The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-12-08

L 1870 -" 800" - - - ~ 49,
certain very evil forces. which are more
or less at work everywhere under the
conditions Of modern industriaiism. be-
came s%tartlinsiy prominent.
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 IN
terstate commerce. and interstate COM
merce is peculiarly the field Of the gen
eral government. II Is an absurdity 70 ex-
pect to eliminate the abuses IN great cor
porations by state action. IL Is difRcult TO
be patient with an argument that such
matters should be left 60 the states, be-
cause more than one state pursues the
policy OF creating on easy terms corpon-
ttons which are never operated within
that state az all. but ia other states
whose laws they ignore. The national
government alone can deal adequately
with these great corporations. To try 90
deal with them in an Incorporate. de-
structlve. or dtmagogic spirit would. in
all probability. mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished. and. with
absolute certainty. that II anything were
accomplished 81 would be Of a harmful
nature. The American people need 10
continue TO show the very qualities that
they have s~hoWn-that Is. moderation.
good sense. the earnest desire 70 avoid
doing any damage. and yet the quiet de-
termination 20 proceed. step by step.
without haiti and without hurry. in cam
mating or al least IN minimizing what
ever Of mischief OF Of evil there Is To in
terstate commerce In the conduct OF
great corporations. They are acting In
no spirit Of hostility 70 wealth. either in
divtdual 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 de-
cency toward his fellows. Great corpora
tions are necessary. and only men OF
great and singular mental power can
manage such corporations successfully.
and such man must have great rewards.
But these corporations should be man
aged with due regard 10 the interest OF
the public as a whole. Where this can
be done under the present laws It must
be done. There these laws come short
others should be enacted TO supplement
them.
The bureau or corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation OF many
important corporations. 1t will make a
special report on the beef industry.
Bureau OF Corporations.
The policy OF the bureau is 10 accom-
plish the purposes OF its creation by CO.
operation, 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 inaccu-
nate reports. Its policy being thus one
OF open inquiry into, and not attack up
on. business. the bureau has been able 70
gain not only the confidence. but. better
sim. the cooperation Of men engaged IN
legitimate business.
The bureau offers 60 the Congress the
means 'of getting at the cost Of produc-
ton Of our various great staples OF com
merce.
Rebates.
Above all else We must strive 20 keep
the highways Of open 20 an
on equal terms and 20 do this II Is nee
essary 10 put a complete stop 10 ali re-
bates. Whether the shipper or the rail-
road is TO blame makes no difference: the
rebate must be- stopped the abuses %
the private car and private terminal
track and side-track systems must be
stopped. and the legislation OF the Fifty
eighth Congress which declares Il 20 be
unlawful for any person or corporation 10
oner, grant, give. solicit accept or re-
ceive any rehste. concession. or oiscrim-
nation la respect OF the transportation OF
any property IN interstate or foreign
commerce whereby such property shall
by any device whatever be transported
az e less rate than that named ia the
tariffs published by the carrier must De
enforced. While / am % the opinion that
az present Il would be undesirable. ~ d
were not impiacticablc. finally 60 clothe
the Interstate Commerce Commission
with general authority 20 nx raIlrnad
rates, / 90 not believe that az a fair So
curity 60 shippers the Commission should
be vested with the power. whore a given
rate has been challenged and after nli
hearing found % be- unreasonable. 20 de-
eide subject % judicial review. what
shall be- a reasonable rate 90 TAKE Sc
place. the ruiinK ~ the commission 90
take encct Immediately and % obtain
unless and until II L. reversed by the
court q. review Ia my judgment the
most important legislative act now need
Cd a. regards the regulation Of corpora
tons u this act 90 confer on the Inter
state Commerce cummisaion the power
90 revise Hairs and regulations. the re-
vised rate 10 Hi oure 80 into effect and
20 stay tn effect unless and untn the
court % review rfFrTsrs a.
Much space IS here devoted TO a
consideration Of the problem OF the
proper housing Of the poor In our
great cities. and the importance Of a
proper solution o. the question shown.
On this subject the message says:
There should be severe chnd-iabor and
factory-inapection Laws n q very desir-
able that married women should not York
In factorieH- The prime duty Of the man
Is 10 work. 20 be the b~readsinnsr; the
prime duty Of the woman o. 20 be the
mother. the housewife, An questions OF
tarln and finance sink into utter inriR-
nihcance Wbea compared With the tro-
mendous, the vital importance % trying
20 shape conditions 80 that these two
duties OF the man and OF the woman can
be fuinled under reasonably favorable
circumstances u a race does not have
plenty Of children Or II the children DO
not grow up. or n when thoy grow 40
they are unhealthy Oh body and stunted
or vicious IN mind. then that race il de-
cadent and no heaping Up u wealth. no
Gpiendor % momeutary material prosper
ity. can AVIAN IN any degree as offsets.
A0neulturs.
Tit Department u Agriculture las
GrOwn Into an educational Institution
with q faculty of tgo thousand special
lists maiing research into an fhe sciences
- MHH-