Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-05

When GOD maQe Had DC gave ~ uioh-
kind a soul and warned him that In the
next world he would be held accountable
for the deeds done in the flesh. But when
man created the corporation he could
not endow that corporation with soul,
SO that if 1t escapes punishment here 1t
need not fear the hereafter. And this
man-made giant has been put forth to
compete with the God-made man. We
must assume that man In. creating the
corporation had in view the welfare OF
society, and the people who create must
retain the power to restrict and to con-
troll We can never become so enthusiast
tic over the corporation, over its useful
ness, over it's possibilities, as to forget
the God-made man who was here first
and who still remains factor to be
considered
take it. then. that can assume that
all who are interested in commerce and
interested in the corporation as a means
Of developing commerce will recognize
the necessity of making competition be-
tween the natural man and the hctitious
person approximately equal, SO that the
natural man may not be trodden under
foot.
Commerce is important. You can
scarcely estimate its Importance and yet
commerce is dependent. In fact, the
more complex society becomes the more
dependent we are. We sometimes speak
Of people being Independently rich. We
do not mean that. We mean that they
are dependently rich, for the richer. they
are the more dependent they are. The
more man has the more he must en-
ploy to secure this thing which he calls
wealth. The larger his annual income
the larger number Of people who labor
that he may have part.
X
Commerce cannot live without agricul-
ture. 1 dare not say on this subject
what once said. for it is too near cleo
ton to hope to correct misrepresenta-
lions that might be made. I once said,
Burn your cities and leave the farms,
and the cities will grow up again. as by
magic; but destroy the larms and the
grass will grow in the streets of your
cities l said that once but dare not
say II again, for / found after the cleo
ton that a dodger had been circulated
in a distant state which read like this:
Burn your cities. w. J. Bryan"
But while experience has taught me
caution, while find as others do that
advancing years bring conservatism in
language, still / am yet young enough
to venture the assertion that the prairies
of the middle west are indispensable to
merce dependent upon the farmers, who
in their fields convert Gods bounty into
nations wealth, but commerce is de-
pendent also upon those humble toilers
who in the factory and on the train are
turning the wheels of our Industrial
progress.
While we enjoy the bounties that are
spread before us We are much like the
people on the upper decks of ship, who
ride peacefully aiong through the waters
because down in the hold, in the dark.
there are men with bodies bare and
hands soiled with dirt, keeping the fires
burning while the ship moves on.
The manufacturer is as dependent upon
the men whom he employs as they are
dependent upon him for employment.
The clerks in the stores, who run back
and forth, who carry merchandise AMI
keep the accounts, are as necessary
part of commerce as those who preside
and direct. The great lesson that we
must learn is that society cannot dis
pense with any of the elements engaged
in production.
We must learn the great truth that We
are linked together by indissoluble bonds,
could bonds which, we could not sever II
we would And we must learn that
progress cannot be measured Dy the
progress of few, but by the advance
ment of the mass.
Upon what basis car we work? There
is but one. and that is a basis that meas
ures Justly each individuals share of the
Joint product Every man who by MS
brain or muscle contributes to the sum
total of this nations wealth must have
part of that wealth as his reward. He
may be captain of industry: he may De
a general in command; but. my friends
there must be a reasonable relation De-
tween the pay of the general and tne
For n
eral needs the soldier as much as the
soldier needs the general. -,
Gro into different lands and you VIII
find people speaking many languages;