Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-12-04
THE TRUSTS.
They Can BE Controlled Only by Ma
tlOnnl Action.

In my message to the present congress
at Its first session | discussed at length
the question of the regulation Of those
big corporations commonly doing an in
terstate business, often with some ten
ssBHx ts g ~ xheh aEs S9pSAaE W M
past year has emphasized, in my opin-
Ion, the desirability Of the stepI | then
proposed. A fundamental requisite Of
social efficiency Is a high standard Of
individual energy and excellence; but
this 10 In no wise inconsistent with pow
er to act In combination for aims which
cannot 80 well be achieved by the indi-
OF civilization is the inviolability Of prop
erty; but this Is in no wise inconsistent
with the right Of society to regulate the
exercise Of the artificial powers which 1t
con ers upon the owners of property, un-
der the name Of corporate franchises, In
such way as to prevent the misuse
OF these powers. Corporations, and espe-
cially combinations Of corporations,
should be ranased under public regula-
tion. Experience has shown that under our
system OF government the necessary
supervision cannot be obtained by state
action. 1t must therefore be achieved by
national act on Our aim Is not to do
away with corporations, on the contrary,
these big a ygrt cations are an inevitable
development of modern industrialism and
the effort to destroy them would be futile
Unless accomplished in. ways that would
work the utmost raischlef to the entire
body polite We can do nothing Of good
In the way Of regulating and supervising
these corporations until ve tx clearly In
our minds that we are not attacking the
ccrrorations but enfeav0ring 10 do away
with any evil In them. We are not hostile
70 them; we are merely determined that
they shall be so handled as to subserve
the public good. We draw the line
asainst misconduct, not against wealth.
~ capitalist who, alone or In conjvfe.
ton with his fellows, performs some
great Industrial feat by which he wrs
provided only he works In proper and
es;inate lines. We wish TO favor such
p nan when he does we'll We wish to
supervise and control his actions only to
prevent him from doing ILL., Publicity
cen do no harm to the honest corpora
ton: and we need not be overtender
about sparing the dishonest corporation
Must Exercise Care.
In curbing and regulating the combna-
tions Of capital which are or may become
Injurious 70 the public we must be careful
not % stop the great enterprises which
have legtimately reduced the cost Of pro-
cuction, not to abandon the place which
our country has won In the leadership of
the International industrial world, not TO
strike down wealth with the result Of clos
ing factories and mines, Of turning the
wage-worker Idle In the streets and leav-
ing the farmer without market for what
he grows Insistence upon the impossible
means delay in achieving the possible, ex-
actly as. or the other hand the stubborn
defense alike Of what Is kood and what is
bad In the existing system the resolute ef-
fort 10 obstruct any attempt at betterment,
betrays blindness to the historic truth that
wise. evolution is the sure safeguard against
e=-l.z.Ar-