Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-12-11

. the world. America has only Just begun
to assume that commanding position in
the international business world which
is of the utmost Importance that this po-
sition be not jeoparded. especially at a time
when the overfowing abundance of our
ness enersy and mechanical aptitude OF
our people make foreign markets essen
tial. Under such conditions it would be
Youthfu stSeneth Of opr OF nation
Moreover, 1t cannot too often be pointed
out that to strike with ignorant violence
at the interests of one set Of men almost
The fundamental rule in our national life,
the rule which underlies all others. is that
on the whole and in the long run we shall
tions, and in times of prosperity some will
prosper far more and in times of ADVERSE
~ some will suffer far more than others;
o. or
in them, and in period of hard times all
feel the stress to greater or less degree.
Points to the faGt that In the
been the really effective friend of the
evils which he has been nominally oppos-
ing: In dealing with business interests
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
able to 1'1 Undertake Ike nothing at all. The
men who demand the Impossible or the
undesirable serve as the allies OF the
forces. with which they are nominally at
endeavor to find out in rational fashion
what the wrongs really are and to what
extent and in what manner it 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 OK
its many baleful consequences lie says:
that the great corporations. known as
trusts, are in certain of their features and
tendencies hurtful to the general welfare,
bination and concentration should be not
reasonable limits controlled, and in my
Judgment this conviction nv tieno is right"
1.-THE first essential in determining how
to deal with the great Industrial COM
binations is knowledge of the facts
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
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 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
to nroner or pc uo5e nd
full and accurate information as to their
operations should be made public resu-
larry at reasonable intervals
1.-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 state has
any exclusive interest in or power over
possible s to get adeauate p reEsat a
through state action. Therefore in the
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
Of its wealth from the existence Of some
monopolistic element or tendency In it's
business. There would be no hardship in
It. and in their heir, case It is no now accep.ed
as a simple matter of course. Indeed it
is probable that supervision of corpora
tons 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 end Of the eighteenth century. no hu-
man wisdom could foretell the sweeping
changes. alike In industrial and political
the beginning Of the twentieth eentur ny
At that time it was accepted as a matter
of course that the severalstates were the
proper authorities TO- regulate SO far as
significant and strictly localized corporate
bodies Of the day. The conditions are now
wholly different, and wholly different &C
can be framed which Will enable the ma
tional government to. exercise control
along the lines above indicated, profiting
sage and administration of the interstate
commerce act. II. however the judgment
of the congress is that it lacks the consti-
tuti9na R0Msr to pass such an act then
submitted to confer the power'
In connection with the trusts he rec
ommends legislation creating a cabinet Of
nicer, to h.. Known SIS sec; stary OF :on,-
s.ce, whose d. ties Awouil be to deal
with all gu :s1ions concerning commerce.
lscer and the merchant marine.
Would Exclude the Chinese.
The message t?n' aims strong: rccom-
Of the present Chinese exclusion net I'm in
which connection he says: II
Wages are higher to-day in the United
States than ever before In our history
try. The standard Of living is also higher
than ever before. Every effort Of ,S.sis-
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 1t should also
be projected 20 f a,;s g Il Is possible from
sborers brought over by contract or Of
those who. coming freely, yet represent
a standard of living 80 depressed that
market and drag them to a lower level.
I regard 1t as necessary. with this end
in view, to reenact Immediately the law
strengthen It wherever necessary in o 70
aer to = make It's endorsement. entirely e.
.. "rhe national government should de
good employer. !. Il possible. iesislat ton
should be passed in connection with thu
der effective the efforts of different
states to do away with the compet ition
Of convict. contract labor in the open la
Dor nj market: 90 far as practich BILE un-
provision should be made Is render the
enforcement . q the eight.hour law easy
directly OF indirectly for th ealt 1nit on
States government women and children
should be protected from excessive hours
Of labor. from night work and from work
ernment should provide in its contracts
that all work should be done under "fair"
conditions and, In addition to- setting a
esh Sdemd = ~
the subc contractors. The government
should forbid all night work for women
and children as y, Vel as {! excessive over
s s5 ths law p.stedt 8 ana
as aSpdperful indirect aid y to such |laWos