The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-05-25
BUSINESS HONESTY
URGED BY HARDING
PRESIDENT DECLARES GOVERN
MENT WANTS TO AID NATIONS
NOT AT AMERICAS EXPENSE.

President Harding, speaking last
week before the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States, declared
the country oct this very moment is
en- the threshold of new era that
business is reviving ahd the country
is finding ITSELF"
The government, he said, was great
iy interested in restoration of nor
nal world business and economic con-
ditions and there was no disposition
or its part to hold aioff from other
nations. American industry, however,
he said, should net be destroyed to
build up the commerce of other lands.
The president declared that there
was no one constructive thought in
the mind of the administration at
the present which took rank over
that of a desire to establish firmly
and successfully IN American mer-
chant marine. He said ne doubted
that the World War would have oc-
Cured had the United States pos
sessed merchant marine conmen-
surate with its commercial Importance.
Civilization in Commerce.
eff there is any one realization" >"
he said, (which fiyes itself more firm
ly than another in the mind of one
charged with great responsibility, it
is the conviction that the business
life of the Republic is the reflex of
ell its good fortunes. l think / can
venture to say that commerce and
civilization go hand in hand, and were
it not for commerce, there would Re
no civilization.
"From the viewpoint of one in au-
thority and having responsibility
comes another consideration. Com
merce finds its place in all our con-
siderations. Undoubtedly it had much
to do with the bringing about of the
World War, and l think I can say
Just as confidently that it was never
once forgotten in the negotiation of
peace. 1t is so inextricably associated
with all VIC do that commerce is al
ways foremost in the life of any peo-
pie.
1--WE in America-I am sure it is
rot unseemly to say it-are corn
mercially great people, and we ought
to be. God blessed US most bounti-
fully in resources. In the citizenship
Of this Republic is the blend of every
people in the world almost, and /
like to say believe we are uneXcelled
in genius, we are Incompatible in
cur industry and we have the talent
and the determination-the righteous
Getermination-to be commercially one
Of the foremost nations of the world.
"This aspiration to excel is ever
an impelling one, because we have
learned from our observations of So
cial and civic life that from the great
golden stream of commerce flows ev-
crything in life worth while. If it
were not for this golden stream that
comes from exchanges, from produc-
tivity and exchanges, there would be
little of education, there would be
less of art, there would be few of the
finer attainments which make life
worth while.
"While I am speaking very briefly
I wish to speak, ladies and gentlemen,
for a commerce with conscience.
"If I were to bring only one ad-
monition to you would like to charge
you men and women of influence and
responsibility with the task of elm
mating from American commerce
those who do not have conscience,
whose conscienceless practices bring
that criticism which sometimes at
tends our American activities.
Something has been said, and l
think opportunely said that we want
period in America with less gov
ernment in business and more busi-
ness in government. If the commerce
Ct America were always conscientious
there never would be single excuse
for government in American business.
"There is not an agency in Ameri-
can life which can So quickly put an
end to abuses and offenses in Ameri-
can commerce as those who are con-
spicuous in the leadership of the COM
r1erce.
"And I beg to remind you that the
IL.