The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-18
The Commercial Motive.

They have set their ideals high. From
the beginning every patriotic citizen
has dreamed OF this republic as some
thing more than a place where riches
might be amassed and enjoyed In ig-
noble ease. 1t has been TO him the
realization of all the great dreams Of
men since first they struggled to be
free; not an end only, but a means
whereby man himself might be ennobled
ard the common life glorined; where
justice should prevail and freedom bask
in the sunlight and the dwarfed and
crippled form Of humanity expand into
the vision that poets and prophets have
seen. Keen for the almighty dollar"
Is the average American; shrewd at "A
bargain. tenacious OF his right, deter
mined TO amass a competence and am
bilious of wealth. Yet these superficial
characteristics which foreigners have
caught and carried away as typical OF
our people arc but the veneer Of cir
cumstance and necessity. In his deep
est depth the American Is an idealist:
and the abstract appeal TO him OF truth
and beauty never passes unheeded, the
cry Of suffering and the outstretched
hand OF the oppressed are more to him
than bank accounts and all the material
paraphernaiia of a high civilization.
An our history establishes the domi-
nance Of the moral idea and the subor-
dlnation % the commercial motive
among our people. Behind the revolu-
tion and underneath the constitution
lay moral principles worthy of the sao-
rifce of life itself. The war with Mex
leo had fer It's inspiration the suecor OF
n pc spie struggling To be free. II was
not seif-interest, hat hatred OF slavery
as an institution aecursed that fought
Ia win its victory In our mighty civil
struggle. No gain but loss was the
appa -ent guerdon 10 Ms Of the wal with
Spain. Yet our people marched TO Il as
gladly as II Il had promised at the out
act 30 increase our millions and bring
us to the place OF empire. Distrust and
hatred Of commercialism are deep-seat-
ed, ingrained In the national heart and
thought From the pages Of history we
have plucked this lesson: that increase
Of wealth and extension OF power have
never saved a nation from Its decline to
the death that knows no resurrection
That wHttnm 4arktnh tvaatII xtHwff. FfualF -.
our banners n command our fealty
must set In the sky a w%atchworl that
answers to the higher aspirations OF
men.
II Is because Of their recognition Of
this that men assert or deny the SUI
prcmacy Of the commercial motive In
the affairs uf today, And they do wen
wherever that motive runs counter 70
Justice. 60 freedom to the Impulse x
brotherhood. g. the purposes for which
the nation stands Net al our past nor
an our hopes will save us n the day
shall come when wealth dictates 20
legislatures and COURT or when the
hunger for commercial success shall,
stine the nohler sentiment that has fash
toned us apart tr'm the likeness ~
other uattaus 10 is the dutg ~ every
patriot 20 fight 20 tho death against,
those taser influences in public and go
private which would SET up the margin
- proH, and loss as IN standard ~ ac
ton. and ask chow wiz il pay" before
they can answer "s 10 gishte Yet
mus, wc DE on oar guard, too. against
the eutiv aubmerssuce az the practical
in "a false tiesl.~gn thai might De- as
far from duty us the uutrammelea rae,
Tor pelt
II is riEht. 10 IS necessary. j., .s pa-
triotic to east ante tbe accauut the cln
s!dcrstioa OF the general welfare Re-
preach is uttered against the new fl-
turc that lies before thls ouuiry lu its
wider sphere because U promises great
commercial ~sdvaH,Age The extension
of trade, the teueat IN oommercs
the opening Of larger opportunities 90
business -all these h,nes. We lu told
are base ana sordid and corruptinE n
is a spurious Americau.sm which brings
them forward as "a justification or Il
satisfaction for policies ~ state This
would be true il they were controlling
forces when then fan into their proper
rank. when the deciding influence is g
moral force, when the act Itself is trao
IL national ideals. then 70 reject duty
because IL may be accompanied Incl