Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-13
"BusiNEss MANI RESPONDS.

CUISINES MANI RESPONDS.
AND i'm a Mild Way era his
Views, While II eEretting the Con-
clusIon of the League Not to Accept
his Suggestion.
TO the Press and Ddkotdtds.
Ipreceive that l have aroused retorts
somewhat heated by my plea for pesce
and good will among the good men and
the bad men OF Yankton and by my sug-
gestlons in behalf of business unity.
1t ls not always possible for people to
agree in their views, and the differences
of opinions brought out by this cores
~pondence arc perhaps but the proftless
repetition OF human experiences in the
past of our lives and IN the lives of gem
erations before US. 1 have
no desire to differ violently with
my fellow citizens, but sometimes l
must exercise the right of differing
firmly and steadfastly. In this instance
it is not-surprising that 1 should DIS
agree with the gentlemen Tor ladies' who
have responded to my previous remarks,
or that they should disagree with me
They are contending fora high moral
principle aud L am %contending for a
sublime business principle. If the two
could be harmonized the irritation of
the moment would pass and the wrath
of the moralist would bow in obesiance
to the better tempered logic of the
sordid commerciallst. / am trying only
to separate the one from the other-to
point ont the distinction which must
and does and always will
exist between commercial Efforts and
efforts for the moral reformation Of
mankind.
There is little affinity bstween the
forces which strive in these separate
channels, and it is better for both mora
lity and business that they should run
apart and interfere az little as possible
with each other. I never knew a dyed
in the wool reformer who was worth
much as u business pusher and 1 never
knew q chronic business rustler who
cared to cope with the great problems
OF moral reformation.
There are men of excellent intentions
who dabble a little in both and fail to
accomplish much in either. My theory
is that the business man should attend
to business and the moral rsformer
should attend to moral reformation.
Then the two will prosper But 50
sure as a mixture is attempted, then both
morality and business will go among
the rocks and be cast up by the break
srs which pound the barren shores of
%impotent effort,
If I have digresssd from my original
theme it is because l have
been led astray by two
christian gentlemen Tor ladiesl who
have furnished, through your columns,
SO much material for reflection that ]
do not feel myself able to cesss reflect
ing without graduating the process. !
opened the discussion With full aedged
project in this back ground for on arbi-
~tratlon of the differences which beset
our community and I am INST at the in.
ception of my efforts by a double bar
relied discharge which hits the target oil
my good intentions SQUARE IN the center
and rings down the drop upon q care.
fully matured scheme. The refusal
comes, l conclude, from the citizens
league, through it's repres entativsa. l
cannot make up my mind that any OF
the other aide haYs declined in advance
to settle differences on a basis of common
good, because the articles published in
your paper do not appear to emanats
, from that source. 1t is with regret that
L observe a disposition upon the part OF
the respondents in this case to place me
in the list of the enemies to the cause
} SO dear to them. l suppose this ia oc-
casioned by my disposition to meet
their spontaneous scheme of reforma.
ton with the cold conservatism of one
who dabbles exclusively in business
transactions on week days and devotel
himself to the Improvement of the soul
spirit and heart only upon the one day
IN seven set apart for thoughts and
deeds of holiness. I find this necessary
in behalf of both pecuniary and moral
progress in this world land it seems to
be in accordance with the divine ar.
r%angement. My regret over this inter-
pretation of my tendencies is the more
poignant because I am as good, as con
scientious, and as much IN favor of the
solidifioation of a healthy moral senti'
ment us are the two individuals who sc
severely misinterpret my motives. ]
would attain the same end over q slower
but more practical course which they
seek to reach at a single impulsiye leap
If my respondents do not desire tc
be governed by business considerations
and they SO allege, there is nothing fol
me to say to them IN reply upon thu
main point at issue. Their Reputation
of all desire or intention to accept
coLciliatory course leaves
to me only a barren field which vii
! produce little beyond the tares of preiu
, dice, and of these q full crop has already
been gathered and stored away by botI
parties to tho contest. 1t does not seen
to me that one side has any advantag,
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