Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-12-05
THE TRUSTS.
They Can Be Controlled Only by Ma
tiOnal Action.

In my message to the present congress
at it's first session l discussed at lens tn
big corporations commonly doing an in
terstate business, often with some ten
dency to monopoly, which are popularity
past year has emphasized, in my opin-
ion. the. desirability of the steps I then
proposed A fundamental requisite Of
This is in no wise inconsisten, with pow
Ger to act In combina ton for aims which
vidual acting alone. A fundamental base
of civilization is the inviolablity of prop
~erty; but this Is in no wise inconsistent
exercise of the artificial powers which it
>confers upon the owners of property, un-
der, the name of corporate franchises, in
Of these powers: eorpoTafions, IA and espe
cially combinations of corporations,
should be managed under public regula
system of government the necessary
supervision cannot be obtained by state
action. 1t must therefore be achieved by
away with corporations; on the contrary.
these big aggregations are an inevitable
development Of modern industrialism. and
unless accomplished in, ways that would
work the utmost mischief to the entire
body polite. We can do nothing of good
in the way of regulating and supervising
our minds that we are not attacking the
corporations, but endeavoring to do away
to them; we are merely determined that
they shall be so handled as to subserve
the public good. We draw the line
against misconduct not AGAINST wealth
The capitalist who, alone or in conjunc-
ton with his fellows, performs some
great industrial feat by which he wins
money is welldoer, not. a wrongdoer:
legitimate lines. We wish to favor such
a man when he does we'll. We wish to
h donx M Sp
can do harm to the honest corpora
ton: and we need not be overtender
about sparing the dishonest corporation.
Must Exercise Care.
In curling and regulating the combina-
lions of capital which are or may become
Injurious to the public we must be careful
not to stop the great enterprises which
<uction. not to abandon. the. place which
our country has won in the leadership of
the international industrial world. not to
:ing factories and mines, of turning the
:wage-worker idle in the streets and leav-
ing the farmer without market for what h,
means delay in achieving the possible. ex-
defense alike Of what is good and what IS
fort to obstruct any attempt at betterment
betrays blindness to the historic truth that
wise evolution Is the sure safeguard against
s6evolution.
:. No more important subject can come be-
fore the congress than this Of the regula
ton Of interstate business. This country
cannot afford to sit supine or the plea that
under our peculiar system of government
We are helpless in the presence Of the rev
conditions, and unable to grapple with ,tun:
or 10 cut out whatever of evil has arisen III.
connection with them The power of the
congress to regulate interstate commerce
Is an absolute and unqualified grant, arG
hor h,av hnS
scribed by the constitution. The congress
has constitutional authority to make all
laws necessary and proper for executing
power has not been exhausted by any leg
aslation now on. the statute books It IL
evident. therefore. :tat evils restrictive vi