HARDWOOD RECORD 



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ance men aud their clerks and subordinates; all employers of labor; 

 all capitalists, large :iud small, ali professional men in sympathy 

 with those; clerical employes of public utility corporations, and 

 all others with vision enough to see -n-here their real interests are. 

 These various clubs and societies might be federated in a state 

 organization with a basis of numerical representation by delegates. 

 The local organizations would find ample scope for their efforts in 

 local affairs, where their activities would tend to keep alive their 

 interest in the movement. General public questions could also be 

 debated and discussed, and papers read, published and distributed. 

 and other means of local instruction adopted. To be a delegate 

 from one of these trade or local clubs tp the central state assembly 

 would be considered a distinction; and to be president or other 

 officer of the state organization, or even to be chairman of the 

 state committees, would soon come to be considered a high honor. 

 These delegates and committeemen would, of course, be glad to 

 serve without salary and even pay their own expenses in attending 

 the conventions. But this would only be the beginning; the organ- 

 ization once achieved, means would have to be taken to investigate 

 and report on economic or business facts in a scientific way and 

 .so to instruct and enlighten business public opinion that it would 

 be able tc give to itself authoritative and clear expression. One 

 reason why the busine.ss community has not obtained the hearing 

 of the nation is that it has not furnished itself with a proper voice. 

 The voice must speak before the ear can hear. Each of these state 

 bodies, working through its committees aud by correspondeuee with 

 the various business clubs, etc., would be able to collect an immense 

 airtount of valuable statistics and information. When legislation 

 was proposed touching business interests, such as transportation, 

 employers' liability, income tax, inherit.^nce tax, corporate super- 

 vision, etc., the business community would be able to speak wiili 

 united authority and its voice would be listened to with respect. 

 Sueb legislation as might be proposed by a state business federation 

 would be seriously considered and in most eases would undoubtedly 

 be enacted. On the other band, self-seekers and corruptiouists pre- 

 tending to represent business at the capitol would be quickly exposed 

 and would get but scant audieuce; while prominent business men 

 of the eommuuity might be especially honored for good work done 

 in the cause or in the public service by public dinners or receptions 

 given by the organization and thus your leaders be rewarded while 

 public interest in the cause was stimulated. 



In proposing a state business organization or federation one is 

 naturally led to think of the labor organizations and the influence 

 they have exerted in legislation as illustrative of what can be done in 

 that way. Where the demands of organized labor come in conflict 

 with those of enlightened business requirements it will be well that 

 business interests be officially represented in the legislature. But 

 such collisions would be unlikely, because every enlightened repre- 

 sentative of labor can be made to see that the interests of laboring 

 men and their employers are identical except in the one matter of 

 wages, with which legislation has no more to do than with any other 

 form of exchange. And labor ought to be and is interested in in 

 creasing the opportunities of business, for that is to increase the 

 demand for labor. 



A necessary development of the idea would be a national congress 

 of business and a national headquarters at Chicago, St. Louis or 

 elsewhere, with a staff which could be employed collecting informa- 

 tion and digesting it for the general benefit. All these details would 

 be well worked out, because it is the nature of business to organize 

 andT:o organize effectively and intelligently, and it is never at a loss 

 for means to accomplish what it desires. 



The association should also carry on its propaganda by means of 

 newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and other publications and public 

 discussions and would ascertain, collate and display facts so as to 

 educate its own members aud influence public opinion. It might in 

 time have a paid staff of experts. It should be the eneaiy of cor- 

 rupt and ignorant office seekers everywhere, and its efforts should not 

 cease until that class had been eliminated and excluded from public 

 service. It might or might not itself make nominations to office, 

 but its approval of such nominations would be eagerly sought, and 



by means thereof it would elevate the standard of official capacity 

 to a high degree. Another result would be that the business com- 

 munity would not only get the hearing which is now refused it or 

 given but grudgingly, but it would in all matters within its domain 

 dictate the public policy both in legislative halls and in administra- 

 tive offices. Even the individual business man who found himself 

 oppressed by any of the government agencies would have a place to 

 go where his complaint would be properly heard and investigated, 

 and if well founded a remedy would be demanded in a voice powerful 

 enough to command attention. 



Let no one fear that such an organization is not practicable. See 

 what Parnell accomplished in Ireland, where, without prestige and 

 almost without means, he created a league which obtained comjilete 

 control of the island and forced the British government to change 

 entirely its policy toward the Irish people. Look at what women 

 have done, who without the vote and without any real grievance or 

 substantial object, by mere force of organization and persisteiice, 

 have obtained the suffrage in a number of states, though having noth- 

 ing but Ignorance to contribute to the situation, and though to them 

 it IS a matter of mere sentiment, and sham sentiment at that, while 

 the matter we are discussing is to the business man one of vital and 

 practical hnportauce. 



It may be objected that our system of universal suft'rage au<l the 

 old haoit of party voting will defeat this project, but it does not 

 seem so to me. The ordinary voter is not opposed to business in- 

 terests; he is merely ignorant of what they are and what they rep- 

 resent. He is tired of the rule of ignorant and selfish bosses and 

 would be glad to see them replaced by leaders of principle and pro- 

 gressive ideas. But the majority of voters are incapable of organized 

 movement. They will neither help nor oppose us. They are in fact 

 indifferent on all public questions, and can scarcely be induced to 

 vote except for or against some individual in whom they are inter- 

 ested. It is not true that the ballot or universal suffrage makes us 

 all politically equal. By manj- the ballot is seldom used and by most 

 the primarifs and other preliminaries are entirely neglected. So it 

 is with the right to petition the legislature or appear before its 

 committees. The ordinary citizen never avails himself of that right. 

 Political equality exists among those only who are equally energetic 

 and influential in political life. It is absurd to say, for example, 

 that the ordinary voter has the same political power as such a man 

 as Theodore Boosevelt. It. is equally absurd to say that the members 

 of a business organization, such as I propose, would be overcome 

 by the inert opposition of many times their number of indifferent 

 citizens. The fact is that the mere organization of such an institu- 

 tion would have such an effect that its demands would receive speedy 

 recognition in all departments of the government and be treated with 

 the highest respect from the beginning in all political circles. 



We need not even fear the machines. Why should the machines 

 defy the business men when arrayed for political battle.' Where 

 will they get the money? It is with your money they run their 

 caaipaigns. Where the vote? The labor unions care nothing for the 

 iild machines and the farmers very little. See what happened to 

 the bold Republican party the other day when attacked by a live 

 man. And there are better and abler men in the ranks of business 

 today than Theodore Roosevelt. I believe that the vote represented 

 liy such a business federation would be enormous. Thousands and 

 tens of thousands of intelligent men have adopted the sad alternative 

 of not voting at all or of voting but seldom, and taking no j]art 

 in the rotten primaries to which they receive a hypocritical invita- 

 tion, but where they know they would never be welcome. • 



Those of them who actually vote for one party or the other do 

 so because they find there is no other choice. How gladly would they 

 flock to the standard of decency and intelligence in politics should one 

 be raised to which they could repair! 



There need be no fear of deficiency in funds necessary to support 

 such an enterprise. By far the larger part of the wealth of the 

 country is engaged in some form of business enterprise and con- 

 trolled by business men, aud all, from the richest banker down to 

 the smallest retail merchant, ought to feel and would feel interesled 

 in so valuable aud important a work. Surely the business men cau 



