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THE
fflJJIC TIRADE
V O L . LI V . N o . 24.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 373 Fourth Ave., New York, June 15,1912
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
Politics Should Not Disturb Business
S
U P P O S E we do face all the excitement incidental to the election of a President, does that fact
alone supply any evidence why there should be a relaxation of business energy?
'
People will continue to eat, wear clothes, ride in automobiles, buy pianos and even now and
then smoke a cigar, if we do have to elect a President every four years.
Surely, there is no good reason why changing political conditions should bring about depression in
business. We just allow ourselves by relaxation in many cases to drift into a pessimistic position regard-
ing trade in Presidential years and consequently slacken our energies.
There must be a growing demand all the while for manufactured products of all kinds and go out on
the crowded thoroughfares of our great city any afternoon and notice the long train of trucks loaded
with all sorts of manufactured products bound for either stores or railroad depots. The procession is end-
less and variety likewise.
Go into the retail establishments and note the throngs of people, then scan the bank reports and crop re-
ports and if there is anything in any particular department that should disturb the business man T do not
know where to locate it.
What we need most is more business optimism—the kind of optimism which does not balk at
shadows—the kind of optimism that looks the things of this world squarely in the face no matter whether
it be a Presidential year or an off crop year.
We always face something which may be distorted into business pessimism; but, why cultivate that
kind of pessimism?
It seems to me that it is a little short of down-right assininity to do this. To succeed a man must have
faith in himself and faith in his environment.
Therefore, if a man be downcast and disgusted with general conditions how can he expect to succeed,
for, really one of the fundamental causes of success in business is a positive attitude towards life and to-
wards everything that combines to give variety to existence.
I do not mean that people who are optimistic will not encounter the same kind of bumpers that all of
us strike now and then, for every man no matter how optimistic he may be may sit on a tack now and
then which will cause him to spring up with considerable emotion.
No, optimism does not always open the golden door which leads to great business success; but, as a
matter of fact there are mighty few men who succeed who have not confidence in themselves and in the
business conditions of the country.
If everybody becomes saturated with the idea that business will drag during the remainder of 1912,
you can rest assured that such will be the lamentable case; but, if thousands of business men all over the
country simply make up their minds to do business—enthuse the members of their staff with the same kind
of feeling, it will become contagious—it will spread.
That is the kind of optimism which should be encouraged, for that will benefit the world.
Optimism realizes that evil exists but insists that it should be eliminated.
Now, none of us will argue that business does not interfere with politics, for it does through our mis-
taken policy—but the more men who believe that it should and govern their business acts accordingly
are aiding trade depression rather than remedying it.