The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-01
Politics and Prosperity.

Politics and Prosperity.
Reasons Of very persuasive validity
offer for recovery Of business conh.
dence in the possibilities Of an early
activity. The way in which the coun
try withstood the shock Of the Euro
pean war and the worldwide economic
crisis which it preciptated. the proofs
which have since been furnished Of
the soundness of our trade and In
dustry and the strength of our finau-
cial institutions. encourage an opti-
mistic view of the outlook for Amer.
lean volumes and values. Many fac
tors have already contributed TO re-
markable rebound from business de-
preston. and the return of confidence
has already begun to make its pres
ence felt. not only in stock market
betterment but in the unmistakable
Improvement in many lines of com
nerce and manufacture.
Nevertheless business revival will
not Ike accelerated by any such beat
ing of the prosperity drum as that
in which Secretary RkDFTKLD and Sec
rotary Mc.ADoo are now INDUCING.
Business is not yet healed OF the
wounds and bruises inflicted upon 1t
by politics of the brand which has
been most favored in Washington.
especially in the last two years. l,
remembers its hurts and those who
gave them. aud the return of business
confidence is more likely to DO retarl-
ed than FASTENED by celebrations to
Il from the political quarters which
business has so much cause to re-
member with anything but graft
tude or II lively appreciation of the
sensitiveness to business require
ments which recent politics has dis
played.
Men Of affairs are hardly likely 70
become enthusiastic subscribers to the
.dea that hard times have ended be-
cause the fact Is asserted 10y politics
under the compusion Of necessity to
believe that good times are about 10
prevail. Business men have their own
easons for regarding the future hope
fully for its promise of profits, but
their suspicion Is apt to be excited
by proclamations of prosperity from
Washington.
Particularly is this true of such 4
ihut u.iilh Saprnf 4
MCADoo sent the other day to the
Southern Commercial Congress III
MuskOgee, Oklahoma. 1t is nonsense
10 say that prosperity has already
bur great deal of business effort
has had to be expended To prepare its
reception, and there will have 10 he
more effort to assure its arriya! and
prevent its speedy departure.
Worse nonsense is 1t for Secretary
McADoo to say that unless some ca
lamity beyond the control Of human
agency shall intervene. the only thing
that can possibly abide with us is
prosperity" Leaving elemental dis
asters out of the reckoning. and hav
ing respect only for matters withid
the control of human agency, it Il
quite possible that even the very
prospect of prosperity can he d."
stroyed by human agents. Nothing
could he more destructive of it thar
an unaltered persistence in the attl
tudc which politics held toward bnsi
ness until the strain Of the European
war forced n temporary change.
II is TO the credit of patriotic i'm
pulses that in the last few months
the differences which have separated
Government and business were rec
oncied with sufficient readiness Il
permit the country TO present unitc'
front to the vast emergency. Bu
politics cannot reoccupy the position
which 1t held before the European
war and expect that the bushes
community will follow the hope o
profit with the same hopcfulncss tha
has been inspired by events sine
January ].