The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-12-03
Commercial Honesty.
Paper Read Before the Cho,tauQua Circle.

Paper Read Before the ChGttGuQuG Circle.
ee@OMMERCE is king" re-
marked Thomas Carlyle,
and if the aphorism was
trne in his day, how much
more pertinent and truthful it is at the
present time, when the laws of COM
merce and of nature are similar, in
that those who strive to comprehend
them can adjust their acts to them and
profit by them.
AS matter of fact, the study of the
dawn of history is not more interesting
than is the study of the growth and de-
velOpment of the commerce and indus
tries of mankind; interesting because
it is practical study, embracing the
relation of cause and effect in the evo-
luton of humanity from savagery to
civilization.
It is the nature of man to profit by
circumstances and is undeniably preva-
lent with majority of human beings,
but just what tendency that fact may
have in developing the native shrewd-
ness characteristic of the successful
man of business is an open question.
In paper read before body of busi-
ness men comprising bankers, mer-
chants, brokers, many of them million
aires, and none of whom challenged the
truth of his assertion, Mr.. L. X. Web
ster of Chicago, president of the Web
ster Iron Works, said, among other
things: "No business man OF today can
live up to the principles set forth in
the Sermon on the Mount, and succeed" i"
The man of business who interpreted
the rules of Christ's sermon literally
and attempted to follow them would
inevitably split upon the rock of bank
ruptcy within short time, in Mr.. Web
ster's estimation. That there was no
practicality in the commands of Christ,
and that the matter simmered down to
q choice between business success and
poverty, was his contention, illustrated
by numerous comparisons of modern
conditions with the spirit of the Ser
mon on the Mount.
On the other hand, Mr.. James Law
renee Blair, business man, politician
and society leader; erstwhile director
and chief counsel of the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition, in an address de-
ivered before an association of young
business men, said, in part: "There nev-
er was time since the worlds incep-
tion when business honor was so high
as now; the whole fabric of commerce
is based upon it. Whether the moral
sense has quickened or experience has
taught that honesty is the best policy
matters not-the fact remains, to sue
ceed in business, a man must be honest
and honorable"
His words merit special notice at
this time, not so much because OF their
doubtful logic, but rather for the rea-
son that recent developments have dis
closed that the man himself is an en-
bezzler to the extent of half million
of dollars, his peculations having ex-
tended over a period of at least fifteen
years, during which time his associates
in particular and society in general re-
garded him as the very "salt of the
earth"
That questionable methods peImeate
every avenue of modern business life,
l think few will have the hardihood to
dispute, and that it is due to the live
and let live theory, to the polite turn.
ing away of the head that we may not
actually see any wrong that is doing,
think few will deny. This is kind
and neighborly, this doing as we would
be done by, but the results are disas-
trous, just how disastrous coming
events alone can determine.
Out yonder in the orchard where the
fruit is being Grated for market, q
young tot, anticipating, perhaps, the
sphere of his future greatness, attempts
to kick goal with few of the more
choice apples. "Son," says the father
.what do you suppose we are to
do with all these apples you have
kicked about and bruised?" aPut 'em
in the bottom of the crate and fool the
buyer" comes the quick retort, and
while the father only laughs ina com.
mandatory way and, perhaps, says