The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-09-27
Our Resources the Basis of Our Business
An Address by w Simmons President National
Mime aaNNi


American citizenship-one which has
no prototype in the istory of any 9th
er people-one which has become {
most potent and influential factor IL
our daily affairs-our modern high
class commercial traveller
To this development, l attribute my
having the honor of addressing you to
day regarding our resources as the
basis of our business, because the or
ganization of which l am president
employs probably the largest corps OF
such representatives in the country
and has through them the best system
OF keeping accurately informed regard
ing all matters that affect business.
| take it therefore as a compliment
not to myself alone, but to this new
type among our citizens, and as an evil
dent recognition of those admirable
qualities which have raised this fra
ternity from the old-time drummers of
questionable methods, to men OF high
character who have earned the conf
dence, respect and friendship of our
merchants in every nook and corner
of the land.
Among the qualifications necessary
to the success of the commercial trav-
eler is that he must be resourceful
From conclusions based largely upon
the observations of the commercial
travellers of this country, l will en-
deavor to outline to you what | be-
lieye to be the relationship between
our business interests and this cues
ton of natural resources, and 1 be-
lieve this phase of the question is
most vitally important to the people
in whose interest you have gathered
here from every state in the union
The primary reason for that belief
and the one on which all others hinge
lis that we are a nation in trade
a whole people engaged in business.
Eighty odd per cent of our people are
or indirectly dependent for
their living on business conditions.
The business interest therefore is the
greatest -collectively-in the
country.
Anything which affects the living of
the majority of our people is not only
worthy of our most earnest attention,
but should be approached with due
consideration. We should be espec-
tally cautious about experimenting
with the natural laws of trade. When
hits is more generally recognized and
the people begin to understand that
their individual daily incomes are at
stake, they will put a stop to using
the business interests of this country
as football for politics
Not only does there appear to me
to be g direct relation between our
natural resources and our business,
but as / view it, our resources are
the foundation of our business-tbey
constitute the capital upon which our
business is done.
In business We endeavor by indus
trious and intelligent use of CAPT
tai. to produce as the fruit of our
an annual return without i'm
pairing the without touching
the principal of jeopardizing it in
any manner. In private enterprises,
the man who assumes the headship of
a business organization in which the
funds of others are invested as CAPT
tai, ana who then makes a show of.
by drawing on that capital
to pay what be represents as dividens,
is charged with running a Get Rich
Quick scheme, and in most states
is, by law, held personally liable
] commend to your consideration
{ e consistency of applying that prin-
cirle where there is involved the cap
ital of all the people-the Nations
Resources.
If we are are a people in trade, and
mean TO continue to be, and If our
resources are our capital, can there be
any doubt about the wisdom of hand
ling the capital according to the rules
of good businessman there be any
doubt Were we as a nation will land
if we make annual inroads upon that
capital-if We, the management of
the peoples business-follow meth
DDS which in private affairs bring
those responsible before the bar of
justice?
We as a, nation take Just pride in
our business successive attribute
them to the brains we put into our
work-to the thoroughness with
which we study what we do and what
others have done-that We may profit
by experience.
Is it not well for us thoughtfully to
inquire whether the histories of any
other nations record the handling of
their resources on the Get Rich
Quick plan, that we may see what
has been the outcome. History is
full of such instances of them
have been pointed out by eminent
advocates of this movement. I will
therefore not attempt anything but
passing reference to some of them.
Volumes could be written from evil
dences found in the Valley Of the
Euphrates and Of the Tigris. where
Etood the great kingdom of Babylonia
the wonder of the ancient world
in the ruins of PALMYRA and Palestine;