Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-10-01

The Presidents Ptan.
You must face the fact that only harm
will come from a proposition to attack the
so-called trusts In a vindictlve spirit by
measures conceived solely with a desire of
hurting them, without any regard as to
whether or not discrimination should be
made between the good and evil In them,
and without even any regard as to whether
a necessary sequence of the action would
be the hurting of other interests. The adop-
ton of such n policy would mean temper
ary damage TO the trusts, because ii would
mean temporary damage to NIL Of our BUSH
ness interests: but the effect would be only
temporary, for exactly as the damage nf
fected an alike. GOOD and bad SO the re-
action would affect an alike. good and bad.
The necessary supervision and control. in
which / firmly believe is the only method
of eliminating the real evils of the trust,
must come IL rough wisely and cautiously
framed Legislation. hich shall aim. In the
first place. to give definite control to some
sovereign over me great corporations and
which shall be followed when once this
power has been conferred, by system CIV
Ing to the government the full knowledge
which is the essential for satisfactory ac-
tion. Then when this knowledge has been
gained. further steps of any kind neces-
sary, can be taken with the confidence born
of the possession of power TO deal with the
subject and of n thorough knowledge Of
what ought and can be done in the matter.
We need additional power, and we need
knowledge. Our Constitution was formed
men the economic conditions were so diff
ferent that each State could wisely be left
to handle the corporations within Its limits
as Ii saw fit. Nowadays all the numerous
corporations which | am considering, do
what Is really an interstate business and
the States have proceeded on very different
lines In regulating them, they are often
organized In State In which they do llttle
or no business and do an enormous business
In other States, to the spirit OF whose laws
they may be openly antagonistic. 1t must
lie better If all the States could agree to
4, In I'M in 1iDgr wit IA
these corporations, but | see not the slight
est prospect of such agreement. Therefore,
| personally feel that ultimately the nation
viii have to assume the responsibility Of
which do an interstate business. The States
must combine to meet the problem caused
nv the great combinations If capital and
the easiest way for the States TO combine is
by action through the national government.
Law May Accomplish Much.
without the adoption Of Constitutional
amendment my belief Is tha Il good deal
can be done by law. 1t is difficult to say
exactly how much. hecaus' experience mas
taught that in dealing with these sub
jects where the lines dividing the rights
and duties of the State and Of the Nation
nre In doubt # has sometimes been DIFF.
hcult for Congress to forecast the action OF
the courts upon its legislation. such legls-
lation whether obtalnable now, or obtain
able only after constitutional amendmenO
should provide for a reasonable supervision,
the most prominent feature OF Whlch At
first should he publicity; that Is. the max
Ing public both TO the governmental au-
thorities and to the people at large. the es-
sental facts, In which the public is con
cerned. This would give Us exact knoNl
edge Of many points. which are now not
only In doubt. but the subject Of fierce con
troycrsg. Moreover, the mere fact OF the
publication would cure some very grave
evils, for the light Of day is q deterrent 10
wrong doing. IL would doubtless disclose
other evils. with which for the time being
we could devise 10 way to graphic. Finally
IL wo1ld disclose others tnut could lie Crap
pied with ard cured by further legislative
action.
l advocate action which the President
only can advise, and which lie has no pow
or in himself 10 fake. Under our present leg
isative and constitutional limitations. the
national executive can. work only between
narrow lines In the field Of action concern
Ing great corporations. Between those
lines | assure you that exact and even
handed justice will be dealt, and is being
dealt 70 all ruen, without regard 10 per
sons
/ wish TO repeat with ali emphasis that
desirable though il Is that the Nation
should have the power ! suggest 1t is equal
iy desirable that II should he used with
wisdom and Self-restrai1t. The nechan-
ism Of modern business Is tremendous In
lis size and eOmplexity, and ignorant Inter