1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 91 



the world, add to its wealth, and bring comforts to the door 

 of the humblest laborer. That there is a Providence in all 

 this, no one doubts. The toilers of the old world look to 

 America, as the child does upon the fairy lands of the 

 imagination. Through the massing of all the agents of 

 nature, under the guidance of the wonderful brain of man, 

 the products of the earth are brought within the reach of 

 the humblest. At the same time the lines, formerly so 

 marked, which indicate the difference between profit and 

 loss, have been drawing together. The conditions already 

 noticed have been instrumental in this, so that to-day the 

 ciy going up from the form-homes of New England is, 

 " What and where are the conditions for success?" 



The great West, with its vastness of land and products, 

 is knocking at our doors, and coming in direct competition 

 with our farms. The extremes of the earth wait only a 

 slight fluctuation to pour in their surplus by and through 

 the doors which commerce is opening. Thus blessings on 

 the one hand seem to be curses on the other, and to-day we 

 are forced to turn from our labors, and seek avenues of 

 relief. How can these be found? 



In the business world about us the same condition pre- 

 vails. These railroads, telegraph lines, cables and vessels 

 have been massing the products of the globe, and competi- 

 tion has been hemming men in, on every hand, until to-day, 

 those who have failed to watch the drift of trade, to keep 

 pace with the times, to observe the conditions and appre- 

 ciate the situation, are crying, t4 Show us the way to success." 

 The laws underlying business remain the same, but the con- 

 ditions have changed. 



Competition, which is the life of trade, has been crushing 

 with its giant power those who failed to keep pace in the 

 race, and wrecks are to be seen all along the highway. 

 Wealth is being rapidly added to the country, but the bulk is 

 being concentrated into the hands of those whose fingers are on 

 the public pulse, and who trim their sails to catch every 

 change in the winds of trade. To-day, in the great centres, 

 the margins are so narrow that, had they prevailed ten years 

 ago under conditions then controlling, no man could have 

 withstood the storm. In the quiet of our rural homes, 



