, 1901-12-05

upon absolutely truthful representations as TO
tai is to be invested Corporations engaged
In interstate should be regulated
II they are found TO exercise a license work
much the aim OF those who seek for social
bctterment to rid the business world. of
crimes of cunning as to rid the entire body
polite of crimes OF violence. Great corpora
tons exist only because they are created
is therefore our right and our duty to see
that they work In harmony with these lnstl-
tutions.
Publicity Remedy for Trusts.
The first essential in determining how to
deal with the great industrial combinations
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 rreat 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, eau
only be determined after publicity has been
of administration The first 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, depending
upon any statutory law for their existence or
privileges, should be subject to proper gov
ornmental supervision, and full sd accurate
information as to their operations 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
incorporated. 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. II 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 in
teTferinE with the power of the states In the
matter itself. also assume power Of super
vision and regulation over all corporations
doing an Interstate business. This is espe-
cially true where the corporation derives a
portion Of its wealth from the existence OF
some monopolistic element or tendency In Its
business. There would be no hardship In
such supervision banks are subject to II, and
in their case It is now accepted RS u simple
matter Of course. Indeed, II is probable that
supervision Of corporations by the National
government need not go so far as Ia now the
case with the supervision exercised over them
by so conservative a state as Massachusetts,,
in order to produce excellent results.
believe that a law can be framed which
will enable the National government TO eNer-
p%rohtng by the experience gained througn
the passage and administration OF the Inter
state-Commerce Act. II, however, the jucs-
ment Of the Congress Is that II lacks the
constitutional power to pass such an act.
then a constitutional amendment should BE
ubmitted 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 Introduced
at the last session OF the Congress. II should
be his province to deal with in it's
broadcast sense including among many other
tiers affecting the great business corporations
and our merchant marine.
Restriction ON Immigration.
with the sole exception OF the farming
interest, no one matter is Of such vital mo-
ment to our whole people as the welfare OF
the -wsge-workers. II the farmer and tho
w~ags-worker are well of, 1t Is absolutely
certain that all others VIII be well on. too.
II is therefore a matter for hearty congrati-
latiOn that on the whole wages are higher
to-day I'm the United states than ever before
in our history, and far higher than in any
other country, The standard of living is also
higher than ever before. Every effort OF leg
N.I.t-r md Np,EataVrutn aInttTd ha hanF -.
secure the permanenCy Of this condition OF
things and its Improvement wherever posi-
BILE. Not only must our labor be protected
by the tarin, but 1t should also be protected
so far as 1t Is possible from the presence In
this country OF any laborers brought over by
contract, or Of those who. coming freely,
yet represent "A standard of living so de
pressed that they can undersell our men In
the labor market and drag them to a lower
level. / regard II as necessary, with this
end In view. to re-enact Immediately the law
Chinese laborers and to strength
en- it wherever necessary in order to make
its enforcement entirely effective.
so far as practicable under the conditions
made to render the enforcement OF the eight
hour law easy and certain. In all indus
United States government women and chill
dreu should be protected from excessive
hours Of labor, from night work, and from
work under unsanitary conditions,
The most vital problem with which this
country, and for that matter the whole civ
ilized world. has to deal. is the problem
which has for one side the betterment OF so
cial conditions, moral and physical, in large
cities, and for another side the effort to deal
with the tanFle Of far-reaching questions
which we group together when we speak Of
labor Very great good has been and VIII
be accomplished by associations or unions Of
w~age-workers, when managed Win fore
thought. aud when they combine insistence
upon their own rights with law-ablding re
spect for the rights Of others. The display of
these qualities in such bodies is a duty to the
Nation no less than TO the associations them
selves. Finally. there must also In many
pnapg he apttpn Inv the government in order
to safeguard the rights and interests of all.
Under our Constitution there is much more
municipality than by the Nation. But on
points such as those touched on above the
National government can act,
our present immigration laws are unsa'-
isfactory. We need every honest and efi-
cient immigrant fitted to become an Ameri-
can citizen. every immigrant who comes here
to stay, who brings here strong body, n
stout heart. a good head, and a resolute pur-
pose to do his duty well in every way and TO
bring up his children as law-abiding and
God fearing MEMBERS Of the community. But
there should be a comprehensive law enact
ed with the object of working a threetold i'm
proyement over our present system. First,
we should aim to exclude absolutely not only
all persons who are known to be believers In
nnarchistic principles or members or an
archistic societies, but also all persons who
are OF a low moral tendency or CT unsaVory
reputation. This means that we should re-
quire a more thorough system Of inspection
abroad and a more rigid system OF eHhmina-
ton ut our immigration ports, the former be
ing especially necessary.
THE second object OF a proper mmiEra
ton Law ought to be to secure by n careful
aud not merely perfunctory educational test
some Intelligent capacity to appreciate Amer
lean institutions and act sanely as Ameri-
can citizens This would not keep out all
anarchists, for many OF them belong to the
Intelligent criminal class, But 1t would do
wat Is also in point, that IL, tend to de
crease the sum Of Ignorance. so potent In
producing the envy, suspicion, malignant
passion. and hatred Of order. out Of which
auarrhistic sentiment inevitably springs.
Finally. oil persons should be excluded who
are below n certain standard OF economic Mt
ness to enter our industrial field as com
%petitors with American labor. There should
be proper proof Of personal capacity to earn
an American living and enough money to in
sure a decent start under American cund
tons, This would stop the influx Of cheap
labor. and the resulting competition which
gives rise to so much Of bitterness in Amerl-
can Industrial life. and 1t would dry up tho
sDringa OF the pcstilential social conditions
In our great cities, where annrChtstic organ
~izatlons have their greatest possibility OF
growth.
Question of Reciprocity.
There Is general aCquicsence in our pres
emit tarin system as a national policy. III"
first requisite to our prosperity is the CoU-
tinuity and stability Of this economic policy
Nothing could be more uuWisc than to dis
turb the business interests OF the country by
any general tnriu change at this time. Doubt,
np.TaEauHHNr uncertainty o RNusflV what