The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-03

hand of the Lord is heavy upon any
country. if flood or drouth comes
human wisdom is powerless to avert the
calamity.
Moreover no law can guard us against
the consequences of our own folly. The
men who are idle credulOus, the men
who seek gains not by genuine work
with head or hands. but by gambling
in any form. are always a source of
menace not only to themselves but to
others.
If the business world loses its head. it
loses what legislation cannot supply.
Fundamentally the welfare of each citi
zen, and therefore. the welfare of the
aggregate of citizens who make the ma
tion, must rest upon individual thrift and
energy, resolution and intelligence.
Nothing can take the place of this
individual capacity but wise legislation
and honest and Intelligent administra-
ton can give il the fullest scope. the
largest opportunity to work to good
effect.
Serious Social Problem.
The tremendous and highly complex
industrial development which went on
with ever accelerated rapidity during
the latter half Of the twentieth century
brings us face to face at the beginning
of the twentieth with very serious
social problems.
The old laws and the old customs
which had almost the binding force Of
law We're once quite sufficient to regu-
late the accumulation and distribution
Of wealth.
Since the Industrial changes which
have so enormously increased the pro-
ductive power of mankind, they are no
longer sufficient.
The growth of cities has gone on be-
yond comparison faster than the growth
of the country. and the upbuilding Of
the great industrial centers has meant
startling increase not merely in the
aggregate Of wealth, but in the number
Of every large individual. and especially
OF very large corporation fortunes.
The creations of these great corporate
fortunes has not been due to tariff. nor
to any other governmental action, but
to natural causes In the business world.
operating in other countries as they
operate in our own.
The process has aroused much antag-
onism great part Of which is wholly
without warrant.
Average People Well OF.
1t is not true that as the rich have
grown richer the poor have grown poorer,
On the contrary, never before has the
average man, the wage worker, the
farmer, the small trader, been so we'll
OFT in this country as at the present
time.
There have been abuses connected
win the accumulation of wealth: yet
1t remains true that a fortune accu-
mulated IN legitimate business can be ac-
cumulated by the person specially BEN
immense incidental benefits upon others.
Successful enterprise. of the type which
benefits all mankind. can only exist if
the conditions are such as to offer great
prizes as the rewards to success.
me captains of industry who have |
oflVen the railway systems across this
continent who have built up our COM
fnelce, who have developed our manufac- |
lures have, upon the whole, done good |
to our people.
Necessary to Welfare.
Without them the material develop
Nent OF which we are 80 Justly proud |
can never have taken place. Moreover
we should recognize the immense i'm I
portance TO this material DEVELOPMENT !
OF ieavlng as unhampered as is COMBAT |
lole with the public good, the strong
and fofceful men upon whom the sue |
cess OF business operations inevitably +!
rests.
The slightest study of business condi
tons will satisfy any one capable of
forming judgment that the personal
equation is the most important factor
III a business operation. that the BUSH
ness ability of the man at the head Of
any business concern. big or little, is
usually the factor which fixes the gulf
Det"een striking success and hopeless
failure.