The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-06

and OF Wage-Workers among themselves,
but Of capitalists and wageworkers in
both in their relations to their fellows
who, with them, make up the body poll
tic. There are many captains of in
dustry, many labor leaders, who real
ize this. A recent speech by the presi-
dent Of one of our great railroad sys-
TENS to the employees of that system
contains sound common sense. It runs
in part as follows:
BY Captain of Industry.
cit is my belief we can better serve
each other, better understand the man
as we'll as his business, when meeting
face. to face, exchanging views, and
realizing from personal contact we
serve but one interest, that of our
mutual prosperity. ;y, .--.-..- 10. ,.,..
"Serious misunderstanding cannot
occur where personal good will exists
and opportunity for personal explana-
tion is present.
"ln my early business life I had
experience with men of affairs of a
character to make me desire to avoid
myself and the interests in my charge,
should fortune ever place me in au-
thority, and [ am soGcitous Of meas
ure Of confidence on the part of the
public and our employees that I shall
hope may be warranted by the fairness
and good fellowship I intend shall pre-
| vail in our relationship.
'But do not feel I am disposed to
grant unreasonable requests, spend the
money OF our company unnecessarily or
without value received, nor expect the
days OF mistakes are disappearing, or
that cause for complaint will not con-
tlnually occur; simply to correct such
abuses as may be discovered, to better
conditions as fast as reasonably may be
expected, constantly striving, with
varying success, for that Improvement
we all desire, to convince you there is
a force at work in the right direction
all the time making progress the
disposition with which I have come
among you, asking your good will anG
encouragement.
Led but Not Driven.
"The day has gone by when cor
poration can be handled successfully il
defiance Of the public will, even thu
that will be unreasonable and wrong
A public may be led, but not driven
and prefer to 90 with it and shape
or modify, in measure, it's opinion
rather than be swept from my bearings
with loss to myself and the interests il
''violent prejudice exists toward cor
porate activity and capital today, mucl
of it founded In reason, more in appre
hens1on, and large measure Is due tt
the personal traits of arbitrary, I'm
reasonable, incompetent, and offensive
compl1shment of results by indirection
the endeavor to thwart the intention
if not the expressed letter Of the Law
(the will Of the people,, a disregard o.
the rights Of others, a disposition t,
withhold what IS due, to force by mail
strength or inactivity result not justi
fed, depending upon the. weakne o
the claimant and his indispesitlon to be
come involved in litigation, has created
a sentiment harmful in the extreme ant
a disposition to consider anything fai
that gives gain to the individual at TIL,
expense Of the company.
IF corporations are to continue tt
do the worlds work, as they are hes
fitted to-, these qualities in their rep
resentatives that have resulted in tn
present prejudice against them must b.
relegated to the background. The cor
porations must come out into the ope1
and see and be seen. They must talk
the public into their confidence an,
ask for what they want, and no more
and be prepared to explain satisfactor
lily what advantages will accrue to tn
public 1t they are given their desires
for they are permitted to exist not tina
they make money solely, but that the.
may effectively serve those from whom
they derive their power.
Publicity, and not secrecy, will vii
hereafter, and laws be construed b,
their intent and not by their letter
otherwise public utilities will be ownet
and operated by the public which ere
ated them, even tho the service be les
efficient and the result less satisfac
tory from financial standpoint.
The bureau Of corporations has mad
careful. preliminary investigation Q
many important corporations. It will
make special report on the beef in
dustry.
The policy of the bureau is to accom-
plish the purposes Of it's creation by co
operation, not antagonism; by maxim,
constructive legislation. not destructiv
prosecution, the immediate object of it
inquiries; by conservative investigation
!, Of law and fact, and by refusal to issu
incomplete and hence necessarily mac