The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-03
PROPORTIONAL TRADERS.

| fKOEtSSiONA1 thSDf%@>os
Perhaps It is more important now than
! II has ever been in the worlds history,
that all OF US should be wide awake and do
with all our might. whatever our hands
find to do so great is competition. And
| Il is not easy for any one 10 make an
| idea all In all his study. without being
very effectualIy favored with II. And
yet 81 IS a bad thing for the individual
| to be lost or utterly immersed In his busI-
ness and TO give up the privilege OF life
for success. Public opinion resents 1t.
and general social life Furnishes him.
that so cheapens his manhood, by brand
ing him az a mere trader and profess
sional, q matters not what the calling
! be It low or high. The highest official
is p bore If he is all full Of his Office. II
a king IL nothing but king he is a very
stupid thing. and very poor company;
he is o slave 10 very few ideas, and
men play for him and spend heir lives ia
checkmating him. On the other hand.
Il the poorest man is very Indifferent 10
food. clothing and idle pleasures. and
gives himself TO cultivation and realz-
alton Of noble thoughts and honorable
affections and fresh natural feelings and
good sense, he Is a lord OF creation. royal;
and every nobleman Of nature is happy
In his company and friendship There
is hardly q respectable family in the
nd
the purest gold OF character In Uncle
Daniel or Aunt Delphy All can recall
occasions on which those excellent people
have made big sacrifices for them. and
disdained to show the professional or
trader in what they did. Miss Mary
didn expect you 20 pay me for e." And
their well bred masters and mistresses
have known how 10 honor and accept
their generosity and take their own time
and way 10 return it-not hurt their feel
ipgs by immediate payment nor make
Hight of their msgnanimity. The old
regime OF Southern highness and domestic
honor has not passed and never Will pass
away. The true nobility OF England and
good breeding OF the South have excluded
the trader and professional from the
sphere Of decent life. Birth, caste, wealth
education, society, are not The power
that caa give or refuse, accent or ex
clude men or women from real privilege
and honor, but It is the power Of sound,
wholesome. genteei, chaste sensible
natural and humane and irresistible pub
lie opinion, the conscience and supreme
court Of Christian civilization. And this
mysterious royalty rules. II approves
and advances IN the charmed circle Of
genteel life. or condemns and Furnishes
and quietly banishes all offenders against
its spirit and laws. poor or rich. low or
high. Domestic life and social inter
course are high privileges. Neither airs
and graees and Sunday clothes, nor the
latest and highest styles and fashions
are the requisites, 1.-The thing, but clean
hands and a pure heart, a mind purged
from the business thoughts and cares
and Incidents Of the court the hospital
or the market, or the common gossip or
scandals Of the streets. decent social
life does not allow the talking Of business
or the talking of the shops; no pedantry
OF any sort. And few are so obtuse as
not TO know that law. however they may
venture In its face. Nor does the ex
conclusion confne Itself to social life In
very fact, and IT. the common occupations
Of life men concede the trader and pro
fessional as against good manners. Ard
the pedant IN every style Is an accepted
bore.
The business OF life is mutual service,
and the best In every calling and EN-
ployment keep the professional and trader
In the back ground while they do their
work ar human beings living together for
mutual good, unconsciousy guarding their
manhood and self-respect. The best prac
tice of a profession and pursuit Of trade
cultlvates good manners and utilities the
ways Of high life, after fashion and
TO certain extent at least. This is the
poetry OF business and where this is not
there the exchange market or professional
arena are not many removes from the
beer garden or the jungle