cognized in many ways so common that we cease to think of them as what
they are--expressions of the common brotherhood of man. Our vast public
charities supported by law are an instance. It is recognized now by all
civilized countries that it is a duty for the State to care for those
who are so poor or unfortunate as to be unable to care for themselves.
Private charities, too, are as much more enormous now than they were a
century ago as private fortunes are, compared with those of that day. In
fact, beneficence has come to be recognized as an important duty of the
very wealthy; and churches, schools, hospitals, and the like bear
witness everywhere to the benevolence of wealthy men. All this public
and private benevolence has certainly accomplished wonderful results in
relieving the want and misfortune of men, and making their lot a
bearable one.

The above beneficences require outright giving; but there are many ways
in which the fraternal spirit of men works to cause men to treat each
other in business affairs more liberally than they would if competition
were the only governing motive. In very many cases of the employment of
labor, the wages paid are higher than the rate which competition alone
would fix. It is true that this is largely due to a selfish motive. The
men are more contented and industrious than when their wages are lower.
There are always plenty of applicants for any vacant position. The men
are not prone to find fault with their pay, knowing that plenty would be
glad to fill their places. At the same time, it is certainly true that
in many cases a principal motive for giving higher wages is the desire
to be liberal and generous with the workers whose labor brings income
and profits. Again it is very frequently the case that mills and mines
are kept in operation in dull times, when goods must be sold at a loss,
if sold at all, simply to keep the employees from the destitution and
suffering consequent upon idleness. Cases of especial personal
benevolence are still more common. There are tens of thousands of
working people to-day rendering service whom their employers well know
to be unprofitable servants, but who are retained because their youth or
age or incapacity renders them proper objects of assistance in this way,
a sort of charity far better than outright gift.

In business enterprises, again, the spirit of fraternity is widely
diffused. As we have seen, it has been one principal cause of the
for