The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-21
To Get at the Facts.
II J Is SIGNIFICANT that in the
discussion now taking place con-
L. ccrnins trusts and their resula-


ton by government one idea is
accepted and indorscd by all. That is
the need of publicity.
When controversy arises. :! funda .
mental question among men reared in
the atmosphere Of Anglo-SnXon iuris-
prudence is. What are the facts: We
:,re having just now Il luca! illustra-
ton. Our water company has !, mon
rpolv of furnishing To our people i
prime necessity. It alleges that it's
charges are fair. that it has never
lnadc more than Il small dividend. that
the suspicion in which it is held by
victims of its summary methods is un-
founded and unjust. Ir every contri-
button to the literature of the water
controversy it presents its side Of the
case with signal cogency :nd force
Yet its statements az" always ex partc
1t alone inspectS its books. knows what
the real proportion is between its in
come and expense and how the surplus
is administered to keep dividends low.
Not unnaturally, therefore. people are
asking. What are the facts""
Intelligent students OF the trust
>roblem recognize that it is useless to
talk of stopping the formation Of
trusts. The right of firms and corpora
tions to combine is as thoroughly es-
tublishcd in law and equity as the right
of individuals to combine. 1t is not the
combining that is objected to: it is the
vicious use often made of the powers
springng from the combinations. To
convert tles. vicious; uses into just and
ichteous uses is the problcm---st big
ne-and publicity. by general consent,
IS the line of approach to it's solution.
How then. shall publicity be secured?
James 3. Dill. The great trust lawyer,
says it will come by the voluntary ac-
tion of the trust organizers in order to
avert suspicion and inspire the conf
6lcncc of the Investing public. 1t may.
in some cases. But it is II pretty safe
guess that men of President Scranton'a
build will not voluntarily open thei!
hooks and invite the public into their
utmost confidence. That being II seem-
incly reasonable deduction from human
nature, by what means shall the nee"
rssary publicity be enforced in cases
where ii is not volunteered:
We have seen no more practical AN
Swcr TO this question thun was given
several months ago D! III" editor Of the
Engineering News. He proposed an
amendment to the corporation law re-
uuiring on every board of directors of
n rf n .i n n
amount of representation. not of The
stockholders solely, bus OF the general
public. the public interest This could
be- by subelnatoria or judicial APP
po!ntment: and ii could either be cXer-
,ised at all times ol' at such times as
the public through petition asked for
it's exercise These public reprrsenta-
tives would have no pecuniary interest
in the corporation: they would simply
he there in the capacity of agents of
the community to see what was going
on and as II precaution against abuse
of the powers and privileges conferred
under the act Of Incorporation At
stated intervals they would make
sworn reports.
II the CITY OIL scranton huu ulSintcr-
osted representation on the board Of
directors of the Scranton Gas ana
Water company, 1t needs no eirt OF
prophecy to foresee that the water con-
sunlers of Scranton would feel much
more at their ease than they are feel
ingstoday. They would not then have
to take only one sides version of the
water compony's condition, and that
side the side which is interested in get
ting as much out of the community as
possible. They would have Il means
ii their own of securing an audit and
an appraisenent. They would not then
have 10 ask what are the faces"
They would command the facts and
the facts would guide their subsequent
action.
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