Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-12-08

for government emprUyes 10 pan0 rnem-
selves together for the purpose Of extorting
improperly high salaries from the govern-
ment. Especially is this true Of those with
In the classified service. The letter car
riers. both municipal and rural, are AZ
whole an excellent body of public servants.
They should be amply paid. But their pay
ment must be obtained by arguing their
claims fairly and honorably before the
congress, and not by banding together for
the defeat Of those congressman who re-
fuse to give promises which they cannot
in conscience give The administration has
already taken steps to prevent and punish
,buses of this nature; but It will be wise
for the congress to supplement this action
by legislation.
Corporations.
when we come to deal with great cor
porations the need for the government to
act directly is far greater than In the case
of labor, because great corporations can
become such only by engaging In Interstate
commerce, and interstate commerce 10 Pc
culiarly the field Of the general govern
ment. It Is an absurdity to expect to elm
mate the abuses in great corporations by
state action. 1t is dificult to be patient
with an argument that such matters should
be left to the states, because more than
one state pursues the policy Of creating on
easy terms corporations which are never
operated within that state at alt but IN
other states whose laws they ignore. The
national government alone can deal ade-
uuately with these great corporations. To
try to deal with them In an incorporate,
destructive or demagogic spirit would, In
all probability, mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished, and with abb
solute certainty that II anything were &C.
complished 1t would be Of harmful ma
ture The American people need to con-
tinue to show the very qualities that they
have shown-that is. moderation, good
sense, the earnest desire to avoid doing any
damage, and yet the quiet determination to
proceed, step by step. without halt and
without hurry, in eliminating or At least In
minimizing whatever Of mischief or OF evil
there is to interstate commerce In the con-
duct Of great corporations. They are act
ing in no spirit of hostility to wealth. either
Individual or corporate. They are not
against the rich man any more than against
the poor man. On the contrary, they are
friendly alike toward rich man and toward
poor man, provided only that each acts
in spirit Of Justice and decency toward,
his fellows. Great corporations are neces-
sary. and only men Of great and singular
mental power can manage such corpora
tions successfully. and such men must have
great rewards But these corporations
should be managed with due regard to the
interest of the public as whole. Where
this can be done under the present laws II
must be done. Where these laws come
short others should be enacted to supple
ment them.
Yet we must never forget the determining
factor in every kind Of work, Of head or
hand, must be the mans own good sense,
courage and kindness. More important
than any legislation is the gradual growth
OF feeling Of responsibility and forbear-
ance among capitalists and wage workers
alike; a feeling of respect on the part OF
each man for the rights Of others; feel
ing of broad community OF interest, not
merely of capitalists among themselves
and Of wage workers among themselves,
but of capitalists and wage workers in their
relations to each other, and Of both In their
relations to their fellows who with them
make up the body polite. There are many
captains Of industry, many labor leaders.
Bureau Of Corporations.
TIE bureau of corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation OF many
IMPORTANT corporations. II will make
special report on the beef industry.
The policy Of the bureau Is to accomplish
the purposes Of Its creation by cooperation.
not antagonism; by making constructive
legislation. not destructive prosecution.
the immediate object Of its induIries; bJ
conservative investigation Of law and fact,
and by refusal to issue incomplete. and
hence necessarily inaccurate reports. Its
policy being thus one OF open inquiry into,
and not attack upon, business the bureau
- 49,. .kfo % Uoia nof ouIv the couf1-
defice. but, better still, the cooperation Of
men engaged in legitimate business.
The bureau offers to the congress the
means Of getting at the cost Of production
Of our various great staples Of commerce
OF necessity the careful investigation Of
special corporations viii afford the COM
rnineioner knowledge OF certain business
facts. the publication Of which might be an
improper Infringement Of private rtghta
The method Of making public the results
Of these investigations afords, under the
law, a means for the protection OF private
rightn. Tha congress viii have all taeu
except such a. would give 70 another cof-
porntion information which would inlure
The legitimate business Of compeutorAno
destroy the Incentive for Individual supe-
rioFity and thrift.
The bureau has also mads exhaustive
srnninations into the legal eondluon un-
dsr uhich eorporats bueines1 z eArfieo
On m tha various states; into AL iucic.h
dsefrions En- ths guhtect; and into Ne
Varfoua fyEfennn OF corporate taxnfion n
u1a I ean special aitsnfisn % n rrpoft
of ths chisf q the BUREAU and cam
osfiy "a that the conrea1 carefully cen
ridar ne rsport and recommoldafionl q
lhs oammilsioner o. this enhiact
Ths busineps e iessr-nc. vltnl1 ~ -. ~