Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1912-08-08

titude toward all public questions. The
few, the classes, should be ignored and
forgotten because that is the natural law.
1t is the natural law that no one man or
set of men or one community or set OF
communities should stand in the way OF
any movement that gives promise of
betterment to the general run OF man or
the general run OF communities. We
have come to look upon this natural law
as God given, therefore just and right.
Now if the increased power of the cata-
logue houses will mean a greater good to
the greatest number, let us welcome that
increased catalogue house power and the
few OF US who may be seriously affected
seek in other lines of human endeavor,
the success we hope to attain
But what may seem present advan-
tage to the great NUN Der gives promise
OF actual disaster to the greatest number.
We all oil us know how the money
power has taken firm grip on this ma
ton and all the nations OF the world,
how it only RENAME for the kindred
spirits of That money power to secure a
grip on the material wealth OF this nation
and all other nations With few, men
selling almost All the manufactured pro-
ducts, how long would it be before lew
men would be buying all the products Of
the farm.
This question Of distribution is the
greatest question before the American
people All other questions dwarf into
inslgnifcance if the fears we now enter
tain are well grounded.
Let us think, men, and think hard
Let us wipe out all sentiment with
reference to local associations and look
this proposition squarely in the face.
Let us consider the question in this
way: viii it be best for me and my
children and my children's children to
maintain the present competitive system,
r will it be best to gradually adopt the
socialistic doctrine of centralized system
OF distributions? Will it be best to have
keen, progressive local business interests,
buying and selling farm products, or will
it be best to have great centers where the
buying and selling Of farm products will
be carried on?
This question OF catalogue house sys-
tenn OF distribution has gotten beyond the
local merchants. 1t is not his interests
that are to be considered, but the in
terests of posterity; the interests of the
many that now exist.
True, there is duty men owe to their
communities as such because the lives of
all are interwoven-no man in COM
munity lives unto himself alone, and
when local institutions OF business
flourish all feel the beneficial effects.
There are the schools to build and sup
port, the roads to maintain, and last but
not least, there stretches forth in times
of disaster or distress the helping hand OF
the local business man, who looks upon
you as his neighbor. He is eyer ready
TO sympathize in hours of sadness. He
does not buy property every year or two,
valued into the millions. He is one Of
the cogs in useful piece of machinery,
fitting in with you and with me as the
other necessary cogs.
Gentlemen, we are all called upon to
conserve the best interests of our nation.
1t is our bounded duty to give the prob
lem before us our very best thought.
This problem must not be looked at from
a selfish viewpoint, but from the broad
and public-spirited view point of the
greatest good to our common country.
The Merchants here and all over the
land purpose to combat the present ten
dency of Capitalization. If they are in
the right and if their efforts are well
directed, they shall succeed. If in the
wrong, no harm will come of their efforts
and the efforts of their friends in the
country, for whether right or wrong a
closer bond of sympathy will have be-
come established between man and man.
But they are not in the wrong. The
distant thunders proclaim the fulfilling
of our prophesies, while the days that
have come and gone unerringly point to
the disaster that is bound to overtake us
as people.
Building a Business