Barton County democrat., 1904-12-09

sense. the earnest desire 60 avoid doing any
damage, and yet the quiet determination to
proceed, step by step, without halt and
without hurry, in eliminating or at ieast in
minimizing whatever of mischief or of evil
there is to interstate commerce in the con-
duct of great corporations. They act
ing in no spirit of hostility to wealth. either
individual or corporate. They are mot
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 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 it
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,
who realize this. A recent speech by tie
president of one of our great railroad sys-
TENS to the employees of that system con-
tains sound common sense. 1t runs in part
follows:
"It is my belief we can better serve each
other. better understand the man well
as his business, when meeting face to face
exchanging views, and realizing from per-
sonal contact we serve but one interest
that of our mutual prosperity.
Serious misunderstanding cannot occur
where personal good will exists and oppor-
tun1ty for personal explanation is present
I'm my early business life l had expert
ence with men of affairs of a character to
make me desire to avoid creating like
feeling of resentment to myself and the in
terests in my charge, should fortune ever
place me in authority, and 1 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 intend shall prevail in our re-
lationship.
But do not feel I am disposed to grant
unreasonable requests, spend the money
or our company unnecessarily or without
value received, nor expect the days of mis-
takes are disappearing, or that cause for
complaint will not continually occur; SIM
ply to correct such abuses as may be dis
covered, to better conditions as fast as
reasonably may be expected, constantly
striving, with varying success, for that i'm
provement we all desire, to convince you
there is a force at work in the right direc-
ton, all the time making progreSS-is the
disposition with which I have come among
you, asking your good will and encourage
ment
"The day has gone by when a corporation
can be handled successfully in defiance of
nIIhliN w ryin he
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 in
terests in my charge.
violent prejudice exists towards cor
porate activity and capital to-day much
of it founded in reason. more in apprehen-
sion, and a large measure Is due to the per-
sonal traits of arbitrary, unreasonable, in
competent and offensive men in positions
of authority. The accomplishment of re-
suits by indirection, the endeavor to thwart
the intention, If not the expressed letter,
of the law (the will of the people,, disre-
gard of the rights Of others, disposition
to withhold what is due, to force by main
strength or inactivity a result not justified.
depending upon the weakness of the claim
ant and his indisposition to become in
| volved in litigation, has created a senti-
ment harmful in the extreme and dispo-
sition to consider anything fair that gives
the company.
''If corporations are to continue to do the
worlds work they are best fitted to,
these qualities in their representatives that
| have resulted in the present prejudice
against them must be relegated to the back
ground. The corporations must come out
into the open and see and be seen. They
must take the public into their confidence
and ask for what they want. and no more,
and be prepared to explain satisfactorily
what advantage will accrue to the public if
they are given their desires: for they are
permitted to exist not that they may make
money solely, but that they may effective
ly serve those from whom they derive their
power
Publicity, and not secrecy, will win here
after the laws be construed by their intent
and not by their letter, otherwise public
utilities will be owned and operated by the
public which created them even though
the service be less efficient and the result
less satisfactory from a financial stand
point"
Bureau Of Corporations.
The bureau of corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation of many
special report on the beef industry.
The policy of the bureau is to accomplish
the purposes of its creation By cooperation.
not anita agoniSm; 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
policy being thus one of open inquiry into
and not attack upon, business, the bureau
has been able to gain not only the conf
dence. 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 will afford the COM
missioner knowledge of certain business
facts, the publication of which might be an
improper infringement OF private rights.
The method of making public the results
of these Investigations affords, under the