Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-12-05

the opening an eloquent eulogy was
paid to William Mckinley, who was
spoken of as the most widely loved
man in all the United States Then
the question of anarchy is considered
and the president urges a more rigid
exclusion of undesirable foreigners.
It is also recommended that the federal
courts be given jurisdiction over any
man who kills or attempts to kill the
president or any man who by the
constitution or by law is in line Of sue
cession for the presidency.
TRUSTS.
During the last five years business con-
fidence continues the president, has been
restored. and the nation is to be congratu-
lated because of its present Astounding
prosperity. Such prosperity can never be
created by law alone, although 1t is easy
enough to destroy it by mischievous laws.
Then follows consideration of the trusts
The creation of great corporate fortunes
has not been due to the tariff nor to any
other governmental action, says the presi-
dent, but to natural causes in the business
world, operating in other countries as they
operate in our own. The process mas
aroused much antagOnism, a great part or
| which is wholly without warrant. 1T is
| not true that as the rich have grown richer
| the poor have grown poorer On the con-
|
| the wage-Worker, the farmer, the small
| trader, been so well off as in this country
| and at the present time. chief reason
| for caution in dealing with corporations Is
| to be found in the international CONNER
| cial conditions of today. The same buSl-
ness conditions which have produced the
| great aggregati0ns of corporate and IN
! dividual wealth have made them very po-
| tent factors in interna tiOnal commercial
| competition. Business concerns which nave
! the largest means at their disposal and are
! managed by the ablest men are naturally
those which take the lead in the strife Tor
| commercial supremacy among the nations
! of the world. 1t cannot too OFTEN De
pointed out that to strike with ignorant
violence at the interests of one set OF
men almost inevitably endangers the IN
| terests of all
There is a widespread conviction in the
| minds of the American people that the
| great corporations known as trusts are III
| certain of their features and tendencies
! hurtful to the general welfare. Corpora
lions engaged in interstate commerce
| should be regulated if they are found to
exercise license working to the public in
jury. 1t should be as much the aim OF
| those who seek for social betterment to
rid the business world of crimes OF cum
| ming as to rid the entire body pQlltlc OF
| crimes of violence The first essential IN
determining how to deal with the great in
dustrial combinations is knowledge of the
facts-publicity. In the interest OF the pup
lie, the government should nave the flght
the great corporations engaged In inter
| state business. Publicity is the only sure
| remedy which we can now invoke WnaL
| further remedies are needed IN the way OIL
governmental regulation or taxation can
| only be determined after publicity has
| been obtained, by process OF law ana III
the course of administration; Inc IarSt
| 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
ftnv ln0l of
formity III the state laws about them; ana
ats no state has any exclusive interest IN
or power over their acts, it has IN prac-
| tice proved impossible to get adequate reg
| ulation through state action. Therefore,
| in the interest of the whole people, the ma
ton should, without interfering with the
! power of the states in the matter ITSELF
| also assume power of supervision ard regu-
| lation over all corporations doing an inter
| state business. The president believes that
! a law can be framed which Will enable the
| national government to exercise control
! along the lines above Indicated, Fronting
by the experience gained through the
passage and administration of the inter
, state-commerce act. If however, the Judg-
ment of the congress Is that IL iacks tne
| constitutional power to pass such an act,
| then a constitutional amendment should be
| submitted to confer the power
! There should be created a cabinet officer.
! TO be known as secretary OF commerce and
| industries as provided in the bill intro
! drced at the last session of the congress.
| 1t should be his pr0piRce to deal with com
merce in its broadest sense, including
| among many other things whatever con
Germs labor and all matters affecting the
! great business corporations and our mer-
/ chant marine If possible legislation should
! ne passed, in connections with the interstate
/ commerce law which Will render effective
rhe efforts of different states to Go away
I With the competition III convict contract
| labor in the open labor market. in all in
| dustrieS carried on directly or indirectly
| for the United States government women
| and children should be protected from ex-
cessive hours of labor, from night work,
| and from work under unSanitary cOndi-
tions. The government should provide in
| its contracts that all work should be done
| under fair conditions, AID in addition TO
setting It high standard should uphold it
| by proper inspection, extending If neceS-
sary to the subcOntract0rS. The govern
ment should forbid all night work for
women and children.
IMMIGRATION.
Our present immigration laws are IN
satisfact ory We need every honest and
efficient immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen every Immigrant who
comes here to stay, who brings here a
strong body. a stout heart, good head.
and reSolute purpose to do his duty well
in every way and to bring up his children
as lsw-abiding and Gedfearing members
of the community. But there should be Il
comprehensive law enacted with the object
Of working Il threefold Improvement over
o,lr present system First, we should aim
70 exclude absolutely not only all persons
who are known to be believers in anarchiS-
tic principles or members of anarchistic
societies. but also all persons who are of a
low moral tendency or of unSaVory reputa-
ton. The second object ought to be to Sc
cure by a careful and not merely perfume
tory educational test some intelligent
| capacity to appreciate American institu-
lions. and act SaneIy as American citizens
Finally, all persons should be excluded who
are below Il certain standard of economic
fitness to enter our Industrial field as COM
petitors with American labor. There
shOuff be proper proof Of personal capacity
TO American living ana enough
moEey to insure decent start under
American conditions
THE TARIFF
There is general aequiescerce in our pres
ers tariff system as "a national policy. The
first requisite to our prosperity is the COB
ti2Tity and stability of this economic pOl-
icy, Nothing could be more unwise than
ts disturb the business interests of tire
eotntry by any general tariff change at this
time. Yet it is not only possible but emf
Hently desirable to combine with the
stability of our economic system Il supple
neHtary system Of reciprocal benefit ana
obligation with other nations. Such reel
procfty is an incident and result of the
firm establishment and preservation of
our present economic policy. 1t was spe-
cially provided for in the present tariff law.
Reciprocity must be treated as the hand
maiden of protection. Our first duty is to
see that the protection granted by the
| tariff in every case where Ii is needed is
maintained, and, that reciprocity be sought
for so far it can safely be done without
| injury to our home industries Just how
| far this is must be determined according to
the individual case, remembering always
that every application of our tariff policy
to meet our shifting national needs must
| be conditioned upon the cardinal fact that
the duties must never be reduced below
rha nint hot will ~1a 100 1ao-t