| OCR Text |
Show LARGE CITIES.-The modern significance of cities is the coming together of multitudes of men for the purpose of money-getting. Such coming together involves conflict-an opposition of the interests of each individual to the interests of all the rest. Of course the discovery is speedily made that the interests of the individual are often best promoted by temporary and partial cooperation with others; but this fact does not affect the general principle. Each man has his own way to make, and he will and must make it, if necessary at the expense of the rest. "Look out for number one," and "Charity begins at home," are the maxims which are at the bottom of all human commercial intercourse. The consequence is, that every one arms himself against his fellow. To be a good business man is to be-not dishonest, indeed, for honesty is the best policy-but capable of dissimulation, of concealing ultimate designs, of habitually maintaining a certain conventional demeanor, which must needs often be at variance with the footing underneath. |
