The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-12-06
he f,erd or the general Government.


1t Is an absurdity to expect to elimin-
by state action. It is difficult to be
patient with an argument that such
matters should be left to the state.
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 corpora
tions. To try to deal with them in
an Incorporate, destructive. or dema-
gogic spirit would. in all probability.
mean that nothing whatever would
be accomplished. and with absolute
certainty, that If anything were ac-
complished 1t WOULD be of harmful
nature. The American people need
to continue to show the very quail
ties 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 inter-
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 fellows. Great corporations are
necessary, and only men of great and
singular mental power can manage
such corporations successfully, and
such men must have great rewards.
But these corporations should be
managed with due regard to the in
terest 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 en-
acted to supplement them.
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
kindliness. More important than any
legislation is the gradual growth of a
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: a feeling of broad COM
munity of interest, not merely of cap
italists 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 fel.
lows who with them make up the
body polite. There are many cap
talns OF industry. many labor leaders.
who realize this.
Bureau OF Corporations.
The policy of the bureau is to ac-
complish the purposes of it's creation
by cooperation. not antagonism; by
making constructive legislation, not
destructive prosecution, the immedi-
servative investigation of law and
fact. and by refusal to issue incom-
plete and hence necessarily maccur-
ate reports. Its policy being thus
one of open inquiry into. and not at
tack upon. business, the bureau has
been able TO gain not only the con-
tidence. but, better still, the coopora-
tion 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.
Insurance.
The business of insurance vitality
affects the great mass of the people
of the United States and is national
and not local In its application. 1t
involves n multitude of transactions
among the people of the different
states and between American COM
panies and foreign governments. l
urge that the congress carefully con-
slider whether the power of the bureau
of corporations can not constitutional
ly be extended to cover interstate
transactions In insurance.
Rebates Must Stop.
Above all else, we must strive to
keep the highways of commerce open
to all on equal terms; and to do this
1t Is necessary to put a complete stop
to all rebates. Whether the shipper
or the railroad is to blame makes
no difference: the rebate must be
stopped, the abuses OF the private
car and private terminal-track and
sidctrack systems must be stopped.
and the legislation OF the Fifty-eighth
congress which declares 1t to be UNI
lawful for any person or corpora
ton to offer, grant, give, solicit, ac-
cept or receive any rebate. conces-
sion or discrimination In respect of
the transportation of any property in
interstate or foreign commerce
whereby such property shall by any