Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-10-21
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recently passed through a cyclone OF
defamation, yituperation and expo
sure-much of it indecent. The
commercial jolt that we experienced
has shown us that, when the rail-
roads are prosperous-buying rails,
extending their lines, building the
bridges, warehouses, collecting bet
ter equipment-we are all prosper
GUS. When the railroads cease push
ing for better facilities, there is a
lull, the bread line forms, the tramp
OF the unemployed, and the hoarse
end ominous roar Of the mob are
heard in the land. In such times an
extra police force is needed and
menace becomes imminent.
individuals at work are safe-and
a nation is only safe when its peo-
pie are employed.
Now suppose you raise a cry Of
''stop thief" and turn the powerful
resources Of the government to ha-
RAISING enterprise, with the endeavor
to confiscate It's property, take away
its character, destroy its good will,
does it not stand to reason that we
thus smother aspiration and get a
condition where expansion ceases,
orders are cancelled, men laid OIL
and the whole land suffers?
We have been in state Of panic
through the policy Of burning our
barns to kill the mice. The national
conditions have been pathologic.
Happily, however, we are now get
ting our nerve back to normal, and
sanity is taking the place Of hysteria.
Modern millionaires do not hoard
they invest. The successful man
always has the builders itch--he Is
always and to4sver widening, ex-
tending, building improving, and II
is all in the line of human service
of human betterment. To exploit
is to fail, and all wise, successful
men know 1t.
To plumber is to die.
Nothing is more silly and absurd
than the idea that the men who
have built up the great modern Amer
can fortunes are intent on ease and
luxury AS a class they are men OF
abstemious habits, simple, rapid and
direct in their dealings. They work
sixteen hours day. They are in the
game, and can't get out OF 1t II tney
would. Their millions are invested
in a way that makes use an impera-
tive necessity. To liquidate would
be red ruin.
"They say am rich" once SAID
James J. Hill to me, "and they roll
off the number of my millions. The
fact is, owe more money than all
the men in Minnesota. TO make my
investments profitable and 'keep
them from fading away, am Obliged
to eternally struggle keeping them
active"
One investment calls for another
IN nrotect IL. and so Mr.. Hill is al
ways building always extending
This eternal unrest of business means
national prosperity. To picture the
great business-builder as a parasite
living on the labor Of the proletariat
Is an insult to the intelligence oil the
age. :.
should our government begin &c
cOnfiscate private property in the
name Of the law, that instant will en-
terprise grow old and senility pirate
Of the past. But this is not to be. We
are beginning to realize that bust
ness is built on confidence; that
when we destroy faith in our com
mercial fabric we are actually taking
the roofs from homes, anatehing food
from children ana pushing bodies
naked out into the storm.
Business means homes. gardens
books, parks music, good roads
schools--safesy. peace and prosperity
and OF these things the world has
not yet seen . plethora.
Shall We blast witheF ana &c
stroy with the breath Of our mouths
an that clvilIsation holds dearf
think not. We can direct and regu.
late. but We win DO It in justice and
not IN blindness and. wrath, lest ~
welcome the angels Of peace with
bloody hands to hospitabls graves
and We ourselves 50 down In the
sunten roadway, horse and rider
pursusr and pursued
aal-Il1IIH1l