Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1909 — Money and Happiness Are Not Synonymous. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Money and Happiness Are Not Synonymous.

By JOHN BURROUGHS.

Naturalist.

DO 1 not believe in the doctrine that if you want to a y ’ ’ make your wife happy all you have to do is to give I JI her plenty of money. Ido not believe that possession * <> of money and happiness are synonymous. Women ! I want LOVE FIRST OF ALL if they are provided ♦❖♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ with the right instincts. The great problem of today is the making of money. It is unquestionably the occupation that engages the minds of the vast majority of people. But, from what I have seen of life and those leading it, WHEN ONE HAS OBTAINED A COMPETENCY MONEY IS SUPERFLUOUS, just like an excess of what is not needed to round out the figure and give it a handsome appearance. PILING UP WEALTH THEN BECOMES LIKE PILING ON FLESH AND GREATLY HINDERS THE ENJOYMENT OF THE BEST THINGS OF THIB LIFE. at at at I know millionaires and know VERY FEW HAPPY ONES. True, Mr. Carnegie seems to be an exception because he is different from many other rich men. He is trying to get rid of his money,’ and he takes a keen delight in doing good with it. But even when one disposes of wealth, if there is the consciousness that in acquiring it the weaker creatures have been overcome and saddened, I think there must be a TINGE OF REGRET in helping others with this very fruit that has been obtained at such cost. MONEY, OF COURSE, IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE COMFORTS OF EXISTENCE, BUT CULTURED PEOPLE—I SAY CULTURED PEOPLE, MIND YOU—CAN DOUBTLESS BE CONTENTED WITH BOOKS WHEN THEY CANNOT BUY AUTOMOBILES.