friendship invest the money of their friends—men, women, and children—who know nothing of business, in order to provide them with an assured income. Hence any one can see that the idea that the merchant companies undermine the public welfare ought to be seriously considered. The small merchant complains that he cannot earn as much as the companies. That is like the old complaint of the common laborer that he earns so little wages. All this is true enough, but are the complaints justifiable?” This is from a report of a committee appointed by the Diet of Nuremberg to investigate monopolies, and they made their report in 1522. And the committee found then, as is true now, that they could not change the situation very much without doing more harm than good!
I read in the “Literary Digest” a few days ago four paragraphs which are said to represent the Chinese view of certain business practices. They read as follows:—
“Those who deal with merchants unfairly are to be beheaded.”
