Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1902-12-05

INCL HIVPbStu. II llluudtutnt'u EtQulS"
ite Of social efficiency is IA high stand.
rel Of individual energy and excc'lruco
but this Is III no wise Inconsistent with
power to act III combination for aims
which raj not 50 we'll be achieved by
the individual acting alone. :. fund.
amental base Of civilization is the in
volatility Of property; but this liz i'll no
wise inconsistent with the right ~ su-
ciety to regulate the exercise Of the ar.
titicial powers which il confers upon the
property, under the name of corporal.
franchises, iu such 4 way AS to prevent
the misuse OF these powers. Cor pora.
tons should he managed under pub he
regulation. Experience has shown that
under our system Of government the me-
cessary supervision can not be obtained
by State action. II must the retorc he
achieved by national action. Our aim
Is not to do away with corporations: OH
the contrary, these big agrregatious are
AN inevitable development Of modern
industralism: and the effort Ia destroy
them wonld he futile unless accom-.
pllshed III ways that work the utmost
mischief to the entire body petite. We
can do nothing OF good III the WAY uf reg.
ulating and supervising the &c corpor.
atoms until we iiN clearly in our minds
that we are not attacking the curpor-
atoms but e~ndeavorInG to do away with
the evil in them. w are not hostile to
them; we are merely determined that
they shall be so handled Hs to suhservc
the public good. We Draw the line
against MISCONDUCT. not against wealth.
The capitalist %ho, alone OF in cnnjunc-
ticn with his fellows, perform some
great industrial feat by which he wins
money i'll is "A well dOer. not a wrong
dOer, provided only the works in proper
and Legitimate lines. We wish 10 favor
such n man when he does we'll. We
wish to supervise and control his actions
only to prevent him from doing i'll.
Publicity can do no harm t" the honest
corporations; and We need not be over.
tender about sparing the dishonest cor.
poration.
In curb!ng and regulating the com
blnations 81 capital which are or may
become injurious tn the public we must
be careful not T." stop the great chter
prises which have lcGitirnatcly reduced
the cost Of production. not to abandon
the place which u country has won in
the leadership OF the international in
dustri world. not Ia strike down
wealth with the result of closing fac.
tories and mines, Of turning the wage
worker idle in the streets and leaving
the farmer without IA market Tor what
he grows, lnsisten"r upon the impcss-
ible means delay III achieving the os.
sIble. exactly aa. III the other hand the
stubborn defense alike at what IL good
and what is bad III the existing system,
the %resolute effort 10 ubstruct any at.
tempt ut bct:erment, betr4ys blindenss
to the historic truth that wi-c. evolution
ID the sure safeguard against re- evolution.
No more important subject can come
before the Congress than this Of the r..
gulation OF interstate business. This
country cannot afford to sit supinc on
thep plea that under our peculiar system
OF government We are helpless i'm the
presence IT the new conditions, and
unable to grapple with them or To cut
out whatever Of evil has arisen in con.
nectIon with them. The power OF Con-
gress to regulate interstate il
an absolute and unqualified grant and
without limitations other than these
prescribed 10y the Constitution. The
Congress has constitutional authority to
make all laws necessary and proper Tor
executing this power. and am satisfied
that this power has not been exhausted
10y any Legislation now on the statute
books. 1t If rvi lent. therefore. That
evils restrictive 81 % nmcrrial freedom
and entailmg restraint upon national
commerce tall within the repulatiye
power ri the Congress, and That a wise
and reasonable law would be Il nccrs
sary and proper exercise nf Congress.
ional authority {" the end tina. such
evils should he eradicatcd.
l believe that monoplics. unjust dis
ordinations which prevent or cripple
t'lhVcllllpn, I"fhuIlulc1' p~fprr1I ItaIiII
tons and practices which iujurousIy
affect interstate trade eau he prevented
under the power OF the Congress to "rc.
gulntc commerce with foreign nntious
and among the several States through
regulations operating directly upon
such commerce, the inst -umrutaItirs
thereof, aud those engaged therein.
earnestly Recommend this subject
to the consideration Of the CungrI ~
with n Wow To the passage Of Il law re-.
asonablc in ita provisions and effective
III its operations. upon winch the qura
tions. ran he finally adjudicntcI that
now raise doubts M to the necessity Of
constitutional amendment. II il prove
impossible tO accomplish the purppm s
above act forth by such law then NJ
suredly. we should no, shrink from
amending the Constitution ao ns Ia So.
cure beyond prrhd venture tho power
sought.
Tho Congress has nos heretofore mndc
my appropriation for the better enforce.
mpUt OF tho nnti.tfnaI Ia a. M 10 nnr o,,,J,