The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-03-05
Paper Read Before the Chaaaa,qaa Circle.

Paper Read Before the Chaata,,qaa Circle.
@OMMERCIAL development is
subject of such breadth, that
Il in order to escape the fate of
the daring Irishman who met
his Waterloo, in an attempt to cover
''tOo much territory" as noted in re-
cent issue of our local organ THE
MIRROR, [ shalrtreat it only from the
viewpoint of its rapid progression and
attendant evils, which to a great ex-
tent has been grossly detrimental to
the highest interests of the people.
In presentingsthe following facts for
your edification, clear understanding
of the subject under consideration is
all important. Therefore, going back
to Noah-not Noah of the Ark-but to
him with the surname of Webster, and
his able book Of short stories, we find
that commerce means extended trade
or traffic and development, to unfold
gradually, 20 lay open to view by de-
grees. The Declaration Of 1ndepend-
ence plainly says, that governments
are instituted among men "to secure to
them their rights to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness" Again, in
a few words, the laws of the land de-
.mand, "that we live honestly, hurt no.
body and render to everyone his due"
History has shown us, that upon these
essentials the true prosperity of any
nation rests, and that commercial de-
velopment, or material prosperity, is
not an essential, being only means to
an end, and sometimes q very bad end.
Lest the opinion of the writer in the
motive that prompted review of ex-
listing conditions be misconstrued. it
lis not asserted that Commercial de-
,velopment of the age" has not been
beneficial in many respects, or even
that it's evils may not be remedied, but
up to the present time the course of
tho great movement within the past
few years toward concentration and
combination of all the means OF pro-
>tias done more harm than is generally
supposed, for actual events in times OF
stress have proven that our CONNER
cial development, heightened by the
monOpolistic trend of modern achieve.
.ments, has been sltogether too rapid
not only for the safety of sound bust
ness principles, but that which is deal
to the heart of the averagecitizen, ths
welfare of our highest interests.
This point of view is founded or
conservative statistics, which show al
alarming increase in. the loss Of hu
man life. 1t almost seems incredible
and is enough to make a-Person gasl
at the appalling conception of com
mercial abnse these figures reveal: viz
that during three successive months O
the past year, more people were kille'
on the railroads of the United State
than during the war with Spain, an
the casualties were greater than dur
ing the three days fight at Gettysbur
during the civil war.
There is little need of burdening 70
with an analytical summary of statist
cal figures. However, that you ma
better comprehend its full sign,ticanc
it is interesting to note that industris
casualties number from 100000 to 56O
900 yearly. AS there are 525, 600 mil
utes in a year, it will be seen that con
merce causes more than one casualt
minute. This is not economical
say the least; for an artisan of tods
is surely worth considerably mo-
than the slave of former days, ar
besides, his loss does not tall upt
the master. When a man is injurt
nowadays, pecuniary conditions fore
another to seek his place and the er
.plOyers take little interest in the ms
ter of proper safeguards, since the mt
has assumed the risk to toll for b
sustenance and for the support of b
family.
Another element that at once col
mands our attention, fs the extrer
division of labor under our prese
manufacturing system. Leading eco
omists agree that the factory syste
as practiced, In which each operat
repeats indefinitely 'single task,
qaires and creates q lower grade Of