The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-04
ROOSEVELT ON TRUSTS.
An Interesting Discussion In the Mes
saEe OF New YOr41's Governor.

e -
snSe OF New 1Or4S's Governor.
ALBANY. jan Ain his annual mes
sage. read at the opening session OF the
New York Legislature, Governor Roose-
Yelt had this to say OF trusts.
This problem has hundred phases. The
relation Of the capitalist and the wage
WORKER makes one: the proper attitude Of
the state toward extreme poverty an
Other; the proper attitude Of the State to
ward the questions Of the ownership and
running OF so-called public utilities q
tnlrd But among all these phases. the one
winch at this time has the greatest promi-
hence Is the question OF what ere CON-
monty termed trusts meaning by the
name those vast combinations OF capital
usually hourishing by virtue OF some mo-
Hopolsuc element. which have become Sc
staruingiy common feature in the in
dustrial revolution which has progressed 50
rapidly during recent years.
Every new feature Of this Industrial rev
olution produces hardship because in itg
later stages it has been literally a revolu-
lon instead of an evolution. The new in
Fentions and discoveries and the new meth
DDS OF taking advantage OF the business
Facilities afforded by the extraordinary de
VeiOpment Of our material civilization have
caused the changes 10 proceed with such
marvellous rapidly that at each stage some
BODY o. workers finds itself unable 20 aC-
commOdate itself 20 the new conditions
Win sumcient speed 20 escape hardship
IN the end the accommodation Of the class
takes place; at times TOO late for the we'll
being Of many individuals The change
which would be unaccompanied by hard
snip II II came slowly may De fraught
With severe suffering IL it's comes too fast.
MI
The machinery Of modern business Is so
vast and complicated THAI great caution
must be exercised ia Introducing radical
changes for fear the Unforeseen effects may
take the shape OF widespread disaster.
Moreover. much that is complained about
IS not really the abuse so much as the in
cFitable development OF our modern in
dustridl life We have moved far away
from the old simple days. when each com
muuity transacted almost all It's work for
ITSELF and relied upon outsiders for but
a Traction OF the necesEaTies. and fer not
a very large portion even OF the IuxUries
OF life. Very many Of the antitrust laws
which have made their appearance on the
statute books Of recent years have been
almost or absolutely ineffective because
they have blinked the all-impOrtant fact
that much OF what they thought 10 do
away with was incidental 10 modern in
duStrial conditions and could not be elm
mated unless we were willing 70 turn back
the wheels CT modern progress by also
eliminating the forces which had brought
about these industrial conditions.
The abuses exist. and that they are OF
n very grave character. IL g. worse than
idle to deny. Just so long as iu the bust
ness world uuserupuious cunning is allow
ed the free rein which. thanks 10 tho
growth Of humanity during the past cen
turtles, we nOw deny 10 interruptions
physical force. then Just SO long there viii
be a field Tor the best effort Of every honest
social and civic rc.CTmcr who is capable
OF feeling an impulse OF generous iudigna-
ton and who is far-eighJcd enough 20 aB-
preciate where the real danger 90 the
country lies. The effects are bad enough
when the INSCRIPTIONS individual works
by himself They are much worse when
he works iu conjunction with his fellows
through giant CorFeTstiOU or trust. Law
Is largely crEstallilrl custom. largely a
mass OF remedies which have been slowly
evolved 10 meet the wrongs with which
humanity mas become thoroughly familiar.
In q Simple society only simple forms OF
wrong can be committed. There IS neither
The ability nor the opportunity TO innict
others. primitive people provides for
the punishment o. theft. assault. and
murder, because the conditions OF the eE-
listing society allow the development OF
thieves and murierers and the commission
OF deeds or violence, but Il does uot pr0-
vide Tor the pUliehmeEt OF forgery because
there IS nothing TO forge. and therefore.
no torgcrs The gradual growth Of hui
m8nitariau sentiment often unconscious
or but seUi-COnsciOus combined with other
causes. step by step CmanciDatcd the serf
from bodily subsection 90 his overload he
was then protected in mis- freedom nv
statute, hut when he became a factory
Rand the conditions were new. and there
were no laws which prevented the Use OF
unguardcd machinery Ia the factories or
the abuse Of cniid labor. forced upon the
conscientious employers by the unscrupu-
lous until legislation put them on an
equality. When rev evils appear there il
always AT first dificuity in finding the
proper remedy; and as the evils grow more
complex the remedies become increasing
~ difficult OF application There is no usa
whatever in seeking TO apply a remedy
blindly, yet this is just what has been
done in reference TO trusts.
Much OF the legislation no. only nm
posed but enacted against trusts is not enc
whit more intelligent than the medieval
bull against ire comet. and has not been
one particle more effective. Yet there can
and must be courageous and effective rene
dial legislation.
I.
trusts are probably the following. Nis-ep-
reseutation or concealment regarding ma
terial facts connected With the Organization
of an enterprise, the evils connected with
interruptions promotion overcapitalizat- on.
unfair competition. resulting ia the crush
ing out OF competitors who themselves do
not act improperly raising Of prices above
fair competitive rates; the welding Of in
creased poper over the Wsge-earuers. OF
course. none Of these abuses may exist in
a particular trust but in many trusts. as
well as in many corporations not ordinarily
called trusts, one or more OF them are evil
dent. Some Of these evils could be par
tally remedied by a modification Of our
corporation laws; here We can safely 90
along the lines Of the more conservative
New England States. and probably not a
little further. Such laws will themselves
provide the needed publicity. ana the need
ed CirCumstantiality OF statement. We
should know authOritauvely whether stock
actual value OF plants, or
whether it represents brands or good viii.
or il not. what IL does represent. II any
thing. Il is desirable TO know how much
was actually bought how much was issued
free. and to ,aom, aud, II possible, for
what reason.
seWhere a trust becomes monopoly the
State has an immediate right in interfere.
Care should be taken not 60 stife enter
Driso or disclose any facts Of a business
nat are essentially private; but the State
for tbe DrotectiOn Of the public should ex-
ercise the right to inspect, to examine thor
oItghly all the workings OF great corpora
lions lust as is now done with banks: and
wherever the interests OF the public de-
mand Il, il should publish the results Of its
examination. Then. II there are inordinate