Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-08-29
CREATORS OF MORALS.

L
moderated until we can see glim
merings Of the time when so
cialistic jeremaid against busi-
ness competition or a demagogic
campaign against mercantile
methods will be as dishonered as
a defense of common theft.
Professor Hadley says in the
Yale Review that i'll the effort to
make money the economist per-
ceives the most powerful incen~
tive to work in the service of the
community that the world has
yet known. He continues:
To this extent he may be said
to glorify the pursuit of wealth,
in showing that it is a means of
mutual service, instead of mu-
tual robbery, an honorable am
bition instead Of a base one. But
in thus elevating it to its proper
place in the social order, he al
so reduces it to its proper place.
By understanding the uses Of the
commercial system. he is able
the more effectively to criticlse
it's abuses. The day is past, If
ever there was one, when indis-
criminate condemnation Of bust
ness methods and business am
bition can be effective. The
moralist who tries to show that
money-getting is mean thing
overshoots the mark. His own
acts. in his daily life, are uuus-
ulIy enough to convict him of in
consistency. The economist, on
the other hand, in pointing out
the reasons Why modern business
methods are approved by society
puts himself in a position to con-
denim those methods when they
are carried to point where they
cease to be of social service and
violate instead of futhering the
purposes which have justified
their existenSe.
Not alone in producing for the
enjoyment Of the masses all the
material comforts of our time has
the effort after individual wealth
been a benefit In the domain Of
practical morality, q commercial
civilization is the highest point
reached, or ever to be reached
by mankind.
Development Of credit is an
absolute measure Of the degree
to which honesty Of living pre-
walls. Commerce inculcates the
sentiment of honesty and does
vastly more in creating a habit
of honesty. The fulfllment OF
contracts at whatever sacrifice
is an essential Of well-organized
commerce. The observance OF
: contract obligations in business
leads to an observance of eX-
pressed and implied contracts il
, all otter relations of life--leads
l to it and makes it easy and regu-
i lar,
Commercial competition Gre
ates something else, 1t calls fol
/ care of the body and intellect. II
: the most advanced business com
: munities. the two first object:
are honesty and efficiency Ever,
additional advance raises tn
+ standard and all men who aim a
It success must guide themselve
: by the standard. There is les
and less endurance of drunken
q ness. irregularity and unreliab
II ility. The mind must be KEEP
y clear and the body capable c
e continuous work.
L Moral sentiments have bee
talked with abundant huency fC
. thousands OF years among Hin
i, docs, Egyptians and Japanes'
al But commercial civilization hs
u actually made morality. 1t hs
LII compelled what we call respects
i bllity on the street and in th
l. home. The elevation Of the wi
'e and the value placed on childre
u as future citizens are largely tt
results of the same cause. TT
st restraints on tryanay have bee
ne obtained and kept by the con
MI mercial strength of the pursu
h of wealth. The first liberti
nd conquered by the people aft
&c the confusion of the Dark Ag
.,d accrued to the commercial town
70 It was the business men Of Lo
at don who tanned mobiles and mo
go archs: who upheld John Wilkt
=, freed the press and extended t