Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-03

TfffsHfF. tHi ftia b. lH 90 siss Inconsistent
rIth t.s uFff ~ s,Hfiy ~ f.sBiais ita
sfsfHta ~ fts afIftIai p0stfs Hbith %
fgnfffa Ip8H DE- HHHfIs NJ ff4bfrf under
NJ HaHf ~ rafDYfaI. franchises. iH si.H
q Hag EEL 90 FfftsHf tba misuse ~ ibtsa
EaHrrs fGfbNfsiiaHa. fHt especially COM
birsu9Hs " Ssfn8fsfisfs should ba msbl
hsil HH1sf pHtIIl fsgHiHtigH Experience
haa shsFH thaf HHesf 0Hf system N F9tl
sfEHsri iHs HsrssaaV sHtsf1isIgB cannot
a. ahtai1sd w State affioH ~ must there
f9fa a. slHIt fad w t4N0Hfi afipB or
Elm ia Hgf ~ a. aHay Fifb f9fp0fatiohs,
90 Ne fgHffafy. fHsss tff agRfffatiohs afe
~ insyiiabis development ~ modern ins
dusiraiism. aHd mo- ffgft ~ destroy tdom
rouif o. fHfis uHitsa accomplished in ways
that uSaif rsfs me- uIm0si mischief 10 the
sniifs b0fy taitis We tab 10 nothing n
sod ih No. fHY ~ regulating an1 7nperi
VsihH those corporations uhiii We ~
clearly iu Duf minds fhaf W. are not At
ta6sias No. corporations but endtatOrins
a. a. Asav stfh aHg Evil IN them. We
afs sst hostile ~ fbfm. w pre- merely ds
isfmihrd that ibay shall be- ~ handed a.
~ sfsaffys ne public good We draw the
iina against misconduct, not against
wealth. Ths tapitaiisi Nb0. alone or IN
conjunction vim hts fsiiOHs, performs some
Eysat infusffiHi feat ~ which b. wins
money ls y Wsiidger, not p wfohRdoef,
provided 0giY be- works m proper and ie-
ultimate uHfs We Fish n favor such a
man Fhsn hs does veil We wish 20 ~.
psrviss tHd control his aeiisns only 70
prevent him from doinE w. Publicity can
% NJ harm ~ he honest corporation, and
~ need not BE- oyeftobdef about sparlng
tbs dishonest corporation
Mast Proceed with care.
In curblhg and regulating tho combina-
ttona ~ capital which are or may become
Injurious 10 the public w. must be- careful
not 90 atop The gfea' enterprises which
have isEitlmateiy reduced the cost Of pro-
duCilon. not 20 abandon the place which
our country has won IN the leadership Of
the International Industrial world. not to
strike down wealth with tho result Of clos
Ing factories and mines. NJ turning the
sage worker Idle IN The streets and ieav-
Ing the farmer without a market for what
h. grows. insiatonro upon the impossible
means delay IN achieving the possible. cx-
sctiy aH. on the other hand, the stubborn
defense alike of what IL good and what
e. bad In the existing system. the rosolute
effort 10 obatruct any attempt at better
meht. bctfays biindn,ss 10 the historic
truth that wise evolution IL the sure safe
guard against revolution.
No more important subject can come
before congress than this Of the regulation
Of Interstate business. This country can
not Anoro to st supine on the plea that
under our peculiar system Of government
40 arc helpless In tho presence OF the new
conditions and unable TO grapple with them
or 20 cut out whatever Of evil has arisen
In connection with them. The power Of
the congress to regulate interstate com
merce is an absolute and unqualified grant,
and without limitations other than those
prescribed BY the constitution. The con-
Ereas has constitutional authority to make
ell laws necessary and proper for executing
this power. and I am satisfied that this
power has not been exhausted by any leg
islatiOn nov on the statute books. 1t is
evident. therefore. that evils restrictive
Of commercial freedom and entailing re-
siralnt upon national fall within
the rcgulative power Of the congress, and
that a wise AMI reasonable law would be
q necessary and proper exercise of con-
Eressional authority to the end that such
evils shoald be eradicated. .
Congress- Can Remedy Evil.
I believe that monopolies. unjust dis
ordinations. which prevent or cripple COM
petition. fraudulent overcspitalization, and
other evils IN trust organizations and prac-
tigNM which luluTlOuaIy erect Interstate
trade can be prevented und r the power
Of the congress to regulate with
foreign nations and among the several
states through regulations and require
meuts operating directly upon such com
meYce. tho instrumcntalities thereof, and
those engaged therein.
earnestly This subject TO the
consideration Of the congress with a view
20 the passage OF a Law rea 5onable in its
proviIions and effective In its operati rs.
upon which the. Questions can be finally
sdiudieated that now raise doubts as 10
the necessity Of constitutional amendment
10 u prove impossible to accom- LII The
purposes above set forth by such a law,
then. assuredly, w should not shrink from
amending the constitution so as TO secure
beyond preadventure the power sought.
The congress has not heretofore made any
appropriation for the better eufsr emen of
the antitrust Law as II now stands. Very
much has been done by the Department of
Justice In securing the emf rec nent of
this Law. but much more cOu1i be done n
congress would make a special appropria-
lion for this purpose. to he expended un-
Ser the direction OF the attorney g neral.
wrssE IL Not with TarIa.
Oas proposition advocated has been the
Fsdaction % the tarin as a means OF reach
Ing The evils Of the trusts which fail within
the category ] have described. Not merely
vouit this BE- wholly Ineffective. but the
diversion % our ehor > In such a direction
Soaid mean the abandonment OF all in
t~siiissnt attempt 10 do away with thsse
evils Many Of the largest corporations
many % those which should certainly be
Included IN any proper scheme Of regula.
tiau. would not BE- affected In the slightest
degree ~ q change In the tarih, save as
such change interfered with the general
prosperity Of The country. The only rela-
tiau % the tariff 10 big corporations a. a
Whale a. that the tarih makes manufac.
lures profitable. and the tariff remedy pro-
posed would b. In effect simply 10 max,
manufacture improbable. To remove tn
tarid a. q punitive measure directed againsl
trusts would Inevitably result IN ruin q
TIE Seaker competitors who are STRUGGLING
aaainst them Our aim should be not b,
uasse tariff changes to give foreigI
prodacts the advantage over domestl,