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Americans who have travelled and have seen their compatriot in his
social relations with foreigners； will agree with this； reluctant
as I am to acknowledge it。
That a sister and brother brought up together； under the same
influences； should later differ to this extent seems incredible。
It is just this that convinces me we have made a false start as
regards the education and ambitions of our young men。
To find the reasons one has only to glance back at our past。 After
the struggle that insured our existence as a united nation； came a
period of great prosperity。 When both seemed secure； we did not
pause and take breath； as it were； before entering a new epoch of
development； but dashed ahead on the old lines。 It is here that we
got on the wrong road。 Naturally enough too； for our peculiar
position on this continent； far away from the centres of
cultivation and art； surrounded only by less successful states with
which to compare ourselves； has led us into forming erroneous ideas
as to the proportions of things； causing us to exaggerate the value
of material prosperity and undervalue matters of infinitely greater
importance； which have been neglected in consequence。
A man who； after fighting through our late war； had succeeded in
amassing a fortune； naturally wished his son to follow him on the
only road in which it had ever occurred to him that success was of
any importance。 So beyond giving the boy a college education；
which he had not enjoyed； his ambition rarely went； his idea being
to make a practical business man of him； or a lawyer； that he could
keep the estate together more intelligently。 In thousands of
cases； of course； individual taste and bent over…ruled this
influence； and a career of science or art was chosen； but in the
mass of the American people； it was firmly implanted that the
pursuit of wealth was the only occupation to which a reasonable
human being could devote himself。 A young man who was not in some
way engaged in increasing his income was looked upon as a very
undesirable member of society； and sure； sooner or later； to come
to harm。
Millionaires declined to send their sons to college； saying they
would get ideas there that would unfit them for business； to
Paterfamilias the one object of life。 Under such fostering
influences； the ambitions in our country have gradually given way
to money standards and the false start has been made！ Leaving
aside at once the question of money in its relation to our politics
（although it would be a fruitful subject for moralizing）； and
confining ourselves strictly to the social side of life； we soon
see the results of this mammon worship。
In England （although Englishmen have been contemptuously called the
shop…keepers of the world） the extension and maintenance of their
vast empire is the mainspring which keeps the great machine in
movement。 And one sees tens of thousands of well…born and
delicately…bred men cheerfully entering the many branches of public
service where the hope of wealth can never come； and retiring on
pensions or half…pay in the strength of their middle age；
apparently without a regret or a thought beyond their country's
well…being。
In France； where the passionate love of their own land has made
colonial extension impossible； the modern Frenchman of education is
more interested in the yearly exhibition at the SALON or in a
successful play at the FRANCAIS； than in the stock markets of the
world。
Would that our young men had either of these bents！ They have
copied from England a certain love of sport； without the English
climate or the calm of country and garrison life； to make these
sports logical and necessary。 As the young American millionaire
thinks he must go on increasing his fortune； we see the anomaly of
a man working through a summer's day in Wall Street； then dashing
in a train to some suburban club； and appearing a half…hour later
on the polo field。 Next to wealth； sport has become the ambition
of the wealthy classes； and has grown so into our college life that
the number of students in the freshman class of our great
universities is seriously influenced by that institution's losses
or gains at football。
What is the result of all this？ A young man starts in life with
the firm intention of making a great deal of money。 If he has any
time left from that occupation he will devote it to sport。 Later
in life； when he has leisure and travels； or is otherwise thrown
with cultivated strangers； he must naturally be at a disadvantage。
〃Shop；〃 he cannot talk； he knows that is vulgar。 Music； art； the
drama； and literature are closed books to him； in spite of the fact
that he may have a box on the grand tier at the opera and a couple
of dozen high…priced 〃masterpieces〃 hanging around his drawing…
rooms。 If he is of a finer clay than the general run of his class；
he will realize dimly that somehow the goal has been missed in his
life race。 His chase after the material has left him so little
time to cultivate the ideal； that he has prepared himself a sad and
aimless old age； unless he can find pleasure in doing as did a man
I have been told about； who； receiving half a dozen millions from
his father's estate； conceived the noble idea of increasing them so
that he might leave to each of his four children as much as he had
himself received。 With the strictest economy； and by suppressing
out of his life and that of his children all amusements and
superfluous outlay； he has succeeded now for many years in living
on the income of his income。 Time will never hang heavy on this
Harpagon's hands。 He is a perfectly happy individual； but his
conversation is hardly of a kind to attract； and it may be doubted
if the rest of the family are as much to be envied。
An artist who had lived many years of his life in Paris and London
was speaking the other day of a curious phase he had remarked in
our American life。 He had been accustomed over there to have his
studio the meeting…place of friends； who would drop in to smoke and
lounge away an hour； chatting as he worked。 To his astonishment；
he tells me that since he has been in New York not one of the many
men he knows has ever passed an hour in his rooms。 Is not that a
significant fact？ Another remark which points its own moral was
repeated to me recently。 A foreigner visiting here； to whom
American friends were showing the sights of our city； exclaimed at
last： 〃You have not pointed out to me any celebrities except
millionaires。 'Do you see that man？ he is worth ten millions。
Look at that house！ it cost one million dollars； and there are
pictures in it worth over three million dollars。 That trotter cost
one hundred thousand dollars；' etc。〃 Was he not right？ And does
it not give my reader a shudder to see in black and white the
phrases that are