Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-30
THE NEW JERSEY WILDCATS.

time back 1t discussed 1t very freely.
Inc text of our discussion was that
Whatever one man could properly do
wnen acting alone. two men could do
iwhen acting in concert; and that what
ever two men might do acting In con-
cert. any number of men could do when
acting together.
These have always seemed to the
Times to be fundamental propositions,
ana propositions that were so funda-
mental that If there were any attempt
made to infringe them the liberty of
the citizen would be interfered with
most unwarrnntably and, indeed, his
liberty would be so far taken away
from him that he could no longer be
said to be freeman at all.-Richmond
Times.
1t has been a long time since the
above propositions were enunclated Sc
riously in this region. though in the
first of the discussions of trusts and
similar combines they were frequently
and freely enunciated from the same
quarter. 1t needs but little examl-
nation to expose the utter fallacy of
such pretensions From the earliest
days of the common law, any man
crime IL done or attempted by com
lbination or conspiracy OF two or
more persons; and that is still the law,
common or statute. in many things to
this day, both civil and criminal
But the above quoted paragraphs are
INTENDED to vindicate corporations, that
are SO different from natural persons.
taken individually. that it has been
said that they have no bodies to be
kicked, nor souls TO be damned. A man
Is responsible for his acts, but the
members of a corporate body may be
individually free from all personal liza
bility. and answerable only as a part
of the corporation. Man is personally
mortal and limited in many particu-
lars; but corpora ton, with perpetual
succession OF stockholders, may be i'm
mortal and practically unlimited in va
rious particulars. History tells us that
most of the nations Of Europe have
been compelled at one time or another
to expel or destroy civic, military and
religious ORDERS or associations. that
had grown SO rich and powerful ms to
menace the safety Of the State; and
there is no civilized nation wherein the
laws do not limit and regulate corpora
tions or associations of all kinds.
The most of.these laws are the teach
ing of dear and painful experience; and
we are now being taught that even in
this free country we must be vigllant
and jealous to guard our liberties, our
interests and our very industries from
the Entertainments OF corporate or com
bined power and capital. The very ex-
istence of some aggregatlons Of wealth
and influence is dangerous and threat
ening, and they should not be allowed
by prudent people and government,
no matter what their alleged purposes
may be. or really are.
pends upon the restraint of the corpor-
alton; and the arrogant airs of supe-
riority, II not OF supremacy, taken even
by the servants and petty officers of
great corporations are everywhere SO
evident and offensive to the average
man that he needs no argument to per-
suade or convince him that human lib
erty-ay. even human llfe-is unsafe, in
the very degree that special privileges
or even common privileges Ito which
we are all accustomed) are granted
corporations. trust and combines, with
out strict safeguards.
! The idea that an artificial body, or
person, created by law, has inherent
rights, is preposterous, although, as we
know, solemn tribunals have SO held,
without in the least lessening the pre-
posterousness thereby,-increasing or
accentuating it. in fact. The corporation
has no more than is given 1t by it's
creators, and if legislators Cor Judges,
under general law be duly careful in
scrutinizing and guarding the act of
corporation. there need he no lawful
trust. or combine. that cannot be
checked or destroyed the moment It be-
comes Injurious or dangerous. None
but fools hold that all corporations and
combinations should be revoked and no
more allowed. Some are absolutely
necessary; many are useful; and none
need be menacing if their legislative
creators be wise and careful in properly
limiting and checking them, with plen-
airy powers of supervision and revoca-
ton reserved to the State. But the
wildcat brood OF New Jersey Is a
vicious sort that should be exterml-
mated.