The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-07
THE GREAT CORPORATIONS.
The Government should Deal with
Them Directly.

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
engaging in interstate commerce, and
Interstate commerce is peculiarly the
field of the general government. 1t 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
creating 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 cor
porations. To try to deal with them
in an Incorporate, destructive, or de-
magogic spirit would. In all probable
ity, mean that nothing whatever would
be accomplished, and, with absolute
certainty. that if anything We're ac-
complished it would be of a harmful
nature.
In Dealing With Corporations.
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
acting 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 a spirit
of justice and decency toward his fell
lows.
Great corporations are necessary, and
only men of great and singular mem
tai mower can manage such corpora
lions successfully. and such men must
have great rewards. But these cor
porations should be managed with due
regard to the interest of the public
as a whole. Where this can be done
under the present laws it must be
done. Where these laws come short
others should be enacted to supple
ment them.
Good Sense a Determining Factor.
Yet we must never forget the de-
termining 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
a feeling of responsibility and for
bearance among capitalists and wage
workers alike; a feeling of respect on
the part of each man for the rights
of others: a feeling of broad commun-
ity of interest, not merely of capital
lists among themselves, and of wage
l,..A 90
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, who realize this.
A recent speech by the president of
one of our great railroad systems to
the employees of that system contains
sound common sense. 1t runs in part
as follows:
1T is my belief we can better serve
each other, better understand the man
as we'll as his business. when meeting
fact to face, exchanging views, and
realizing from personal contact we
serve but one interest, that of our mu-
tual prosperity.
Serious misunderstanding cannot
occur where personal good will exists
and opportunity for personal explana-
ton is present.
I'm my early business life had
experience with men of affairs of a
character to make me desire to avoid
creating a like feeling of resentment
to myself and the interests in my
charge, should fortune ever place me
in authority, and ] am solicitous OF
a measure of confidence on the part
of the public and our employees that
1 shall hope may be warranted by the
fairness and good fellowship I intend
shall prevail in our relationship.
Steps Not TO Be Taken.
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 disappear
ing, or that cause for complaint will
not continually occur; simply to COR
rect such abuses as may be discovered,
to better conditions as fast as rea-
sonably 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-is the disposition with which
/ have come among you, asking your
good will and encouragement.
''The day has gone by when a cor
poration can be handled successfully
in defiance of the public will, even
though that will be unreasonable and
wrong. A public may be led, but not
driven, and / prefer to go with it and
shape or modify, in a measure, its
opinion, rather than be swept from my
bearings, with loss to myself and the
interests in my charge.
Prejudice Towards Capital.
"Violent prejudice exists towards
corporate activity and capital to-day,
much OF It founded in reason, more in
apprehension, and large measure is
due to the personal traits of arbitrary,
unreasonable, incompetent and often
sive men In positions of authority. The
accomplishment of results by indirec-
ton, the endeavor TO thwart the in
tention, IL not the expressed letter of
the law (the Will of the people),
disregard Of the rights OF others. a
disposition to withhold what Is due.
to force by main strength or inactivity
a result not justified, depending upon
the weakness Of the claimant and his
indlsposition TO become involved In liti-
cation, has created a sentiment HARM
full In the extreme and a disposition
TO consider anything fair that gives
gain to the individual at the expense
of the company.
what Corporations Must DO.
IF corporations are 10 continue to do
the worlds work. as they are best nt-
ted TO. these qualities In their repre-
sentatives that have resulted IN the
present prejudice against them must be
relegated 10 the background. The cor
DOratlOns must come out into the open
and see and be seen. They must take
the public into their confidence and