The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-01

revolution. 1t stimulated every aDnor-
NAL sentiment of social and economic
revolution that existed in the country.
Nothing but the extraordinary pros
perity of the last few years prevented
the inflamed and perverted propagan-
da on this question from sweeping the
country with demand for suppress
ing corporations, and the introduction
of n revolutionary policy which would
inevitably have disrupted our domestic
Industries, and probably have given us
a panic compared with which even that
of '93 would have been a pigmy.
ROOSEVELT'S METHOD.
Compare the statement of President
Roosevelt on this subject with what
have just read:
The growth Of cities las gone on beyond com
parison faster than ihe growth of the country,
and the upbuldng OF the great industrial cen.
tiers has meant startling increase, not merely
in the aggregate of wealth. but in the number
OF very large individual and especially of very
large corporate, fortunes The creation of these
great corporate fortunes has not been due to the
tariff nor to any other governmental action, but
to natural causes in the business world uper-
ating in other countries as they operate in our
own
The process has aroused much antlgonism, a
great part OF which is wholly without warrant. 1t
is not true that as The rich have grown richer
the poor have grown poorer On the contrary,
never before has the average man. the wage.
worker, the farmer, the small trader been SO
well off in this country as at the present tine
There have been abuses connected with the nc.
cumulation of wealth; yet 1t remains true that
a fortune accumulated i'll legitimate business can
be accumulated by tn, person specially benefited
only on condition Of comforting immense Incl
dental benefits upon Others. Successful enter
prise, of the type which benefits all mankind,
can only exist ii the conditions are such as TO
offer great prizes The rewards Of success
The captains Of industry who have driven the
railways systems across this continent, who have
built up our commerce, who have developed our
manufactures, have, on the whole, done great
good to people. Without them the material
development OF which we are so justly proud
could never have taken place
Moreover, it cannot be too often pointed out
that to strike with ignorant violence at the
interests of set of aIr'ost inevitably
cndangers the interests OF all. The fundamental
rule in our national life--the rule which under
lies all otherss !hat, on the whole, and in
the long run, shall so UP or down together.
There are exceptions; and in times OF prosperity
some will prosper far more, and i'll times Of
adversely some will suffer far more, than others;
hut speaking generally, period OF good times
means that all share more or less in them, and
in n period of hard times all feel the stress TO
greater less dcytco.
The mechanism Of modern business is 20
delicate that extreme care must be taken not
10 interfere with it in spirit of rashness or g-
noIanrr. Many Of those who have made it their
vocation to denounce the great industrial COM
bnatons which are popularity, although with
technical inaccuracy, known as trusts APP
peal especially to hatred and fear. These arc
precisely the two emotions. particularly when
combined with ignorance, which unit men for
the exercise of cool and STEADY Judgment. In
facing new industrial conditions the whole his
tory of the world shows that legislation will
generally be both unwisc and ineffective unless
undertaken after calm inquiry and with sober
sclt-rcstraint.
How different this presentation of the
case! 1t is not a special pleading, but
a statement of the facts that every per-
son of sense and experience knows is
true. Neither Mr.. Cleveland, Mr.. Rry-
an nor the most passionate trust hat
ers who have followed them, could take
exception to the truth of this whole
The moment one sees such
a frank statement of the facts conf
dence is inspired in the recommended
tions. Sensible men would shrink from
would say all corporations are mali
ciously conceived; that their purpose
is to oppress the public, make slaves of
laborers and destroy the citizenship Of
free men; because every man of affairs
knows that such statement is not
true.
EVILS AND REMEDY.
iS, To ho
main purpose of large corporations is
to produce dividends, and it is an
economic fact which all competent stu
dents and observers are familiar with
that, as President Roosevelt says, they
cannot continuously be successful with
out the whole community sharing di-
rectly or indirectly in their benefits.
But, having made this intelligent and
accurate presentation of the corpora
ton case, he proceeds at once to point
out the defects and evils and suggests
a remedial policy:
All this is true; and yet 1t is also true that
there are real and grave evils, one Of the chief
being ovcr-capta2ation, because OF its many
mlofuI consequences; and resolute and praG-
.ical ctToit must be made to correct these evils
There is II widespread conviction in the minds
IF the American people that the great corpora
lions known rs trusts GIe N certain OF thcr
features and tendencies hnrtiul to the general
Welfare. This springs from no spirit OF envy or
nor lack Of pride in the great
industrial achievements that have placed this
country at the head OF the nations struggling
or commercial supremacy, II does not rest upon
| lack of intelligent appreciation OF the ne
'essity Of meeting changing and changed conl.
ions Of trade with new methods, nor upon ig-
lOrlnce OF the fact that combination of capital
n the effort to accomplish great things is nCces.
ary when the worlds progress demands that
great things be done. 1t is based upon sincere
conviction that combination and concentration
hou,d be, not prohibited, but supervised and
within reasonable limits controlled; and in my
Judgment this conviction is right
He then proceeds to outline the policy
which he thinks should be pursued.
His purpose is not to suppress an ina
;inary monster, not to set the people
against corporations as public evils. on
he contrary, his policy is based upon
he intelligent recognition that the de- /
'elopment of large corporations is a
,art of the necessary growth of mod
rn industry, and that the remedy for
he evils connected with them-and
here are some-is to eliminate the evils
Without injuring the usefulness of the
This is a true states
nanlike attitude Recognizing that
blind ignorance disquaifies anybody
rom intelligent action, President
Roosevelt recommends as the first step
n this direction that congress, within
he realms of its jurisdiction, secure
publicity of the doings of all corpora
ions engaged in interstate commerce.
n other words, he recommends that
measures be taken to give the govern
nent the means OF ascertaining the es-
ential facts relating to their methods
L doing business. eSneciallX In fheir |