The Washington times., 1911-08-08

tors, but 1t permeates everywhere. Only
week before last one Of the most in-
nuential boards Of home missions OF
one OF the strongest Protestant churches
In this country had the proposition SUBJ
mitted at meeting of making an alp
outlying district. Accompanying the
report was a statement as to the popu-
iation and the wealth Of the district
and the information that church Of
another Protestant denomination was
already, established there. After some
discussion this powerful and influential
board deliberately voted that It would
not appropriate money ~ establish a
church Of its denomination at that
point because there already existed
denomination, and said church was able
10 properly minister to the spiritual
needs Of the population of that CON-
munity, and further church building In
that community by Protestant denomi-
nations would be unnecessary and
wasteful. Here is a body Of Christian
men deliberately refusing to compete
ana as deliberately voting to cooperate.
The civilized world is witnessing the
spectacle Of our holding an extra ses-
sion OF Congress to enact a policy OF
reciprocity: of our negotiating peace
treaties with European powers, and at
the same time Of our Congress calling
loudly on our Attorney General to force
our business men to adopt ruthless,
competitive methods. In other words,
i seems that we can have consoll-
dation OF States; we can have treaties
for peace with foreign powers we can
have reciprocity with our neighbors; we
can have church unity; but 1t is unlaw-
ness world. Has the height of inconsist-
encv at last been reached?
Congress has ignored every sugges-
ton by Roosevelt. hy Taft, by Wicker
sham-yes. even by some Of its own
memhers-looking toward any method
that would preserve any good there Is,
anv benefit or advantage there Is to the
people In large business undertakings,
and has seemed content to let the coun-
try drift toward business chaos.
What has gwen US the sweat shop?
Competition.
What has given US child labor: Com
petition.
What throws labor out of employ
ment? Competition.
What causes low wages? Competition.
What brings panic and failure? Com
petition.
And what is our Congress at this mo-
ment calling loudly on our Attorney
General to enforce. even to the door of
the Jail? Competition.
The Congressman who stands for a
literal enforcement of the Sherman act
stands for the sweat shop and child
labor.
Produces Extremes.
Competition produces the two ex-
tremes-millIonaire and paupers; while
cooperation looks toward more stable
conditions and a more equal distribu-
tien Of wealth.
This blessed country Of ours is suffer
ing from a deluge of politicians and a
dearth Of statesmen. We must give bet
ter men to our public life. We business
men have been at fault in many things
but in none more than in our almost
utter neglect of our public duties. We
have been so busy-opportunities for
great achievements have crowded so
hard upon one another, that we have
said. "Oh. do not bother US about poll
tics; there are plenty of Others who
will attend TO that" and the result is
that plenty of "Others" have attended
TO it-and here we are.
The promised land is ours, but what
we want at the moment is a Moses to
lead US out of the wilderness.
The Sherman act was passed without
any general public discussion. Some
members of Congress at that time saw
certain tendencies; they did not stop to