The Van Buren press., 1901-12-07


we believe will more and more be hers. 1t
| Is of the utmost Importance that this po-
| sition be not jeoparded, especially at time
when the overlooking abundance or our
own natural resources and the skill, buu-
ness energy and mechanical aptitude OF
| our people make foreign markets es en-
tial. Under such conditions II wouh be
most unwise to cramp or to fetter the
youthful strength of our nation,
Moreover, II cannot too often be pointed
out that to strike with ignorant violence
at the interests OF one set or men almost
inevitably endangers the interests OF al
| The fundamental rule in our national lie,
| the rule which underlies all others, is that
on the whole and in the long run we shall
| go up or down together There are exoep.
tions, and in times Of prosperity some VIII
prosper far more and In times OF adversl-
| ty some will suffer far more than others;
| but, speaking generally, period or good
| times means that all share more or less
In them, and IN period OF hard times az
| feel the stress to a greater or less degree.
| He points TO the fact that In the past
"the ignorant or reckless agitator mas
been the really effective friend OF tne
evils which he has been nomnally oppos--
ing In dealing with business interests
| for the government to undertake by
crude and ill-considered legislation to 90
what may turn out to be bad would DO
| to incur the risk OF such far-reachlne ma
| tional disaster that 1t would be prefer
able to undertake nothing at all. Inc
men who demand tine impossible or the
| undesirable serve as the allies or the
forces with which they are nominally az
war, for they hamper those who would
| endeavor to find out In rational fashion
what the wrongs really are and to what
| extent and in what manner II Is prac-
ticabe to apply remedies
Remedies for the Trust EVIL.
| But while he says the above Is true, he
yet sees many evils for which there should
| be remedies provided. OF these evils the
| chief is over capitalization, because OF
| It's many baleful consequences, lie says:
| "The conviction OF the American people
that the great corporations, kaown as
trusts, are in certain Of their features and
| tendencies hurtful to the general welfare,
is based upon sincere conviction that com.
| bination and concentration should be not
| prohibited, but supervised and within
reasonable limits controlled, and in my
! Judgment this conviction Is right"
AS remedy for these evils he says;
1.-THE first essential in determining how
bnatlons is knowledge OF the facts
| publicity. In the interest Of the public
| the government should have the right to
| inspect and examine the workings OF
| the great corporations engaged in inter-
state business. Publicity Is the only sure
remedy which we can now invoke What
| further remedies are needed In the way
| of governmental regulation or taxation
can only be determined after publicity
has been obtained by process Of law and
| In the course OF administration. The iirst
| requisite is knowledge, full and complete
knowledge which may be made public
| to the world.
Artificial bodies, such as corporations
| and Joint stock or other associations de-
pending upon any statutory law Tor tnelr
| existence or privileges, should be subject
| to proper governmental supervision, and
full and accurate information as to their
operations should be made public resu-
larly at reasonable intervals"
| The large corporations, commonly
| state. always do business In many states,
often doing very little business In the
state where they are incorporated, There
| IL utter lack of uniformity In the state
any exclusive interest In or power over
| their acts 1t has IN practice proved i'm
possible to get adequate regulation
through state action. Therefore In the
| interest OF the whole people the nation
should. without interfering with the pow
err OF the states in the matter itself, a so
assume power OF supervision and regula-
ton over all corporations doing az inter,
where the corporation derives portion
OF It's wealth from the existence OF some
| monopollstc element or tendency IN It's
business. There would be no hardship In
| IT, and In their case II IL now accepted
as a simple matter OF course. Indeed II
| IL probable that supervision OF corpora.
lions by the national government need
| not 20 so far as is now the case with the
SUBDIVISION exercised over them by so
| conservative u state as Massachusetts In
order to produce excellent results
| "When the constitution was adopted, AT
| the end OF the eighteenth century, no hu-
| man wisdom could foretell the sweeping
| changes, alike In industrial ana political
conditions, which wer, TO take plaet Dy
At that time II was accepted as matter
| OF course that the several states were the
proper authorities TO regulate so far as
| was then necessary the comparatively In
significant and strictly locaiiae corporate
bodies OF the day. The conditions are now
wholly different, and wholly dinerent ac-
tion is called for, | believe that 2 law
tlonal government TO exercise control
along the lines above Indicated Fronting
by the experience gainsd through the pas
sage and administration OF tho Interstate
OF the congress ls that II lacks the consti-
tutional power TO pass such an act, then
a constitutional amendment should be
Ia in connnectloN with ihe trusts he rec.
| ommcnds legislation creating a cabinet Of
nc,i, 20 hn Known bs SECRETARY OF ion.
niece, Whose d, ties would DO 10 deal
| with all du stions eoncern',g commerce.
lstor and tbs merchant marine.
would Exclude the Chinese.
The message contains u strong roc I'M.
| rendation for y o reenactmcnt at ,tue
OF the present Chinese exclusion act, In
| which connection no says.
Wages are higher to-day In the United
states than ever before In our history
and far higher than IN any other eonn.
try The standard OF livlns IL also hlsner
than ever before, Every effort OF lsgls.
lator and administrator should be bent to
OF things and Its improvement wherever
possible, Not only must our labor be
protected by the tariff, but II should also
| be protected 80 far AZ II 10 possible from
| n thin nj In.
borers brought over by contract or OF
those who, coming freely, yet represent
n standard OF Lying 50 depressed that
ny can ana Sr.s ,S S% s II ow ss sSor
| regard II rs necessary, with THIS end
In view, to rsenact Immediately the law
| excluding Chinese lAborers and 10
'1'rSs mss sH snSrsem ":si :ny e.
"The national govsrnmon. should dc.
mand the highest quality o. service from
good employer, . II possible, legislation
should be passed In connection with the
Interstate commerce law which will rem.
der effective the Efforts OF different
OF convict contract labor In the open la
Dor market so far as practicable un-
der the conditions OF government work
provision should be made made . to render me
and certain, In all Industries carried Oh
directly or Indirectly for the United
States government women and children
should Be protected from excessive hours
Of labor, from night work and from work
under unsanitary conditions. The gov
crnment should provide In Its contracts
that all work should be done under fair"
conditions and. In addition. to setting 4
high standard. should uphold Il BY prop.
the subcon tractofs. The government
should forbid all night work Tor women
and children NJ well ~ excessive over
time For the pistrict, q Columbia ?
a. a powerful Indirect aid TO such laws,
provision should be made 10 turn the ~.
hablted alleys, the existence OF which II
3 reproaeh 10 our capital city, Into minor