Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-20
"oUR SEIGnBoB nv TRADE"
Hard Business Maxims Delivered mt Ger
trail Church Sunday Night.

The subject of the address by the
pastor of Central Presbyterian Church
Sunday was, "Our Neighbor in Trade"
Mr.. Swartz took his text from Matthew
XXI, 37-3D, "Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind. This
is tho first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it. Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
The dignity of manhood, Mr.. Swartz
said, is inherent in manhood itself, and
that is the first of the two lessons to be
found here, the second of which is
philanthropy the philanthropy Of
almsgiving, not charity, but love of man.
The preacher conceded that it is an
open confession that the rule to love
ones neighbor as oneself, does not
govern the business methods of to-day.
1t is very palpable that the command
ment is not observed. A business man
told the preacher last week that IL is i'm
possible to do business according TO the
gospel. A writer in one of the maya
zines the other day in commenting on
the subject, said that it is not only inn
practicable but it is impossible. An
other remarked that the political economy
of Christ is a mistake, That the world
looks on Tolstoi as mad, the preacher
said, is sad commentary on the moral
sentiment of the day. If the Christian
principle is to live in the daily business
life it should be persisted in and main
tanned even to the extreme OF financial
ruin. But it seems that it is law OF
business for each man to pursue his
business to his own self-interest not
caring for his ncighbor. This is the
case especially in relation to the big cor
poratiops.
In the recent investigations in the
United States Senate upon the railroad
car-coupling question it was shown that
more men are killed in that BUSINESS
than in war! And still the railroad
companies persisted until the enactment
said "thou shalt not kill"
In referring to the published reports
of the national commission on last sum
mer's railroad strike, MIR. Swartz said
that while there is great deal to be CON
demned in what the strikers did, their
side presents story which made many
people believe theirs to be the right side.
What did it matter for the stockholders
of the Pullman Company that tho
children were crying for food! the
salaries of the officials must not be
touched-tho president of the company
must get his $4,000 year-while the
poor father OF the family received but
81 or $1.50 above his weekly rent
charge. This company kept up It's
per cent dividend with the life and
blood of its employees. | do not say
there was not wrong among the work
| ingmen, but there was monstrous wrong
on the side Of the company in respect tc
the behests of the second commandment
Among barbarous communities, among
savages arose the principle OF caveat
| emptor Cet the buyer look out)
Savages stopped fighting only to barter
| During the truce they exchanged goods
We are yet in a formative state. II is {
condition of industrial anarchy wher
tho employer does not consider thu
employe, and when, in turn, the EN-
| ploye does not consider his employer
| There is danger in the laissez faire theory
Talking on the subject last week to ;
manufacturer of this city, the latter tolt
the speaker Labor is the only point il
production that can be reduced !"
"\Yon't the capitalist take slight!
smaller dividendg 2" the manufacture
was asked.
"Capital will take no less p was tn
reply.
The dictun has gone forth not onl.
that l can buy in the cheapest 'markc
but also that can make the cheapes
market.
The speaker expressed his belief tina
competition is killing competition. Mi
Swartz saw the greatest light in the dl
rcction of cooperation, which, he said
is Christ's plan.
Referring to the great monopolies, th
Sugar Trust, Standard OIL, &c, tb
speaker said that the public did not fai
to notice that while the president of th
Sugar Trust complains that business ha
been very bad, the dividend on tn
stock, which has been watered severa
times over, remains still unrcduced.
II, he preacher thanked God that sti
a, .hg the workirgmen there is grea
fidelity and loyalty to their employe
He cited as an instance the train hand
engineers, conductors, brakemen, an
among the trackmen who carefully an
honestly drive the spike. On that dut
properly done so much of the safety
human life depends. Mr.. Swartz close
] a very eloquent and stirring addrei