The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-21

proposition Is urged upon the people
with fanatic zeal which would inspire
admiration II enlisted In a useful or.
noble cause. But 1t is n zeal bonn out OF
non-reason. stimulated by prejudice and
fed by passion. Nc wonder that conse:-
>vative Interests unite to oppose It Few
realize flilly-the unthlnkinS not at oil
the responsibilities and risks that
rest upon the man who, by his initia-
tive, assumes and carries on the duties
OF Industrial leadership Whether It be
the large or snal! farmer, the large or
small manufacturer the builders Of.
ships OF OF railroads, the merchant or
: the ,anker-each OF these, according 10
his time and place, enters an area fun
OF difficulties and hazards. III ~
The farmer must employ labor, and
vet carry the risk OF drouahts and
foods and take his chance OF the mar
kess FOR his ultimate realization. The
manufacturer must embark his fortune
.nsh.s buildings and machines. He must
employ labor and provide for Its pay
ment. Nearly always nc must assume
responsibility for credit obtained Mt the
bank. or through the purchase OF raw
material. Hc must study. the markets
which consume his goods. To those who
buy them he must. In his turn. extend
the clements OF credit. The merchantHis
subject tothe same general rules OF &c.
ton. The bankers relat.on--not less In
.portant--is perhaps more delicate and
more involved than either Of the others.
Peculiarly supposed to be a dealer In
money. he Is SO only In an incidental
and necessary way. He Is really deal.
er IN credit. lie has no raw material.
he has no manufactured goods; he has
only the. promises 10 pay. which EVIL
dence the creation and passing OF pro-
duets and wares from one industrial
class to another. For these evidences OF.
debts. made perhaps by The compare
lively unknown. he exchanges hlstObli-
cations In the form Of an open creiiUon
his books or by his notes of convenient
size, which may pass from hand 10
hand through the community. fIe thus
makes fluid aud useful In tho work OF
reproduction n nd now exchange those
general credit INSTRUMENTS which I
have already denoinln1ted as the real
money OF commerce. As a factor lnithis
great movement the banker must look
two ways. OnSthe one hand, he Is ~.
debtorsalwavs. and always answerable
in the legal money Of the land to NIL
who present their claims, On the other
hand, his ability to@responu TO these
demands and the question OF bis final
responsibility rest upon the quality and
convcrtlblllly OF the lndertalsings and
.oblisations he has acquired from the
community II these represent real
values, convertible in$the market. II the.
conditions OF industry and commerce.
arc good he Is secure II they are bad.
it$newNnnd dangerous conditions arise
he Is, to the extent that these conditions
he really4oyil a certain surfere..Sy Who
moro than he ana those towhom have
alluded. Fthus actively eil9n scd InSpro.
yductioufaud5 exchange. are concerned IN
theEwelfnre and prosperity OF the 30,
cla state 2 And yet III. lsiagalnst these
iAat the political leaders or discomfort
jiulmiaat :thel.s burning !dcnunclatIo
They clnIm that tho money standard.ito
which Tor sixty years sourindustrInl at.i
;fairA have been related ;lsIony opprcss.S
Ion and l5hiIdrancettoi nrosperity:frhey,
scilasge that rs maintenance Is the re-