Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-05-31
THE WORLD BECOMING HONEST.
Such Is the Opinion Of Famous New
York Preacher.

|
The geologist tells us that the White
Mountains were the first peaks to
emerge from the sea; then, little by
little, the whole continent appeared
rising above the hot waters Of either
ocean. That was a great moment
when Mount Washington first cleared
itself of water, steam and mud and
stood forth, crowned with sunlight
the forerunner of a new continent.
But more wonderful still the sudden
,entrance Of conscience and ethics into
the industrial and cooperative life OF
the republic. For years, doubtless. the
preparatory processes have been going
on. but the ethical movement has pub
lshed itself only in the last few weeks
and months Today the railroads are
posting their rates and withdrawing
secret rebates. Alarmed, politicians
no longer hawk franchises In the lob
bies Of the city hall. Recently a whole
sale house has raised the price for a
certain food product. The reason CIV
en- Is that hitherto each pound package
contained fifteen ounces, the other
ounce being the pasteboard box. They
have to charge more now, because they
give sixteen ounces in return for the
purchased. The merchant says that
the saving Of that ounce always paid
for the pasteboard boxes and the
packing. Now that his firm has be-
come honest he has to raise the price
In his innocence he has confessed that
for years his firm has stolen one-six-
teenth Of the goods from the people
who bought them. Henceforth who
can say that religion is not worth
its weight in gold and coffee and
rice and sugar? 1t seems that the ap-
pearance of conscience in trade has
wrought out the pure food bill, and
that henceforth the foods that are
adulterated will be marked adulterated
and foods that are pure will be mark
ed pure.
Even more wonderful is the influence
of conscience in politics. The time
was when the world Of politics was a
wide waste, Salton Sea. Now an
occasional peak Of honesty is emerg-
ing therefrom. The peaks may seem
solitary and separated, the occasional
names being as distant from each 9TH
er as the star named Sirius and our
sun. Nevertheless, conscience has ap-
peared.
In Springfield, ILL.,, merchant from
a certain city wished bill put through
the Legislature On the surface the
bill looked all right, representing the
interests Of the people; secretly 1t was
in the interest of the merchant, who
had sent his paid lobbyists to the state
capital. Probably the legislators did
not know what was involved, but their
leaders reported the bill favorably. On
hearing Of this good fortune the mer-
chant prepared to take the midnight
train for Chicago, but in the late af-
ternoon he decided to drive out and
visit Lincoln's tomb. Stopping his
carriage, he walked slowly about the
monument. When the shadows fell the
night found him still looking at the
face Of Lincoln, with his face turned
toward the state house and his hand
holding a roll. At length in the dark
ness the merchant returned to his ho-
tel. Giving up his berth on the Sleep
er, he spent the night in the capital,
but all night long he tossed upon his
bed. When the day dawned he sent
for his representative and told him to
withdraw the bill. When his attorney
expostulated, saying that the bill would
pass since the work was all done, the
merchant insisted. Pressed for his
reason, he drove his attorney to the
park and cemetery, and there, in front
of Lincoln's monument, he bade the
driver stop, and looking up, he said
to the lobbyist: 81 cannot do so mean
a thing with Lincoln looking toward
the state house and watching me-"
Being dead, the martyred president
lived and spoke eloquently pleading
for justice and honesty. And In every
city and state capital honest men are
appearing. Every day witnesses a po-
litical uprising in some city. With
whips and scourges the public con-
science is driving the money changes
out of the city councils. The time is
near at hand when the city council
shall be as honorable and distinguished
a body as the Chamber Of Commerce.
And this Is a new note in the political
world.
More striking still the ethical note
in the realms Of public morals. England
can no longer say that the multi-mil-
lionaire can do anything he wants to
in America. If any European reads
the American press the last week he
will discover that so far from the peo-
pie living in awe of the multi-million-
aire who outrages the laws Of decency
and good morals he will close the pa
pers with the idea that the aforemen-
toned Croesus has had all the sewers
in forty cities emptied upon his be-
diamonded, talkative and much be-
trothed neck.
| That cell also in the prison with Its
inmate warns all youth that legal abil-
ity all the influence of friends and
money, avail nothing to keep a sue
cessful lawyer who has perjured him.
self and helped conceal crime from 60
ing to his own place behind the bars.
| Man wants money-but when a man
is hungry he must not eat Goals OF
fire. And when a man is avaricious
he must not seek satisfaction by get
ting money through crime and fraud
The whole nation is rising up to shake
off it's former lies, vices and sins. Ir
politics If a youth wants position an6
preferment he must plead the cause OF
the poor. In literature and fiction II
the novelist wants to succeed he must
portray the triumph Of honor and the
defeat of sham and humbug. If 6
magazine wants to increase it's circu-
lation it takes up some cause and be-
comes a voice for the public con-