Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-07-06

the 10Th century to comphehend its
mysterious power and nature. and to
make it potential and useful agent In
the practical affairs Of life.
In the field of discovery the mechani-
cal inventions Of the last half century
have revolutionized agriculture and all
industrial conditions. and furnished
substitutes for the labor Of man which
accomplish all the wonders Of the hu-
man will and intellect. For the ages,
the principle of these inventions lay
dormant in the vast storehouse Of ma
ture, and human ingenuity failed to
comprehend 1t and make 1t factor In
progress and civilization. It was re-
served for the inquisitive intellect Of the
10Th century. auickened by the inspir-
ing influences Of christianity, to explore
this rich mine Of nature, and to har-
ness the forces there stored away In
machinery which has given an impetus
to the progress Of the world such as
has not been seen in any other era.
But in the development Of the princi-
piles of government the most rapid
strides have been made. 1t has been
discovered as almost a revelation that
man was not made for governments but
governments exist for man. The idea
of the ancient world was to organize
political society and enact laws to keep
its subjects under restraints. and to ex-
act perfect obedience as the only virtue
Of government. The laws Of Caligula,
posted 80 high that no one could reacl
them, Of Solon, Lycurgus, Draco and
all other lawgivers, were codes intended
only for the physical and intellectual
Of man. His moral sense
was repudiated, and the education o
his moral nature entirely neglected. He
was treated as a creature Of time and
and no account was
taken Of his immortal destiny. In this
consisted the pre-eminent infirmity OF
all the monarchies and republics which
existed in ancient times. The deca-
logue. which should be the foundation
Of all organized political society, as
promulgated by the greatest human law
giver the world has ever seen, was ig-
nored, and there was substituted for
this enduring basis the sandy founda-
tions Of pagan philosophy and heather
For this reason all these
in time tottered and crum-
bled into ruins.
Era OF War Succeeded BY Era OF
Commerce.
Ever since the foundation Of the CIV
ilized world the nations Of the earth
have conducted their warlike expedi-
tions against other nations either
through pure love Of conquest. or from
motives Of plunder. Within recent
years. the civilized nations have begun
to recognize that these methods are not
in consonance with the principles OF
humanity. Their conquests have as q
rule been peaceful ones during the past
few wears. made for the purpose Of ex-
tending their commerce.
The first department of commerce
esta blished by any country was inau-
eurated hy Germany. and since that
time all Of the nations have recognized
the proprietv Of making the extension
of commerce a national object. This
new protection given to commercial in
terest has resulted in large extension
of such interest. The international
trade Of the world today is over twenty
times as great as 1t was a century ago
It has increased out Of all proportion to
the increase Of population. It has
caused a corresponding increase OF
wealth. This condition has brought
about a new era in the worlds history.
which might be termed the era Of COM
merce. and this bids fair to succeed
permanently to that Of war. which has
lasted throughout the centuries preced-
ino the opening Of the present one.
This has caused the amalgamation OF
large corporations into still larger ones.
It has caused commerce to be conduc-
ted upon a scale never dreamed Of by
our fathers.
While trusts are dangerous to the
public welfare by reason Of their pur-
pose, which is to increase prices by pre-
venting competition and limit produc-
ton to the point Of the greatest possi-
BILE profit. the legitimate corporation,
however large its capital, having for its
purpose a great increase Of production
and the extension Of trade instead OF
the sitting Of trade. is distinctly ben
eflcial and assists in the diffusion OF
general prosperity.
The opening I'D Of new markets will
create new lines of employment and in
crease the number of men required to
conduct the old lines of business. thus
affording to the man who earns his
bread by the sweat Of his brow, the op-
portunity to keep constantly employed
and insuring him against periods Of en-
forced idlepess. 1t is happy condition
which benefits all and Is not condition
which should array one class against
the other. Trusts should be stamped
out wherever they may appear. whether
their capital be large or small, but the
employment Of large capital, If used
in the creation Of new trade. cannot
fail to confer benefits upon the entire
people.
Labor and Capital.
And these ancient governments too
made a mistake of treating labor as a
commodity, without reference to the
laborers. This mistake was made sole
ly in the interest of the employer OF