The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-03

boundless opportunities as ours its accumulation can not be forbidden nor It's apportionment decreed. We should not, however, be unmindful of the fact
 that the getting of riches is apt to lead to the adoption of a code of mor- als which, though suited to its pur-
 pose, does not furnish the best guar anty of national security and the gem
 eral welfare and happiness of our peo-
 pie.
 Such c code should be ameliorated
 and softened by the admixture of
 higher, better sentiment The rich
 instead of disparaging education and
 religious teaching as irksome restraints
 upon their special activities, should
 be willing to recognize them as coun-
 tervailing or balancing forces fitly
 mitigating the harsh creed of money
 getting. It would mean much if our
 wealthy men would more generally
 contribute-not niggardly, but on a
 decently liberal scale--to the mainte-
 nance and the highest usefulness of the educational and religious agencies that have been potential in producing the conditions of peace and steadiness which have made the possession and enjoyment of wealth possible.
 Another insidious cause of disGuietude, which may well be more directly than here tofore mentioned and illustrated. is the in creasing heedlessness fin business transac- tions of the nature and scope of the obliga- tions of trust and relationship. Our bus mess men seem lamentably willing. it not anxious to accept trusteeships and director ships more to add to their prominence and importance among their fellows than to do actual conscientious duty in protecting the interests confieded fin their care.
 Would Banish Dummy Directors. Individual interests without truthfulness and honor is but sham and built upon frank honesty and the most delusion and national character not scrupulous observance of fiduciary obligations is perilously weak and infirm. The passing of the term dunn my director. with the conditions which give 1t life, is certainly contamination devoutly to be wished.
 Without attempting to enumerate all the insidious influences and. tendencies which. if disregarded and unchecked, may seriously menace American character stand in the way of its saving power. the list should not be closed without mentioning as the most dangerous. deep-seated and ineNcusable of all the indifference of vast number of our otherwise decent and patriotic people to po- litical movements and their consequent neg lect of duty as voting citizens. This evil has already spread over every part of our land and infects all classes of our popula- ton.
 Thousands In the mad pursuit of riches see no profitable relationship between good government and their intents or designs. And. what is infinitely worse. thousands Of our citizens of the ultra-respectable sort su- percilously regard politics as an unclean thing. while. too. to vote and to give impress to the political duty as foreign to their in telleotual superiority Of course a matori- ty of reputable Americans interest them selves in public affairs. but there ought 10 be no exceptions. To the extent that intel- ligent, thoughtful citizens fail to vote and
 to give impress to the politics of their coun-
 try and their neighborhood they give O or
 tunity which the base and unprineipled will
 not be slow to improve.
 American character may be robust and
 sound as may be desired and yet it may
 enti-ely fail to save us from disaster if the
 practical duties of citizenship-the avenues
 through which it must reach its benefcent
 end-are disregarded. No one can make
 good his claim to patriotism who begrudg