The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-08-10

all the pressure and does right is ac-
compllshing something toward the es-
Enlistment of a high commercial
prosperity. | have deep sympathy FOR
the laboring classes who toll with
hand and foot. But We must not for
get the business men who, without any
complaint or hammered procession
through the street, are enduring
stress of circumstances terrific. The
fortunate people of to-day are those
who are receiving daily wages or reg
ular salaries. And the men most 10
be pitied are those who conduct a
business while prices are falling anu
yet try to pay their clerks and en-
ployes and are in such fearful straits
| that they would quit business to-mor-
row If it were not for the wreck and
ruin of others. When people tell me
at what a rulnously low price they
purchased an article, 1t gives me more
dismay than satisfaction. l know 1t
means the bankruptcy and defalcation
of men in many departments The
HtH WIZ lOll Will IuC VI ain nv" 1900
as much sympathy as those who toll
with the hand. All business life is
struck through with suspicion, and
panics are the result Of want OF con-
fidence.
The pressure to do wrong is strong
err from the fact that in our day the
large business houses are swallowing
up the smaller, the whales dining on
bluefish and minnows. The large
houses undersell the small ones. be-
cause they buy in greater quantities
and at lower figures from the pro-
Queer. They can afford to make moth
ing, or actually lose, on some styles
of goods, assured they can make 1t up
on others. So, great dry goods house
goes outside of its regular line and
sells books at cost or less than cost,
and that swamps the booksellers; or
the dry goods house sells bric-a-brac
at lowest figures, and that swamps
the small dealer in bric-a-brac. And
the same thing goes on in other styles
of merchandise, and the consequence
is that all along the business streets
| of all our cities there are merchants
Of small capital who are in terrific
struggle to keep their heads above
water. The ocean liners run down
the Newfoundland fishing smacks.
| This is nothing against the man WHO
has the big store, for every man has
as large a store and as great a bust
ness as he can manage.
| Need of Divine Support.
To feel right and do right under all
this pressure requires martyr grace,
requires divine support. requires ce-
lestial reinforcement Yet there are
tens of thousands of such men getting
splendidly through. They see others
going up and themselves going down,
but they keep their patience and their
courage and their Christian consist
eency, and after awhile their success
will come There is generally retribu-
tion in some form for greediness. The
owners of the big business will die,
and their boys will get possession of
the business, and with cigar in their
| IuOulUS, anu lull " Iuc Will thS
best liquor, and behind a pair Of
spanking bays, they will pass every
thing on the turnpike road to tenn
poral and eternal perdition. Then the
business will break up and the smaller
dealers will have fair opportunity. Or
the spirit of contentment and right
feeling will take possession of the
large firm, as recently with a famous
business house, and the firm will say:
1--WE have enough money for all our
needs and the needs of our children.
Now let us dissolve business and make
way for other men in the same line"
Instead of being startled at a solitary
instance of magnanimity it will be-
come a common thing. | know OF
scores of great business houses that
have had their opportunity of vast ac-
emulation and who ought to quit.
But perhaps for all the days of this
| generation the struggle of small
houses to keep alive under the over
! shadowing pressure of great houses
| will continue; therefore, taking things
as they are, you will be wise to pre-
serve your faith and throw over all
| the counters and shelves and casks the
measuring line of divine right. And
the Lord said unto me, Amos, what
seest thou? And 1 said, A plumb
line
The Only Religion.
I want you to notice this fact, that
when a man gives up the straight up
and down religion of the Bible for any
new tangled religion it is generally to
suit his sins. You first hear of his
change of religion, and then you hear
of some swindle he has practiced in
special mining stock, telling some one
if he will put in $4,000 he can take
out 100000; or he has sacrificed his
integrity or plunged into irremediable
worldliness. His sins are so broad
he has to broaden his religion. and he
becomes as broad as temptation. as
broad as the souls darkness, as broad
as hell. They want a religion that
will allow them to keep their sins
l.