2 9 o SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 



parents better than ourselves, or as parents of children 

 whose steps we fail to guide. A man's moral and intel- 

 lectual possessions are the conquests of his own sword. 

 All the spiritual wealth of the world its learning, its 

 enterprise, its growing purposes will pass him by, leaving 

 him utterly poor in soul, unless he arrests it, and personifies 

 it anew in his own attainments. Hence society^persists_ 

 only_by constant reproduction. It hasno more stable 

 basis than the appearing and disappearing wills of men. 

 Not for one day will it "go of itself." There can be no 

 suspension of the moral and intellectual functions of the 

 citizens of a State without bringing death, any more than 

 there can be a suspension of the functions of the organs 

 of a living body. 



If we examine this truth in the sphere of any private 

 enterprise it becomes plain. How long do you say can 

 a great business concern last if, upon its Board of Directors 

 or amongst its workmen, you substitute folly for good 

 sense, laziness for industry, extravagance for thrift, care- 

 lessness and disorder for caution and method, dishonesty 

 and faithlessness in contracts for honour and rectitude? 

 A great business ordinarily takes many years to grow, and 

 every element in its growth is the product of the constant 

 exercise of business virtues. In slowness of growth it is 

 like a tree, or a good character ; and like these, too, it 

 may be cut down, almost in one day. 



Now, what is true of a private business is also true of 

 the city and the State. The truth is less obvious in their 

 case precisely because the interests involved are greater, 

 and enter more constantly and more deeply into our daily 

 lives. We do not recognize our privileges nor the re- 

 sponsjbilities theybringanyjiiore thanjwe feel the weight 



