The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1902-08-28

an ignorant zeal, which would make it
more dangerous to the patient than to the
disease.
Remedies for Existing Evils.
'For some of the evils which have at
tended upon the good Of the changed con-
ditions we can at present see no complete
remedy. For others the remedy must come
by the action of men themselves in their
private capacity, whether merely as in
dividuals or by combination one with an
other. For yet others some other remedy
can be found in legislative and executive
action national, state or municipal. Much
of the complaint against combinations is
conditions it is as necessary to have cor
porations in the business world as 1t is to
have organization among wage workers.
But we have right 10 ask in each case
that they shall Go good, and not harm.
Exactly as labor organizations. when man
aged intelligently and in 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 Of many
labor organizations has conclusively
shown, so wealth, not merely individual.
but corporate, when used Alright Is not
merely benefit to the community as a
whole, but indispensable to the upbuild-
ing of the country, under the conditions
which at present the country has grown not
only to accept, but to demand as normal.
This is so obvious that 1t seems trite even to
state it, and yet If we are to judge from
some of the arguments advanced against.
and attacks made upon, wealth as such,
it is a fact worth keeping in mind.
Duty Towards Trusts.
.Still there is other harm of a more evil
dent kind, and such harm it isA our clear
duty to try to eradicate If possible and in
any event to minimize. The corporations
and therefore those great corporations con-
tanning some tendency to monopoly which
we have grown to speak of rather loosely
as trusts, are the creatures of the state,
and the state not only has the right to
control them, but is In duty bound to con-
troll them wherever the need for such con-
troll is shown. There is clearly need Of
supervision-need to exercise the power of
regulation on the part of the representa-
tives Of the public, wherever, as in our
own country at the present time, business
corporations become so very strong both
for beneacent work and for work that is
not always beneficent. 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 in any of the various
evils resulting from the present system, or
rather lack of system.
National Government Must Control.
In my judgment this sovereign must be
the national government. When 1t has
been given full power, then this full power
can be used to control any evil influence,
exactly as the government is now using
the power conferred upon it under the
Sherman antitrust law. Even when the
full power has been conferred 1t would be,
highly undesirable to attempt too much,
or to begin by stringent legislation. The
mechanism of modern business is as DELI
cate and complicated asst vast, and moth
ing would be more productive Of evil to
oil nf n 1ao CT xyo1
off in this worlds goods, that ignorant
meddiing with this mechanism and above
all, If the meddling was done in spirit
of class or sectional rancor. It Is desirable
that this power should be possessed by the
nation, but it is quite as desirable that
the power should be exercised with moder-
alton and self-restraint. The first exercise
of that power should be the securing Of
publicity among all great corporations do
ing an interstate business. The publicity.
though non-inquistorial. should be real and
thorough as to all important facts with
which the public has concern"
''In conclusion let me add one word
While we are not to be excused II we fail
to do whatever is possible through the
agency of government, We must ever keep
in mind that no action by the government,
no action by any combination among our
selves: can take the place of the individual
qualities to which in the long run each man
must owe his success. There never has
been devised, and there never will be de-
vised, any law which will enable man to
succeed save by the exercise of those quail
ties which have always been the prerequi-
sites of success-the qualities of hard work
Of keen intelligence, Of unflinching will.
No action by the state in any form can
do more than supplement the initiative of
the individual, and ordinarily the action
Of the state can do no more than secure to
each individual the chance to show, under
as favorable conditions as possible the
stuff Of which he is made"