Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1921-11-03
SPEND MORE IS SUGGESTION
~ OF JUDGE E. H. GARY

I for new enterprises and extensions
of old?
1t is because the great purchasing
public has formed the opinion that
Nhe1e have not been consummated
complete and proper readjustment OF
prices; and ON account of failure to
discriminate between different lines
or departments of business the whole
economic system has suffered.
Workers Are Fair.
The vast majority of business men
| and wOrkmen are sincere and fair,
but there is and perhaps always will
be a minority that ignore the prin-
cIples of common honesty They are
sufficient in number to seriously af-
feet the whole situation. Until these
are aroused to the necessity of get
ting in line with sound and decent
standards of conduct, the full return
to satisfactory business conditions
will be more or less impeded
All that l have said during or
since the war concerning a return
to great prosperity in this country
has been predicted on business being
managed in accordance with the
principles OF reason, fairness and
honesty.
However, in considering the ques-
tion Of prices it is to be remembered
that many criticisms, favorable or un-
favorable, are made which are not
justified. The reader or listener
should be sure of the truth before
reaching conclusion. The 1air-mind-
ed man, II he has any facts, will dis
close them upon request. Occasion.
ally a writer, through ine1perience or
lack Of knowledge or otherwise, win
misrepresent or misinterpret. Every
one OF us has been subjected to a
convincing argument against the Va
ldity or soundness Of attributed
statements which we never male. It
is quite common to build q straw-man
in order to give evidence Of strength
in destroying him. But this should
never disturb our equanimity. We
must admit we are sometimes wrong
when We think we are right.
Now, what, II anything, cain be
done to improve the general situa-
ton? answer the first thing for in
sistence, throughout the world, is the
observance and enforcement of law.
Right Is Right.
There Is no standard for safe and !
certain progress in economic effort
except an es'ablished rule OF law
which fixes and protects the rights
Of every one without discrimination. /
There are degrees Of virtue and Of
Tense; but right is right, and wrong
Us wrong. Wrong cannot properly
be compromised nor fostered; and
80 long as a law is in existence It
must furnish the rule for conduct.
Recently we have read Of convic-
tions, for violations OF the criminal
law BY certain business men. They
had controlled selling prices and linn.
tied production to the injury Of con-
sumers. I am not familiar with the
cacts and do not know whether or
not moral turpitude was charged.
The men pleaded guilty, and, Of
course. deserved puniehmart.
And nearly every day for months
we have read Of strikers violently
attacking men who had taken or
we're offering to fi,l the places made
vacant. Indecd, it seems to oe COM
non to attempt by force to prevent
operation Of producing plants or
lines. The freedom
If men to work, when and where they
pleased, he's been interfered with.
Many have been seriously injured ;
ind some killed.
II laws shall be enforced and peace
the other questions re- I
ating to economic progress and
will be solved. The law