Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-20

appreciate the wisdom Of the fathers
in their wise dispensation which
made Washington the political center
of the country and left New York
to develop into it's business center.
They wrought nightly for freedom.
The great advantages of this ar
rangement seem to me to be OBJ
vious. The only disadvantages which
appear lie in the possibility that
otherwise business and government
might have had a better understand
ing of each other and been less like
ly to develop mutual misapprehen-
sions and suspicious. If contest
could be held to determine how much
those who are really prominent. In
our government life know about
business, and how much those who
are really prominent in our business
life know about government, it is
my firm conviction that the prize
would be awarded to those who are
in government life. This is as 1t
ought to be, for those who have the
greater authority ought to have the
greater knowledge. But 1t Is my
even firmer conviction that the gen.
eral welfare of our country could be
very much advanced through bet
ter knowledge by both of those
parties of the multifold problems
with which each has to deal. While
our system gives an opportunity for
great benefit by encouraging de-
tachment and breadth Of vision
which ought not to be sacrificed, 1t
does not have the advantages which
could be secured IL each had a better
conception of their mutual requireE
ments.
Keep Them Distinct
While I have spoken of what
believed would be the advantages OF
a more sympathetic understanding,
l should put an even stronger en-
phasis on the desirability Of the
largest possible independence be-
tween government and business.
Each ought to be sovereign in its own
sphere. When government comes
unduly under the influence Of BUSH
ness, the tendency is to develop an
administration which closes the door
of opportunity; becomes narrow and
selfish in its outlook, and results in
an oligarchy When government
enters the field of business with its
great resources, 1t has a tendency to
extravaganza and inefdciencv. but,
having the power to crush all COM
opportunity and results in mon
opoly. ="
"while there has been in the
past and will be in the future a
considerable effort in this country Of
different business interests to attempt
to run the Government in such a way
as to set up a system Of privilege. and
while there have been and will be
those who are constantly seeking to
commit the Government to a policy Of
infringing upon the domain Of private
business, both of these efforts have
been very largely discredited, and with
reasonable vigilance on the part of the
people to preserve their freedom do
not now appear to be dangerous.
When I have been referring to
business, have used the word in it's
all-inclusive sense to denote alike the
employer and employee, the produc-
ton Of agriculture and industry, the
distribution of transportation and
commerce, and the service of finance
and banking. It is the work Of the
world. In modern life, with all its in
tricacies. business has come to hold a
very dominant position in the
thoughts of all enlightened peoples.
Rightly understood, this is not crit
icism. but a compliment. In its great
economic organization 1t does not rep
resent, as some have hastily conclud-
ed, a mere desire to minister to selfish
ness. The New York Chamber Of
commerce is not made up Of men mere
ly animated with q purpose to get the
better Of each other. 1t is something
far more important than a sordid de-
sire for gain. 1t could not successive
1y succeed on that basis. 1t is domi-
mated by a more worthy impulse: it
rests on q higher law. True business
represents the mutual organized effort
of society to minister to the economic
requirements of civilization. 1t is an
effort by which men provide for the
material needs of each other. While
it Is not an end in itself, 1t is the i'm
portant means for the attainment Of a
supreme end. 1t rests squarely on the
law Of service. 1t has for its main