The San Francisco call., 1907-03-26
PRESENT DAY STANDARD !.
IN BUSINESS IS HIGH
Successful Merchant Talks
Optinistically to Col
lege Men
SAYS GRAFT IS RARE
Dishonesty and Prosperity
Not synonymous in
World of Trade
SAYS GRAFT IS RARE

BERKELEY. March 25.--Students OF
University were informed tonight by
A. G. Bartlett OF Chicago in his Vein
stock lecture on Morals In Trade
that standards in legitimate business
in America were high; that Maehia
vellian methods had been replaced
largely by frank. open dealing between
competitors; that men who had made
money in devious ways were not en-
We'd by the honest poor, and that
graft in San Francisco or elsewhere,
hideous though 1t might seem, was
conspicuous because 1t stood out vivid
ly against great background Of hem
esty in business life.
Bartlett proclaimed himself an opti-
mist, after a score and more or years
spent in business in Chicago. He Is
now the head of the great firm OF Htb-
bard, Spencer. Bartlett & Co. He is a
trustee OF the University OF Chicago
and of Beloit College. president of Ine
Chicago Home for the Friendless.- a
director of the Chicago and Alton
Railway, and a very rich man. His
address was the second lecture on the
Weinstock foundation This course Is
provided at the university by the gen
erosity Of H. H Weinstock Of Sacra-
mentO.
Professor A C. Miller explained to-
night that Wefnstock had founded the
course because he saw the need OF i'm
pressing college OF commerce students
with the idea that good morals were
as essential to real success in business
as in any profession or walk of life.
PRESENTED BY WHEELER
President Benjamin Ide wheeler in
troduced Bartlett. expressing pleasure
In the circumstance that "a man who
had succeeded thoroughly In business
and at the same time been identified
with the best things in life should
speak TO university men about Morals
In Trade at time when many persons
hesitated to accept the declaration that
there were any morals in trade"
Bartlett informed the collegians that
business life was entirely compatible
with artistic impulses and that oppor-
tunitieS to cultivate the finest OF ac-
tivities abounded for the business man.
He emphasized the dignity and nobility
of business. Money getting as an
absolute aim need not. he said. domi-
nate the business man any more than
1t dominated the theologian or lawyer
or physician. all of whom knew that
some money must be made if success
were to be had.
Standards of right and wrong
changed with the years, said the lee
turer, though absolute right was al
years ago might be- wrong now. Laws
made by man varied. 1t was difficult
to establish an arbitrary line. on one
side of which might be clasSed the
moral acts in trade and on the other
the immoral acts. sS
WALL STREET DISHONESTY
Bartlett declined to consider WALL
street legerdemain whereby water is
turned into wine," as real business, and
he repudiated the tricks Of crooked men
who masqueraded as business men
when their activities had no relation
to the constructive work OF the oper-
alton OF the machinery where real busi-
ness commenced and ended. With this
elimination OF illegitimate activities
from the business world. he asserted
that today's commercial standards OF
honesty were higher than ever
There is no road to succesS-real
success said the lecturer. "in which
there is the slightest suggestion of a
curve" Continuing. he said:
Graft in San Francisco may appear
hideous as its exposure takes place.
In that city, as elsewhere, the graft
is rendered noticeable because OF its
contrast with the solid, sound expanse
of commercial life against which it is
exhibited"
President wheeler, at the conclusion
of the lecture. said:
att Is good to get this message from
such a man as Mr.. Bartlett 1t may
spell salvation for students here to be
told with authority the things asserted
by Mr.. Bartlett. / have no way OF
calculating the immense good that
would be wrought if this same message
could be read in the newspapers to-
morrow morning by all the people OF
the bay cities. instead OF that which
they will read"