Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

attempted; but a common-sense and suo
cessful effort was made in the direct on OF
seeing that corporations are so handled al
to subserve the public good The legisla-
ton was moderate. 1t was chara CT rized
throughout by the idea that we were not
attacking corporations, but endeavoring to
provide for doing away with any evil In
them; that we drew the line against mis-
conduct not against wealth; gladly recog-
pizing the great good done by the lptalist
who alone, or in conjunction tn his fell
lows, does his work along proper and legti-
mate lines. The purpose of the legislation,
which purpose VIII undoubtedly be fulfilled.
was to favor such a man when he doea
well. and to superv his action only to
prevent him from doing i'll. Publicity can
do no harm to tie honest corporation. The
only corporation that has cause to dread
1T is the corporation which shrinks from the
light, and about the welfare of such cor
porations we need not he oversensitive
The work of the Department of Commerce
and Labor has been conditioned upon this
theory, of securing fair treatment alike
for labor and for capital
Capital and Labor.
The consistent policy of the national
Government, SO far it has the power Is
to hold in check the INSCRIPTIONS man,
whether employer or employe; but to refuse
to weaken individual initiative or TO ham,
per or cramp the industrial development OF
the country. We recognize that tn is an
era of federation and combina ion. in which
great capitalstic corporations and labor
unions have become factors of tremendous
Importance in all industrial centers.
Hearty recognition is given the far-reach-
ing, benefcent work which has been 40
complished through both corporations and
unions, and the line as between different
corporations, as between d fferent unions.
is drawn as 1t is between different individ-
uals; that is, 1t is drawn on conduct. the
effort being to treat both organized capital
and organized labor al Ike; asking nothing
save that the interest of each shall be
brought into harmony with the interest OF
the general public, and that the conduct or
each shall conform to the funda mental
rules Of obedience to law, of Individual
freedom. and Of justice and fair dealing to-
wards all. Whenever ether co. puration,
labor union, individual disrega-ds the
law or acts in a spirit of arb. trary and tyr
annous interference with the rights OF
others, whether corporations or indiv duals,
then where the Federal Government has
jurisdiction, 1t W II see to 1t that the mis-
conduct Is stopped, pay ng not the slightest
heed to the position or power of tie cor
poration. the union or the ind vidual but
only to one vital fact-that is, the question
whether or not the conduct of the indi-
vdual or aggregate of individuals is In ac-
cordance with the law of the land
Every man must be guaranteed his lib
erty and his right to do as he likes with his
property or his labor so long as he does
not infringe the rights of others. No man
is above the law and no man is below it:
nor do We ask any mans permission when
we require him to obey it, Obedience to
the law is demanded as a right; not asked
as a favor.
We have cause as nation to be thank
full for the steps that have been so success
fully taken to put these principles into et-
feet The progress has been by evolution,
not by revolution. Nothing radical has
been done; the action has been both mod
crate and resolute Therefore the work
will stand. There shall be no backward
step. If In the working of the laws Il
proves desirable that they shaK at any
point be expanded or amplifed the amend
ment can be made as its desirablity is
shown Meanwhile they being admin
istered with Judgment. but with insistence
upon obedience to them; and their need has
been emphasized in signal fashion by the
events of the past year.
Receipts and Expenditures.
From all sources. exclusive of the postal
service, the receipts of the government for
the last fiscal year aggregated 5000. 3s}6. 674.
The expenditures for the same period were
S506, 099, 007 the surplus for the fiscal year
being $54 297 667 The indications that
the surplus for the present fiscal year will
be very small if indeed there be any sur
plus. From July to November the receipts
from customs were. approximately. nine
million dollars less than the receipts from
the same source for corresponding por-
ton of last year. Should this decrease con-
tinue at the same ratio throughout the fis-
cal year, the surplus would be reduced by,
thirty million dollars.
Should the revenue from customs suffer
much further decrease during the fiscal
year. the surplus would vanish
Economy in Appropriations.
large surplus is certainly undesirable.
Two years ago the war taxes were taken