Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-03-06
j. Il. Hotter Defends His Posi-
fiOn.

~ 49, HEE Hmr7
ton.
To the LEADER: Intimaticns has
been made that my appeals are IN
vain. Such an idea is a mistake, and
this assertion / will undertake to
prove.
An appeal to justice Is never In
vain: those who would make such a
claim confuse the natural attributes
Of man. We admit that man is sell
fish, this is one Of his natural attrl-
butes and a very prominent IN al
ways active. But back of his selfish
ness is the still stronger sense OF JUS
tice. This stronger sense OF justice
is perhaps more latent than his sell
tishness, but it is incomparably strong
err; aroused to activity it is irresisti-
BILE. During all ages man has always
been found willing to sacrifice proper
ty, life and everything for justice, he
will 60 to war to fight for justice till
every our is exhausted. This
strong sense Of justice always moves
| tIlG WOIIO " w dIA w bSCOSi VII VA
improved conditions in mans social
intercourse. Society would destroy it
self IL this was not so. The struggle
between these two natural forces
%selhshness and justice, is always going
on and will be going on as long as
man inhabits the earth.
Nowhere has this strong Of
justice been brought to a greater effic-
iency than among the English speak
ing people. The struggle for justice
is and must be uppermost in the long
run. To it's ultimate import man is
agreed; but the means OF reaching it
may be a contention.
Selfish interests may combine and
grow into very formidable proportions
but they have always been scattered
by the onslaught OF justice. Selfish
ness is impregned with the deceiving
delusion Of profit; individual profit is
an error when it is reached at the ex-
pense of our fellow-man. The true
betterment is that which carries So
/ ClCuJ " 10 a WAAOlS} uhN ViAShA
the conditions of society as a whole
are improved the conditions OF the in
diyidual are improved. In society at
large the individual is a small atom, a
little speck of frail attachments, his
efforts are weak. But the combina-
tion OF these feeble individual efforts
is strong, to make this strength avail
able organized society is necessary,
and the foundation of organized so
ciety is law. BY just law the indivi-
dual as well as society is lifted to
higher ideals and the moral standard
is improved. Laws promotiye of sell
fish ends are destructive to society,
and it is a regretable fact that this is
so largely the case in our legislation,
the mistaken inception of personal ad-
vantage is altogether too largely SNUG
lgled into our laws.
Nowhere is this carried to such
length as in our financial legislation
and in u banking laws. A money
system must of necessity be founded
upon the of the nation, and
the primary Of u money system is SO
founded.
The primary object governing the
law sof our banking transactions should
also have the public welfare in view,
butrthe facts are SO largely contrary
that we become almost stunned at
the contemplation. The interest OF
banking is the primary object in our
banking Or currency legislation, the
public welfare is a secondary consider
alton. Never will there be peace till
justice shall prevail also IN this branch
of legislation and the public welfare
shall be the first consideration.
Under favoritism panics and money
stringency must be an ever recurring
curse, for private interest will always
be at work trying to overreach one
another.
In this as in all branches of legislay
tion where favoritism is dominant the
individual benefit is only a fetch, the
undertaking evil is far over balancing
the Individual advantage. The aver
age country banker is by no means
walking on roses. The consequence
Of special advantage is, that the bust
ness isso entirely o~yercrowded, thai
the condition Of the individual bank.
er becomes precarious.
j. e. Hotter.
NAS 1aae8