Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-07

best could--John A. McCalls last
estimate of himself
The above clipped from the daily
papers of ten days ago, is a whole
sermon. But 1t suggests so much
| that to use it as text for a longer
sermon by this scribe, is the purpose
just now.
Firstly According to the consensus
of public opinion, happily in the as
cendent just now, John A. Mccall, did
| wrong many man, woman and child.
He did this deliberately" perhaps not
with malice Morethought," but he
] was not an honest guardian Of the
moneyed interests confied to his care.
We can in a measure of charity as
SINE that he had no conscious knowl-
| edge of his Wrongdoing In fact the
cause of all Of that Is called 'frenzied
| finance" is that the workers therein do
not realize their culpability. Not for
II moment does the writer think that
John ID. Rockefeller ct al, realize their
| dishonesty. These men all have code
of honesty they never transgress or
disregard. Not one of them finding a
package OF 81 hundred one thousand
dollar bills, but would return
it to the rghtful owner. If they steal,
or, as we should say, appropriate 9th
er peoples money TO their own use. rest
assured It's done according to rules
of the general business practice of
the city.
And that brings us up standing against
the commonly accepted ideas of con-
science. Never was there more erron-
eous notion that Conscience makes
towards of us ALL" That conscience is
judge of right and wrong. Some one
suggests that 1t is a hardened con-
science that permits wrong doing
There is n phrase of a perverted con-
science, and many talk of an educated
conscience. Mccall, with all of his
wrongdoing fresh in mind, cannot re-
call that deliberately he ever Wronged
man, woman or child. Was his con-
science hardened, perverted or educat-
ed? Was he a coward? No. let us
in all charity assume that John A.
Mccall died having an inner conscious
ness that he was an honest man.
But here is the hope of the future Of
this country. These Rockefellers, |
Rogers. Depews. Hydes McCurdys,
and even Lawsons. totally free from "a
disturbing conscience" do stop, hesi-
tate, even change their manner OIL
business life and practices, when
publicity shows them and public
opinion denounces their codes of bus
mess ethics, that their standard will
no longer be accepted by the rest OF
the world. Rockefeller's comfortable
conscience. making the people pay an
annual dividend of $4S on every 800
he has invested. will not cause him to
change his methods, till the day he is
convinced that the majority of his fell
low citizens think he Is no better than
a robber Of widows and orphans. De-
pew's conscience has reached this
stage. Depew's conscience would give
up several millions to reinstate De-
pew in public estimation. Young
Hyde, of insurance notoriety, has a
conscience that prefers the millions.
so he will hang onto them. So will
the Rogers conscience.
Another hopeful sign of the times
Is that in this country our nominal
standard of right and wrong is a high
one. The magazines Of this country
have been for the past two years. and
are today, filed with denunciations OF !
the wrong actions of some of the'
wealthiest men of the United States. |
And the magazine strongest in such
work received the greatest accession
in the number of new subscribers. And
If there is publication anywhere In
this country, one depending on public
patronage for support that defends
"frenzied finance" where is 1t publish
ed and what is its name? This Is all the
more suggestive, for in matters. of poll
tics and religion we have public de-
tenders of all shades of opinion, but in
the matter OF frenzied finance there is
universal condemnation.
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