Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-17

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abstain from the practices by which the
general public is overreached, 1t would
LEGISLATION necessary to protect the pro-
ducing masses from the constant spoia-
ton to which they are now subjected by
the privileged classes
If a man who is planning a train rob-
berry takes another along to hold
horse at a convenient distance we say
that the man who holds the horse Is
equally guilty with the man who RODS
the train: and the time will come when
guilty with the plunderers OF society society
the lawyers and journalists VINO assist
the plunderers to escape.
Commerce is an increasing factor IN
the business world. II includes ootn
exchange and transportation and stands
next in importance to production. Pro.
duction comes first. but production could
only be carried on on limited scale
without the exchange of merchandise.
To desire to gain An honorable distinc-
ton in this department of labor Is a
worthy ambition. He who improves the
Instruments Of trade brings purchaser
and consumer nearer together. and thus
facilitates exchange. may count himself
a real benefactor. But even mere there
are temptations to be avoided: Let me
suggest three. First, speculation l do
not mean to say that the element or
chance can be entirely eliminated from
any kind of business. The farmer takes
his chances upon the seasons; the mer-
chant takes his chance upon the market
the railroad owner takes his chances
upon both the season and the market:
and we all take our chances upon sick
ness and death. Uncertainty enters into
every human calculation. but distinc-
ton can be drawn between those un.
certainties which are unavoidable and
those uncertainties which are OF the
very essence of the transaction. There
is a legitimate work for the stock ex-
e. srtpa ntnnV n
merce, but there is an illegitimate and
vicious speculation on the stock ex-
change and the produce market which
has lured many business men to their
fall.
1t is not strange that many are charm
ed by the siren song OF the stock ticker.
but it means ruin, and to the extent that
a man yields to the temptation his morals
are weakened. There is but one sure
measure of rewards, viz, one that COM
pensates each in proportion as he serves
society. The securing Of something for
nothing by lucky turn Of a card or by
sudden change in the market paraiyzes
ones purpose. and. in time. renders him
unfit for patient and persistent effort l
might emphasize the fact that gambling
in stocks and farm products often leads
TO emh excitement, larceny and suicide.
for these are the fruits of speculation
when 1t becomes a disease. But / pre-
Ger to put my argument against gam
bling upon the broader ground that 1t Is,
in all cases, demoralizing influence,
whether the gambler wins or loses.
Monopoly is the second commercial
temptat ion Monopoles have been at
tempted ever since trading began, and
they are more common today than ever
before because more money can be made
out of them. Many well meaning busi-
~ on1xy hal r-aru
into practices which are not only indie
fensible in the realm Of conscience. but
which violate the statutes. The officers OF
the law are constantly engaged in an
effort to prevent the monopolizing OF
trade.
1t is strange that any one should at
tempt to defend a private monopoly. for
it's plan and operation can be easily un-
human nature or history. No judge
would be permitted. to preside in his own
case: no Juror would be allowed to serve
in q suit to which he was a party. and
decides every day questions where his in
terests are on one side and public inter-
ests on The other. Can he be trusted to
decide impartially and to exact only
reasona BILE profit? 1t Is absurd to expect
him to do justice to those with whom he
deals.
We need laws making private mo-
nopoIy impossible. but we must have
back of these laws a moral sentiment
which will condemn the club welded
by the monopolist, as moral senti-
ment now condemns the highwayman's
bludgeon.
The third temptation to which the
r commercial man is subjected is the
corruption of politics Just in pro-
) portion as a corporation secures a
r monopoly of the business In which 1t
is engaged. In that proportion the ne
r cessity for government regulation in
creases, and, I may add. the difficulty
t of securing regulation increases in pro-
, portion to the necessity for It, Munich
pal corruption has become a byword.
and the lobbyist has made his evil
presence felt at the national and state
capitals. Bribery is becoming a fine
art. and neither the voter nor his rep
resentative is spared. The one lesson
that must be taught is that the man
, who gives a bride is as wicked as the
man who accepts i'll am not sure but
that he is more wicked. for the necessi
ties of the man who accepts the bribe-
if need can palliate such an Offense-
are usually greater than those of the
man who offers it.
In the counting room as well as in
the editors library and in the law
yer's office one hears the heart-sear ch-
: ing question: What shall 1t profit a
man if he shall gain the whole world
, and lose his own southland happi-
ness, honor and usefulness all hang
upon the answer.
I would not be forgiven il I failed
to apply my theme to the work of the
instructor. The purpose of education
is not merely to develop the mind: it
is to prepare men and women for So
ciety's work and for citizenship. The
ideals of the teacher, therefore, are of
the first Importance. The pupil is apt
to be as much influenced by what his
teacher is as by what the teacher says
or does. The measure of a school can
; not be gathered from an inspection of
of life which the graduate carries away
, must be counted I'm estimating the
benefits conferred. The pecuniary re-
wards of the teacher are usually small
when compared with the rewards of
business This may be due in part to
/ our failure to properly appreciate the
|, work which the teacher does, but it
NAV be partially accounted for by the
fact that the teacher derives from his
work satisfaction greater than that
obtained from most other employments.
The teacher comes into contact with
: the life of the student and, as our great
est JOY is derived from the conscious
ness of having benefited others, the
teacher rightly counts as a part Of his
compensation the continuing pleasure to
be found in the knowledge that he Is