Far off in the distance shines the goal of present human ambition.
It is a shining, golden light. Toward that light the millions struggle, trampling each other, sacrificing everything in the harsh fight for the dollar.
Here and there a preacher thunders, here and there a philosopher proses against the money struggle. But they might as well whisper at the brink of Niagara. And often the preacher changes his thundering when a RICH church calls him, often the philosopher grasps the first chance to forget philosophy in Wall Street.
The men admired to-day are the men who have made millions—some are admired because they find excitement in giving the millions away, others because they silently pile more millions upon the others already gained.
"Society," the class devoted to pleasure, consists now, in
America, of those who have much money.
Literary success depends upon the money which the writer accumulates.
The man talked about is he who has SOLD a hundred thousand books.
The rich boy at school is followed by toadies. In college he learns contempt for human nature from the sycophancy of others.
"Representatives" of the People may be found dogging the footsteps of those who need to buy laws, or to steal the people's rights. ——
It is a fierce and remorseless climb up the steep road to wealth.