The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-02
SPEND MORE, IS SUGGESTION OF JUDGE GARY;
REASON, FAIRNESS, HONESTY, CURE NEEDED

trades. l am not inclined to deal
in personalities. 1t is necessary only
to refer to two or three subjects and
to make some illustrations. The pub
lie is aware of the facts. Eyes have
been opened. Different products have
been purchased from the farmer, man
ufacturer or others at low cost and
then passed on in one way or smother
and finally sold to the consumer al
outrageous prices. Retail prices. es-
pecially, for many commodities are
much to high. Without justification
workmen have been classified and re-
classified so as to designate them as
skilled men. We have heard of per
sons whose daily wage was advanced
from SO to $40 or s12 at one time I'M
der this practice. You know of hun
dreds of cases illustrating what has
been said and 1t would be useless to
further specify.
Workers Are Fair.
The vast majority of business men
and workmen are sincere and falr,
but there is and perhaps always VIII
be minority that ignore the prlncl-
pies of common honesty: They are
sufficient in number to seriously AFFECT
the whole situation. Until these are
aroused to the necessity of gettlnS
in line with sound and decent stan
dards of conduct, the full return TO
satisfactory business conditions Will
be more or less impeded
All that / have said during or since
the war concerning a return to great
prosperity in this country has been
predicated on business being managed
in accordance with the principles OF
reason. fairness and honesty.
However. in considering the question
of prices il is to be remembered that
MANY criticisms, favorable or unfavor-
able, are made which are not Justified.
The reader or listener should be sure
of the truth before reaching con-
clusion. The fair-minded man, if he
has any facts, will disclose them upon
request. Occasionally writer, through
inexperience or lack of knowledge or
otherwise, will misrepresent or misin-
terpret. Everyone of US has been sub
jected to a convincing argument
against the validity or soundness OF
attributed statements which we never
made. 1t is quite common to build a
straw-man in order to give evidence
of strength in destroying him. But
this should never disturb our equanim
ity We must admit we are sometimes
wrong when we think we are right.
Now what, if anything, can be done
to improve the general situation?
answer the first thing for insistence
throughout the world, is the observ'
ance and enforcement of law.
Right is Right.
There is no standard for safe and
certain progress in economic effort ex-
cept an established rule of law which
fixes and protects the rights of every
one without discrimination. There are
degrees of virtue and offense; but
right is right, and wrong is wrong
Wrong cannot properly be compro
missed nor fostered; and so long as
law is in existence it must furnish the
rule for conduct.
Recently we have read OF convlc
tions for violations of the criminal
law by certain business men. They
had controlled selling prices and limit
ed production to the injury of consum
ers. | am not familiar with the facts
and do not know whether or not mora
turpitude was charged. The mer
pleaded guilty, and, of course, de
served punishment.
i And nearly every day for months