The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-04

President Hadley has rendered a we'll
defined service to the cause of public
morality, and has greatly promoted tho
more inteliigently thoughtful discussion
OF social and economic problems Of great
current interest, by the addresses deliv-
cred by him at Ithaca and Chicago dur
ing the progress Of his trip to the West
He has. through those addresses, brought
more clearly before the public than he
could readily do within the immediate
sphere of his duties as a Yale professor
the mature thought of one whom the
!. country recognizes as among the leading
authorities on subjects Of economic con-
Germ.
Men engaged in the active pursuit of
their several callings would be glad indeed
# 1t ever should come about that those
who are to such an increasing extent
coming day by day into control Of our
large industrial interests through the
agency of the trusts were, or gave any
cure Indication of being in the future. at
all conscious that the word trust" as
applied to commercial interests, has any
pther significance than the American pub
lie just now attach to the word. The
progress of combination in business en-
terprlse during the past decade or so
gives little promise that such a condi-
ton will be called into existence in our
time
Whether personal moral has reached
pmong us a higher or lower standard
than Is represented by our business or
political morals seems to bear but very
remote relation to the problems with
which the American people will soon be
called On to deal In connection with the
iessening potency of competition as
controlling influence in commercial trans
Rctous Our political morals are clearly
low enough, and it may be said that our
commercial morals, especially when con-
sidered in connection with the agencies
for the transaction of public business.
cannot be said to be on a much higher
basis. The ordinarily decent citizen who
: hon Of public privileges or easements can
sTlnd but little encouragement for the hope
sthat the dissipation of the principle OF
rompetition in the business world is like
sly to be followed by any higher under
.bIanding han has prevailed of the ethical
value of the position in which the growth
of combination has placed those who
control or are Immediately concerned In
the vast industrial enterprises of our
time.
No one thinks, of course, that all the
men In commercial life who are engaged
In such enterprises are lost to the trust
imposed on them. Occasionally one Of
them steps out from the ranks Of his fell
lows and shows that he is not lost to all
humanitarian influences; but we fear,
have no substitute for competition in
industrial life save what their sense OF
their duty to the great public may fur
nish, the American people would do well,
RTeSlueul I1dulSy 70 inc TO nOlO
on to the old principle with the utmost
steadfastness. IL they are to preserve
either their economic or their civil liber-
ties.
The G 0 b 9 would gladly welcome the
advent Of such conditions as Prof. Had
ley indicates as the most effective and
rational substitute for competition; but
how those conditions are to be brought
about in the absence OF the most rigid
public regulation Of the operation of such
a form of industrial control, after we
have helped TO push the antiquated ma
chinery of competition into the back
ground. does not seem at all plain to the
average intellect engaged. even though
IN q Stumbling fashion, in the considera-
tion Of these great problems