The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-11-29

inevitably endangers the interests Of all.
The fundamental rule in our national life
therule which underlies all others, is that
on the whole and in the long run we shall
go up or down together. There are excep-
tons, and in times Of prosperity some VIII
prosper far more and In times Of adyersi-
~ 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 q period of hard times all
feel the stress to greater or less degree.
lie points to the fact that in the past
the ignorant or reckless agttator has
been the really effective friend of the
evils which he has been nominally oppos-
ing 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 far-reaching ma
tional disaster that 1t would be prefer
able to undertake nothing at ALL The
men who demand the impossible or the
undesirable serve as the allies OF the
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 1t is prac-
ticable 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
! its many baleful consequences" lie says:
| nc lOuNAGllOH VI lHt AMERICAN PcOpl6
that the great corporations klown 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:
The first essential in determining how
! to deal with the great industrial COM
bnations is knowledge of the facts
| NIL nj fxr Tn, f,,ta a,f H..
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
1 has been obtained by process Of law and
| in the course OF administration. The first
requisite is knowledge, full and complete
--knowledge. which may be made public
Artificial bodies, such as corporations
and Joint stock or other associations de-
pending upon any statutory law for their
existence or privileges, should be subject
full and accurate information as to their
operations should be made public regu-
larly 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
Is utter lack of uniformity in the state
laws about them. and as no state has
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
er Of the states in the matter itself, also
assume power of supervision and regula-
ton over all corporations doing an inter-
state business. This is especially true
NnJh tIn ff.... 1T
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
It, and in their case it is now accented
as simple matter of course. Indeed 1t
is probable that supervision of corpora
lions by the national government need
not go so far as is now the case with the
supervision exercised over them by SO
conservative a state as Massachusetts in
order to produce excellent results"
The president believes that II will be
possible to secure the needed remedies
for the trust evil under the constitution
as u now exists, bur II congress thinks
otherwise he recommends that n cpnsfffiI
tional amendment be subm tied tnat viii
COZ fer the poxe necessary.
In connection with the trusts he rec
ommends legislation creating a cabinet Of
hcer, TO h. known ss secretary of .rni-
n elce, whose d. ties would be 10 Heal
with all qu stions concern commerce.
letcr and the merchant marine
Would Exclude the Chinese.
The message contains a strong recon-
mendation for e reenactment at lnce
OF tie present chinese exclusion act, in
Wages are higher to-day in the limited
states than ever before In our history |
and tar higher than in any other coun- |
try. The standard of living is also higher
than ever before. Every effort of ,Sois- |
lator and administrator should be bent IL |
secure the permanency of this condition |
OF Inlngs ana It's Improvement wherever |
possible. Not only must our labor he |
protected by the tariff but Ii should aIeo |
be protected so far as 1t is possible from |
the presence In this country of any Ia |
borers brought over by contract or az |
those who. coming freely, vet represent |
q standard of living so depressed that |
Iney Y. can uindersell our men in the labor |
market and drag them to a lower level |
l regard 1t as necessary with this end |
In view, to reenact Immediately the law /
excIuding Shinese laborers and to |
der to make its enforcement entirely ef- |
He also, recommends such legislation. bv
an amendment to the Interstate cor1meroe l
law, as will protect the labor OF one stafe
from competing with the prison labor ~ /
another state, and also that the govern I
m men cease neihg party to this eompeti- I
ton BY not purchasing goods made either /
by convict labor or that in which women
and children are caused to work excassive /
hours or at night,
much that is good, In which connection he
says:
Very great good has been and win be
by associations or unions
of wageworkers when managed with
forethousht and when they combine in
upon their own rights with law
abiding respect for the rights of Others
The display Of these qualities in s1ch
bodies is duty to the nation no less
than 10 the associations themselves
Finally there must also in many cases he
action by the government IN order ~
safeguard the rights and interests of All
Under our constitution there is much
more scope for such action b. Tie state
and the municipality than by the nation.
But on points such as those touched an
above the national government can act
when all is said and DONE tho rule az
brotherhood remains as the indispensable
prerequisite to success in the kind of ma
tionAl life for which we strive Each
man must work for himself, and unless
he SO works no outside help can anvil
him. But each man must remember also
that he Is indeed his brother's keeper,
and that while no man who refuses to
walk can be carried with advantage to
himself or anyone else. vet that each at
times stumeies or h-lts, thar each at