The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-18

||[|&r In character and tempera'
Itut->It may be merely In the habits
NJ lifetime Gov. Wilson is not rath'
"A . echoolmaster than statesman
Record Crowd at Luncheon.
There were 900 members OF Board
Commerce, Michigan editors
md E,iests. In attendance at the lunch
con 10 Gov. Wilson, In the Wayne
I&rdens. Thursday noon. IL was one
oI the largest gatherings held under
HE auspices OF the board. President
UcHae introduced Gov. Wilson, and
~ the latter rose to speak, he was
greeted with cheers. Gov. Wilson
4poke upon THE patriotic function OF
commerce." He said In part:
rAs your chairman has said, We are
IN the midst of period OF unrest and
confnsion. The people are not salts
||cd with the present position OF af-
[airs either In politics or I'm business.
This disordered state OF affairs is a
menace 10 the business of the coun-
I[y And I, as all others labeled radi-
Gals. am constantly called upon to
meet the question from business men.
What would you do to business II
you we're I'm power? The present con-
/Ilsion II dangerous TO business men
only II they do not understand 1t. Adj
nit. understand and meet the danger
md n will disappear hear business
mem say, Don't drag business into
|ojitics. Business voluntarily came
INTO politics first. The business men
No the country made up their minds
HAT the country had TO take care of
hem, and they said TO those who
touId control the votes, You can have
I'D the money you want IL you will
take care OF u.s.
Dossn't Charge Direct Corruption.
Il do not mean to charge direct cor
r,1ption; do not believe there Is
much OF II, but this corruption Of the
viii, this perversion OF the point OF
view with regard to government is far
worse. The business men came into
politics because they thought honestly
and sincerely. believe, that the well
fare OF the country was intimately
bound up with their prosperity. They
we're mistaken. There cannot be any
trustees OF great country, no mat
ter how honest or patriotic or we'll
Informed they may be.
The patriotic function OF business
IL vision. Business men should study
nh Of the questions OF the day the
economic changes, and so forth. For
Instance, our export statistics demon
etrate that we should have a freer exit
than we now have for our manufac-
fured goods. The Panama canal Is an
other factor that will entirely change
the course OF commerce. Business
should adjust itself to these new con-
difions, for commerce Is a process OF
adjustment. I have often wondered
what the stand-patters are standing
pat with.
Everything else Is changing and
A they continue to stand pat they will
be desperately lonesome. Radicalism
a mercy an attempt TO know what is
r0ing on and TO keep up with IL. IL Is
the dirty OF business men to under
stand, to comprehend, to see some
thing fnore than their ledgers, to visit
something else than their factories.
They should get vision of the econo-
mic forces both permanent and tran
STORY which enter into commerce.
They should see how public policy
Affects business and business affects
public policy, Under present condi-
lions no business can be classed as q
private business and there is no legi-
Innate profit not based upon the ser
yi>e Of the public"