Bement High School - BIM Yearbook (Bement, IL)

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 ith regard to the nation, as the people are, so the government, of the people and by the people, must he. Throughout the entire Union there is a dual conscience, two moral standards, one for public and one for private life. Is it surprising that with affairs in such a state, the national government is not all that it should be? And are we astonished when we think of some of the reasons why civilized countries no longer make war upon each other? It is not because we have learned to love our neighbors, but because war injures trade and costs money. History shows that friendship founded chiefly on interest has little real value. Commercialism is degrading to morals. It is responsible for the gradual loss of sight of the principles of truth, honor, charity, sympathy among men, religion, the real meaning of life. It has entered into the church. The poor are often excluded from the church by the high pew rents and the undue influence of the rich. ()ne of the most notable books of recent years, Winston Churchill's “The Inside of a Cup,” very forcibly tells the extent to which it has been carried in some places. Rectors of St. John’s had been controlled by the wealthy parishioners. John Hodder, without breaking his bonds, could not live truly and honestly; without living honestly, he could not preach the truth convincingly; without convincingly preaching the truth, he could never expect to attract those outside, those in whom he was most interested, those who most needed help. 11 is struggles with his conscience typify the struggles of many others under similar circumstances, but his ultimate resignation, his refusal to remain longer in a hypocritical position, his renunciation of the larger salary offered him, and his new start with a very little money, were the acts of a strong man. Real spiritual life has been transformed into industrial energy. The church must advertise, and does advertise goods for material benefits. Religion is, in many instances, a mere business enterprise. A professional man goes to one church, his wife to another. Ifis practice is increased, he secures patronage from among the members of both churches. Is it not natural that religion should be made a business, since business is made a religion? Does this same spirit enter into educational fields? Without doubt, it does. Take first the teachers. Upon careful investigation. it will be found that many of them think nothing at all of the good work they might he able to accomplish, the unlifting influence they might exert, but, instead, they think only of the money which will come to them in payment for the knowledge which they, perhaps conscientiously, have sought to impart. Among younger students the trading instinct is keen. As they

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Commercialism of Coba? (This essay won the gold medal in the Piatt Co. Oratorical Contest) Margaret Clovd Vague, indefinable, yet clearly understood by almost all people, is commercialism—the spirit of business— the superabound-ing cause of all troubles, the root of all corruption. Commerce brings wealth, and wealth, luxury, with eventual moral and physical decadence. In some form, it must go on; it is necessary to the growth of any nation. But the spirit pervading it—the spirit of avarice—the greed for gold—the passion for gain—makes it a menace. Especially characteristic of the American is this love of money. The activity, energy and money-making faculties of the American are justly celebrated. Work is asserted by him to be a pleasure, not for the work itself, hut for the money it brings. All of his energies are ceaselessly bent toward the accumulation of money. All interests and all pursuits tending to distract him from his one love—the dollar—are eliminated. Since, then, the desire for wealth is so great, is it strange that commercialism should enter into every phase of modern life? Commercialism, a powerful, degrading force, enters first into politics. Locally, it is usually carried on with the knowledge and consent of the community. A corporation wants a franchise for a street railway, at the earliest possible date. In order to obtain it, legislatures or city councils must be manipulated, and this task is found to be comparatively easy. Influential positions are utilized for public and private gain. High offices are controlled by men with money, and the people occupying these positions of power are likewise controlled by these men, because of the money. The same conditions exist in the state government. Commercialism is the cause of corruption in legislatures. Money sends to our state legislative bodies men unworthy to represent the people. By these men, who are working for their own interests, bills detrimental to public welfare, or, if not positively harmful, at least not distinctively beneficial, are often passed. So, our lawmaking bodies fall short of the purpose for which they were intended.

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grow older, they begin to care more and more for money. They need money, they must have it, if they wish to be participants in the various activities of the school. 1 herefore they turn all their faculties, all their talents and abilities, toward this one goal, the accumulation of money. It has been shown that a well-educated man, a college graduate, a man with a degree, is better fitted for prosperity than the average high school or grammar school graduate, and he usually gains it more easily. ()ften this is the only reason for taking a college course, that the gates of opportunity, of wealth may more readily be opened. Then, commercialism enters into our social life. First, as regards giving, (lifts should be given with a motive of love, not with the thought of return. But is this always the predominant motive? Will it not frequently be found tliat they are given solely with the thought of return, of receiving in exchange something of greater value? Surely, this is unworthy of civilized people. Entertainments are given in the same spirit. “What return will I get from this?” “How will this help my husband?” “Will I be socially benefited ?” These might be found to be questions often asked before elaborate entertainments. Certainly, happiness may be obtained without money, and money is not by any means essential to happiness, but, without a doubt, it is often the means of bringing greater joy, and it is necessary to social success. Last of all, comes the question of marriage and the home. Why do so many American heiresses marry titled foreigners, or, why do so many titled foreigners marry American heiresses? Is it love for each other? Perhaps it is, in some cases. More often it is love for the title or for the money inherited. Titles are attractive and they do add distinction, and they insure social success. And surely money is attractive. Women, as well as men, marry for it. With it they are enabled to make their homes more splendid ; they have the means of entertaining elaborately, more elaborately, perhaps, than their own social enemies, or their husband’s political or business enemies. In this way they entirely forget, or, at least, disregard the sacredness of marriage, the real meaning of the word “home.” Certainly, commercialism should have no place in marriage; there, it is degrading to the utmost. America has been called the “big brother of the nations;” she has befriended millions of the downtrodden and oppressed from other countries; and she has given them an ideal, a god—money. Is that all of which America is capable? Should not her name stand for something higher and nobler? There is a way to make it better, a slow process—for commercialism is not likely to dis-