Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-05

lHtll illllOSI lItN IluDlN 'ht
interests of all The fundamental rule
in our national llfc--the rule which TN
derlics all others-is that, on the whole
and in the long run, we shall go up or
down together.
The mechanism of modern business
is so delicate that extreme care must
be taken not to interfere with 1t in
spirit of rashness or ignorance. In
dealing with business interests. for
the government to undertake by crude
and Ill considered legislation to do
what may turn out to be bad. would
be TO incur the risk of such farreach-
ing national disaster that it would be
preferable to undertake nothing ut all.
The men who demand the impossible
or the undesirable serve as the allies
of the forces with which they are nom
inally at war. for they hamper those
who would cndcavor to find out in ra-
tional fashion what tho WRONGS really
arc ana to what extent and in what
manner 1t Is practicable to apply rene.
dies.
How 20 Correct the Evils.
All this is true. and yet 1t is also
true tina, there are real and grave evils,
one Of the chief being overcapitaliza
ton because of its many baleful con
sequences. and 4 resolute and practical
effort must be made to correct these
evils.
1t Is no limitation upon property
rights or freedom of contract to re.
Qure that when men receive from gov
crnmcnt the privilege Of doing bust
ness under corporate form. which frees
them from individual responsibility
and enables them TO call into their en-
terprises the capital of the public, they
shall do so upon absolutely truthful
representations as to the value of the
property in which the capital is to be
invested. Corporations engaged in in
terstate commerce should bc regulated
If they are found to exercise a license
working to the public injury. 1t should
he as much the aim Of those who seek
for social l., dcrment to rid the bust
ness world of crimes of cunning as to
rid the entire body polite of crimes Of
violence. Great corporations exist only
because they are created and safe
guarded by our institutions, and it is
therefore our right and Our duty to
see that they work in harmony with
these institutions.
Publicity the First Essential
The first essential in determining
how to deal with the great industrial
combinations is knowledge of the facts
publicity. In the interest Of the pub
lie the government should have the
right to inspect and examine the work
ings of the great corporations engaged
in interstate 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 de-
termined after publicity has been OBJ
tanned by process of law and in the
course Of administration. The first
requisite is knowledge, full and COM
plete-knowledGe which may be made
public to the world.
Artificial bodies. such as corporations
and joint stock or other associations,
depending upon any statutory law for
their existence or privileges should be
subject to proper governmental super
vision, and full and accurate informa-
ton as to their opera tons should be
made public regularly at reasonable
intervals.
The large corporations, commonly
/ called trusts. though organized in one
! state, always do business in many
states. often doing very little business
in the state where they are incorpo-
rated. There is utter lack of uniform
ity in the state laws about them, and,
as no state has any exclusive interest
in or power over their acts, il has in
practice proved impossible to get ade-
quate regulation through state action.
Therefore, In the interest Of the whole
people. the nation should. without in
terfering with the power Of the states
in the matter itself, also assume power
of supervision and regulation over all
corporations doing an interstate bust
ness
Amend Consultation If Necessary.
When the constitution was adopted,
at the end Of the eighteenth century,
no human wisdom could foretell the
sweeping changes, alike in industrial
and political conditions, which were TO
take place by the beginning of the
twentieth century At that time it
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 localized cor.
porate bodies of the day The condi
tons are now wholly different, and
wholly different action is called for
believe that a law can be framed
which will enable the national govern
mcnt to exercise control along the lines
above indicated, profiting by the expe-
rlence gained through the passage and
administration of the interstate com
merce act. If, however, the judgment
Of the congress is that it lacks the con.
stitutional power to pass such an act,
then constitutional amendment
should be submitted to confer the
power
There should be created n cabinet Of
fcer, to be known as secretary of
commerce and industries, as provided
In the bill introduced at the last ses
lion Of the congress. 1t should be his
province to deal with commerce in its
broadest sense. including among many
other things whatever concerns Labor