessary lux
uries and INVEST the money so saved,
il would mean more by far than all the
good of social security and old age taxes.
Social security, we have already realized,
means little or nothing to the average
man. 1t will not care for him in his
old age, contrary to the popular impress
sion. The pittance that VIII be paid 10
the average wage owner and the average
saIaried man will not provide old age
security, as we once hoped. The reason
is that SAVINGS ALONE ARE NOT
SUFFICIENT.
1t was George Reynolds, Chicago bank
er, who declared:
Nobody can make fortune by saw
ing money from salary, or from wages"
BY the same token, none can expect
the contribution of few cents a few
dollars each month to social security
funds will give an adequate income TO
a man over 05 years old. II those
savings could be PUT TO WORK, it
would mean something to tile contributor
but when they lay idle. or virtually so,
in government bonds, they will not ac-
cOmplish the purpose desired.
BENJAMIN Franklin gave the whole for
mula when he said:
money MAKES MONEY AND THE
MONEY THAT MONEY MAKES, MAKES
MORE MONEY"
There is no argument on this point.
Savings alone are useless If they are
not put to work.
what can a man do with his money!"
demands an investor who concludes that
the stock market is the only place for
the individual to make money. To him
we answer:
PUT it in the ground"
BY that phrase, we advise that the
money be invested in NATURAL RE-
SOURCES-in property which can not be
wiped out by stock market manipulation
Were benjamin Franklin alive today,
we believe that he would be an investor
I'm oil royalties. The man who VIII in
vest a little common sense along with
his money, can make money in rOgalCes.
The millions of dollars paid to royalty
owners in Montana during good times
and bad times Is best evidence OF the
fact. Getting back to Benjamin Frank
lin. whom every American must admire,
we recall his narration of the attendance
OF Poor Richard at a sale, which might
have occurred In our present times:
The hour of the sale not being come,
they were cOnversing on the badness
of the times; and one of the. company
called to a plain, clean old man with
white locks. s'Pray, Father Abraham, what
think Won of the times? Won't these
heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How
shall we ever be able to pay them? What
would you advise us to do?"
Father Abraham stood up and re-
piled: 'If you would have my advice,
/ will give you in short; FOR WOfsD
TO THE WISE is ENOUGH, and MANY
WORDS WON'T FILL BUSHEL, as
Poor Richard says" They all joined,
desiring him to speak his mind, ana
gathering round him he proceeded as
folIOws:-
Friends. says he, and neighbors. the
taxes are indeed very heavy, and If those
laid on by the government were the
only ones we had TO pay, we might tine
more easily discharge them; but we
have many others, and much more grew
ious TO some of us. We are taxed twice
as much by our DLENESS, three times
as much by our PRIDE and four times
as much by our FOLLY; and from these
taxes the commissioners cannot ease OF
deliver us, by allowing an abaCemen..
However, let us llearken to good adVice
and something may be done Tor us;
GOD HELPS THEM THAT HEAhs
THEMSELVES, as Poor Richard says IN
his Almanac of 1888.
IL would be thought a hard govern
ment that should tax its people one
tenth part of their TINE. to be eTnpicyed
in its service, but idleness taxes many
of ms much more, If we reckon all tnae
Is spent In absolute slOth, or doing Oh
nothing. with that which Is spent IN 1uie
emDIoyments or amusements that n
mount to nothing. SlOth, by bringing
ON diseases, absolutely shortens ne'
SIOTH MAKES ALL THINGS DltF1-
CULT. BUT INDUSTRY ALL THINGS
EASY, as Poor Richard says; and hE
~ II.