Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-08-10

that they would quit business to-mor-
row il il were not for the wreck and
ruin of others. When people tell me
at what ruinously low price they
purchased an article. it gives me more
dismay than satisfaction. / know 1t
means the bankruptcy and defalcation
of men in many departments The
men who toll with the brain need full
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
er 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, a 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-abrac. 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 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-
ton in some form for greediness. The
owners of the big business will die,
and their boys will get possession of
the business. and with a cigar in their
mouths, and full to the chins with the
best liquor. and behind 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:
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 said. A plumb
line"