The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-24
TRUSTS ARE NECESSARY
They Should, However, be UEder Gov
ernment Control.
BUT IT SHOULD HANDLE THEM TENDERLY
There is Much Good in These Corporations, the
President Conc 'udes, and Stringent
Measures Should Not be Used
Against Them.
Against Them.
(By the Associated Press.)

lBy Lne ASSOclaIGQ IFeSS.J
Providence, R. l., Aug. 23.-Not since
the visit here of President Hayes, twenty
five years ago, has a Chief Executive
been accorded so brilliant and thoroughly
general a reception as that rendered to-
day to President Roosevelt on the oc-
casion of his tour through this State
People came from every part OF the
State and gathered $4,000 strong about
the platform at City Hall, from which
the President delivered an address. An
ovation which lasted five minutes was
the Presidents greeting when he rose to
speak. President Roosevelt devoted his
attention to Industrial conditions grow
ing out of prosperity, especially the in
crease of corporate wealth. He said:
For some of the evils which have at
tended upon the good of the changed
conditions we can at present see no
complete remedy For others the remedy
must come by the actioh of men them
selves in their private capacity, whether
merely as individuals or by combination
one with another. For yet others some
remedy can be found in legislative AMI
executive action, national, State or NUM-
cipal. Much of the complaint against
combinations is entirely unwarranted
Under present day conditions 1T is az
necessary to have corporations in tie
business world as it is to have organf-
cation among wage workers. But we have
right to ask in each case that they
shall do good and not harm. Exactly
as labor organizations, when managed
lntelligently and in a spirit of justice
and fair play, are of very great service,
not only to the wage-workers, but to
the whole community, as the history o.
many labor organizations has conclusive
ly shown, so wealth. not merely in
dlvidual but corporate, when used Alright
is not merely a benefit to the community
as whole, but indispensable to the up
building of the country, under the con-
dltions, which at present the country
has grown not only to accept but to
demand as normal. This is so obvious
that it seems trite even to state it. and
yet II we are to judge from some of the
arguments advanced against and attacks
MADE upon wealth as such, it is q fact
worth keeping in mind.
"A great fortune if not used Alright
makes its possessor in a peculiar sense
menace to the community as a whole
just as great intellect does if it is un-
accompanied by developed conscience
by character But obviously this no
more affords grounds for condemning
wealth than it does for condemning in
tellect Every man of power by the
very fact of the power is capable of do
ing damage to his neighbor, but we can
not afford to discourage the development
OF such men merely because it is pos
slble they maye use their power to WRONG
ends. If we did so we should leave our
history blank, for we should have no
great statesman, soldiers or merchants
no great man of arts, of letters or of
science. Doubtless on the average the
most useful man to his fellow citizens is
apt to be he to whom has been given
what the Psalmist prayed for, neither
poverty nor riches, but the great cap
tain of industry, the man of wealth, who
alone or in combination with his fell
lows, drives through our great business
enterprises, is a factor without which
this country could not possibly maintain
It's present industrial position in the
world. Good, not harm, normally comes
from the piling up of wealth through
business enterprises. Probably the most
serious harm resulting to us, the peo-
pie of moderate means, is when we harm.
ourselves by letting the dark and evil
vices of envy and hatred towards our
fellows eat into our natures.
"Still, there is other harm, of a more
evident kind. and such harm it is our
clear duty to eradicate if possible and
in any event to minimize The corpora
tions, and therefore those great corpora
tions containing some tendency to mo-
nopoly which we have grown to speak Of
rather loosely as trusts, are the crea-
lures of the State, and the State not only
has the right to control them, but is in
duty bound to control them wherever the
need for such control is shown. There is
clearly a need of supervision-need to
exercise me power of regulation on the
part of the representatives of the pub.
lie, wherever, as in our own country at
the present time, business corporations
become so very strong, both for benefi-
cient work and for work that is not al
ways beneficient. 1t is idle to say that
there is no need for such supervision. A
sufficient warrant for it is to be found
over and over again Of the various evils
resulting from the present system, or
either lack of system
There is in our country a peculiar
difficulty in the way of exercising such
supervision and control because of the