The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-12-06

wages. uo " hOuln Va tNpoff N ~
the labor Of women and children and
as to the effect in the various labor
centers Of immigration from abroad.
In this investigation especial attention
should be paid to the conditions Of
child labor and child labor legislation
In the several states.
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great
corporations the need for the govern
ment to act directly Is far greater than
in the case OF labor. because great cor
porations can become such only by en-
gaging In interstate commerce, and In
terstate commerce Is peculiarly the
Geld OF the general government. It Is
an absurdity TO expect to eliminate the
abuses In great corporations by state
action. 1t is difficult to be patient with
an argument that such matters should
be left to the states, because more than
one state pursues the policy Of Great
ing on easy terms corporations which
are never operated within that state
at all, but In other states whose laws
they ignore. The national government
alone can deal adequately with these
great corporations To try to deal
with them In an Incorporate, destruc-
tive or demagogic spirit would In all
probability mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished. and with
absolute certainty that II anything
were accomplished 1t would be Of a
harmful nature. The American peo-
pie need to continue 10 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 conduct Of great corporations.
They are acting in no spirit OF hostility
to wealth, either individual or cor
porate. They are not against the rich
man any more than against the poor
man. On the contrary, they are friend,
~ alike toward rich man and toward
poor man, provided only that each acts
in a spirit Of justice and decency TO-
ward his fellows. Great corporations
are necessary, and only men of great
and singular mental power can man
age such corporations successfully,
ana such men must have great re-
wards. But these corporations should
be managed with due regard to the
interest OF the public as a whole.
Where this can be done under the pres
ent laws it must be done. Where
these laws come short others should
be enacted to supplement them,
Bureau OF Corporations.
The bureau of corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation Of
many important corporations. II will
make a special report on the beef in
dustry
The policy OF the bureau Is to &c
complIsh the purposes Of its creation
by cooperation. not antagonlsm; by
making constructive legislation, not
destructive prosecution, the immediate
object of its inquiries; by conservative
investigation of law and fact and By
refusal TO issue incomplete and hence
necessarily inaccurate reports. Its pol
icy being thus one Of open inquiry inte
and not attack upon business, the bu
reau has been able to gain not only this
confidence, but, better still, the coop
Grafton, of men engaged ia legitimate
business.
The bureau offers to the congress:
the means Of getting at the cost Of pro
iuction Of our various great staples Of
commerce
OF necessity the careful investigation
Of special corporations viii afford tbs
commissioner knowledge Of certain
business facts. the publication of which
might be an improper infringement Of
| private rights. The method Of makins
public the results Of these investiga
lions affords, under the law, a means
for the protection Of private rights
The congress VIII have all facts excepi
such as would give to another cor
poration information which would In
Jure the legitimate business OF com
( petitor and destroy the incentive fol
individual superiority and thrift.
The bureau has also made exhaustive
examinations into the legal condition
under which corporate business Is car
ried on in the various states, into all
judicial decisions on the subject ant
into the various systems Of corporate
taxation in use | call special attention
to the report OF the chief Of the bureau
/ and | earnestly ask that the congress
carefully consider the report and rec
concentrations OF the commissioner 81
this subject
The business Of insurance vitality az
fects the great mass OF the people o.
the United States and Is national ane
not local ID its application. II involves
a multitude Of transactions among thu
| people Of the different states and be
tween American companies ana for
eign governments. urge that the con
gress carefully consider whether th,
/ power Of the bureau OF corporation!
cannot eonstitutionally be extended K
cover interstate transactions IN insur
ance.
Rebates.
Above all else we must strive 70 keel
the highways Of commerce open to al
on equal terms. and to do this 1t Is nee
essary to put complete stop to al re
bates. Whether the shipper or the rail