The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-25
The Commercial Instinct In Evoiu
ton,

ton.
An Interested reader OF an editorial
I, article In the Post-Intelligencer of
Sunday last on 1.-THE Commercial Mo-
tive asks us to express an opinion as
t. whether "the culture OF ethics, based
ON our modern philosophical and reli-
gious conceptions. WIN safely mould the
commercial instinct" The question Is
great one, demanding a volume for its
adequate treatment and requiring re-
erences to the works In which modern
thought has found Its latest and best
expression. An exhaustive investigation
along this line seems to us to be more
needed than in any other department OF
scientific research without attempting
TO do more than draw general out
line, we answer the inquiry OF our corre-
spondent with ar unqualified affirma-
tive. The whole force of the evolution
airy idea. the operation OF the law OF
evolution as we learn II through history
ard read II In human life, seems to us
Ia make the future ethical development
OF humanity as wen defined and certain
as any fact that depends upon the work.
Ing OF ascertainei physical laws.
We must begin with a correct under
standing OF "the commercial instinct"
fits origin ana Its place In human life
Nothing could be less logical or seien-
tlhe than the common assumption that
commercialism is distlnetively modern,
the expansion OF individual selAshness
with the widening OF It's sphere; an
isolated and baneful product of the
growth OF wealth and the auickening OF
commerce, IL IL, on the contrary. a
survival II liz the later form OF a prim-
Tive passion; ONE of the first OF all to
dcyeiope. ore most essential 10 success
In the struggl, for existence Stripped
of the trappings OF civilization, Il APP
pears as the rudlmentary determination
OF the human animal to secure the sat
isfaction of Its physical desires by any
method and at any cost, Emerging
from beasthood. mans life was a des-
perate battle for food. for shelter. for
eonsort. Tor life itself against the SER
rled forces arrayed against him. His
flfst care In those days OF darkling dawn
was for sclt-praservation; that he might
sava his life and graufy his appstltes
and perpetuate his kind. Here Ia tho
origin Of the commercial instinct, rude
and simple In the days before commerce
vas. tracing back 10 the universal strus-
Eie for existence that fashioned the
physical werld IA we see IL.
The instinct u acquisition persists.
There Is sllu sound reason for II in
world where competition Is keen. com
petition. which is only the modern term
FOR the old, fierce rivalry Of forest and
cave II would psrsist for ages even
without that; AS the well-fsd dog will
hide more bones than he can ever need.
because an Impulse deeply planted and
net understood tells him ia. AT the
base of u, this is the commercial in
ssine,: bu, u has bcCn already 80 modi-
ned by mans moral and religious
development that u survives essen
TALLY oniy In natures that we deem
Grade and low other interests. other
nsosiyes, hewilasring trpog 81 forces
have been at work ne, g. upeoot ana
destroy the desire % acquire--for that
Is not natOrc's wSy~~hut % mould Il
into something higher. ~ 20 transagare
man and society. II Is nor a brand.
new demon of nineteenth ceanry birth
that we have 10 study. Nu, the story ~
a CaiieSn whom thc slow centuries IT
suffering that works % widened wis
dom are investing with the sraoes and
gifts OF Ariel
The evolution 81 the time y moral
The deepest interests Of the most hishly
developed peoples are moral interest.
The questions that hold while they per
pick US are moral problems. We know
not when the nrst savage man took
compassion upon his oomrade or his VIC
tim. and bowed 10 the service Of his ne
Sossltles. But somewhere the spark Of
the divine kindled that flame which Is
bathing earth and touching heaven with
its rosy glow, The higher conquers
the lower. Progress upward is the law