Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-08-05
w. C. r. A. DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED Ey MEMBERS OF THE W. @. T. A.
SOCIETY OF LAPoRTE, PA


| po tahJ as TO have become pert OF
she commercial code itself. His
goods must be as represented; they
must be sod in honest quantities
and a price which makes the ex-
change fair transaction and not a
robbery. There are the ethics of
sale. They are supposed to enter
into every business transaction, and
Their transgression by the seller is
considered sufficient to cancel bar
gain or even subject the seller to
legal punishment.
But, on the other hand, are there
no ethics of purchase ? Is he who
buys exempt for the moral obliga-
lions OF him who sells? On the face
OF 1t such Il supposition is unflir
Yet one finds practical difficulty
at first in determining what the
mo;al obligations of the purchaser
really are. Only single obliga-
ton occurs, at first thought, aud
that is one which is so rarely and
with such difficulty violated as to
seem more like % factor of necessity
than moral obligation, viz, that
the medium of exchange u. c.
money! proftered by the purchaser
shall be n genuine, and not false,
representation of value.
But little closer study of the
question suggests to the mind GER
tain larger relations of the purchaser
relations to the community and
to society in general-whch bring
him under the dominion of higher
kind ofethics. He is, or ought, to
consider the effect Of his act upon the
welfare of his fellowmen. For in.
stance, when q man buys glass of
whisky, which is sure 10 go to his
brain and make him for time ire
sponsible or vicious, or when Il
woman goes into large dry goods
store and buy n mere trde gar
ment which she knows has been thus
reduced in price by the inhuman
sweating system which is draining
the very lifeblood of some over
worked sister, in such instances us
these the purchaser is transgressing
the higher ethical laws which apply
TO him rs one of the parties in com.
mercial transaction. And these are
really much more vital and sgnif-
cant principles OF ethics then those
which the seller has to take into con.
sideration. 1ney have wider
range Of influence and more .nn-
lamental effect upon society 1t is
n vastly greater and more harmful
moral ollense. if one did but realize
ii, to give ones countenance and
support 10 such gigantic evil as
the sweating system than TO sell
sanded sugar and to sell it an ounce
short OF tie pound. 1t is u much
greater transgression to buy gla $
cf whisky that which is impure aud
inferior. The otlense is always
greater in proportion rs its rcsul,s
are more widercaching, fundam enial
and permanent.
1t is time that society began TO
recognize the existence and impo. t.
Gnce Of the ethics of purchase. We
are now well impfcgnated, in oar
commercial life, with the lower grade
ethics of sale. What we need is
more susceptibility and fidelity TO
the right and wrong involved ia the
act of buying. Every dollar as it
passes through n mans hands repre-.
sents definitely certain Amount and
kind Of influence upon the commun.
ity, One might almost compute
with mathematical eSaclness the
moral weight of every coin which
drops from the dies Of The govern.
meat mint. According ms il tail,
into the hands of the conscientious
or the non,coHselentious purchaser
will il count in The balance OF human
life upon the side of good or of evil,
Its the purchasers of eommpn-
ity who determine the moral status
of that community Demand always
determines, as well as regulates, sup
ply. II the majority OF the pur-
chasers ina certain town decide that
Il Is wrong 10 spend money for
whisky, that town will stand for
Temperance aud goad oideT, lfthe
m4j0rily of the purchasers Of read, +,
made garments Ia u eeitain city dc.
eide that a i wrong TO encourage
tho sweating system hY purchasing
articles, a. however lnw "A nfire. that