The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1902-12-04
about sparing the dishonest corpora

about sparing the dishonest corpora
tion.
In curbing and regulating the COM
binations of capital which are or may
become Injurious to the public we must
be careful not to stop the great enter
prises which have legitimately re-
duced the cost of production, not to
abandon the place which our country
has won in the leadership of the in
ternationai industrial world, not to
strike down wealth with the result OF
closing factories and mines, of turn
ing the wage worker idle in the streets
and leaving the farmer without a
market for what he grows. 1nsistence
upon the impossible means delay in
achieving the possible, exactly as, on
the other hand, the stubborn defense
alike of what Is good and what is bad
in the existing system, the resOlute ef-
fort to obstruct any attempt at bet
terment, betrays blindness to the his
toric truth that wise evolution is the
sure safeguard against revolution.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
No more important subject can
come before the congress than this OF
the regulation of interstate business.
This country cannot afford to sit su-
pine On the plea that under our pc
culiar system of government we are
helpless in the presence of new condi-
tions, and unable to grapple with them
or to cut out whatever of evil has
arisen in connection with them.
The power of congress to regulate
interstate commerce is an absolute and
unqualified grant, and without limita-
tions other than those prescribed by
the constitution. The congress las
constitutional authority to make all
laws necessary and proper for execut-
ing this power, and am satisfied that
this power has not been exhausted by
any legislation now on the statute
books. 1t is evident, therefore, that
evils restrictive of commercial free
dom and entailing restraint upon na-
tional commerce fall within the reg
ulative power of congress, and that a
wise and reasonable law would be "a
necessar. and proper exercise Of con-
| gressional authority to the end that
such evils should be eradicated.
| believe that monopolies, unjust
| determinations which prevent or Grip
Pile competition, fraudulent overcapi-
| talization, and other evils in trust or
ganiZations and practices which in
| juriously affect interstate trade can be
| prevented under the power of con-
gress to regulate commerce with for
| eign nations and among the several
states" through regulations and re-
quirements operating directly upon
| such commerce, the instrumentalities
| thereof, and those engaged therein.
| earnestly recommend this subject
| to the consideration of the congress
with a view to the passage of law
| reasonable in its provisions and eff
| fective in it's operations, upon which
the questions can be finally adjudi-
Gated that now raise doubts as to the
necessity of constitutional amend
ment. If it prove impossible to ac-
complish the purposes above set forth
| by such a law, then, assuredly, we
should not shrink from amending the
constitution so as to secure beyond
peradventure the power sought.
The congress has not heretofore
| IuduS any dpptOpIldtlOu LOT Luo pet
ter enforcement of the antitrust law
as it now stands. Very much has been
done by the department of justice in
securing the enforcement of this law,
| but much more could be done if con-
gress would make a special appropria-
| ton for this purpose, to be expended
under the direction of the attorney
| general.
TRUSTS AND TARIFF.
One proposition advocated has been
the reduction of the tariff as means
of reaching the evils of the trusts
which fall within the category l have
described. Not merely would this be
wholly ineffective, but the diversion of
our efforts in such a direction would
mean the abandonment of all intelli-
gent attempt to do away with these
evils. Many of the largest corpora
tions, many of those which should
! certainly be included in any proper
scheme of regulation, would not be
affected in the slightest degree by a
change in the tariff, save as such
| change interfered with the general
prosperity of the country. The only
relation of the tariff to big CORPORA
| tions as whole is that the tariff
makes manufactures profitable, and
the tariff remedy proposed would be
l