Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-06

defiance or the pubic WIN, even rnougn
that will be unreasonable and wrong.
A public may be led, but not driven, and
prefer to so with 1t and shape or mod
lily In a measure Its opinion rather than
be swept from my bearings, with loss to
myself and the interests in my charge.
violent prejudice exists toward cor
norate activity and capital today, much
Of 1t founded In reason, more in appre-
hension, and large measure Is due to
the personal traits of arbitrary, unrea-
sonable, incompetent and offensive
men in positions of authority. The ac-
complishment of results by indirection.
the endeavor to thwart the intention II
not the expressed letter Of the law (the
will Of the people,, disregard of the
rights of others, a disposition to with
hold what is due, to force by main
strength or inactivity a result not JUS
titled, depending upon the weakness Of
the claimant and his indisposition to
become involved in litigation, has Gre
ated q sentiment harmful in the ex-
IRENE and n disposition to consider any
thing fair that gives gain to the indi-
vidual at the expense of the company.
IF corporations are to continue to
do the worlds work, as they are best
fitted to, these qualities In their rep
reSentativeS that have resulted in the
present prejudice against them must
be relegated to the background. 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 salts
factorily 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 effectively serve those from
whom they derive their power.
Publicity and not secrecy will win
hereafter and laws be construed by
their intent and not by their letter;
otherwise public utilities will be own
ed and operated by the public which
created them, even though the service
be less efficient and the result less sat
isfactory from a financial standpoint"
Bureau Of Corporations.
The bureau Of corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation of
many important corporations. 1t 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 antagonism; 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. It's pol
icy being thus one of open inquiry into
and not attack upon business. the bureau
has been able to gain not only the con-
fdence. 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 pro-
duction Of our various great staples Of
commerce.
OF necessity the careful investigation
Of special corporations will afford the
commissioner 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 investiga-
tons affords under the law u means
for the protection of private rights.
cept such as would give to another
corporation information which would
injure the legitimate business Of a
competitor and destroy the incentive
for individual superiority and thrift
The bureau has also made exhaustive
examinations into the legal condition
under which corporate business is car
Red on in the various states, into all
judicial decisions on the subject and
into the various systems OF corporate
taxation in use. 1 call special atten-
tion to the report Of the chief Of the
bureau, and I earnestly ask that the
congress carefully consider the report
and recommendations OF the commits
sioner ON this subject
Insurance.
The business of insurance vitality at
fects the great mass Of the people of
the United States and is national and
not local In its application 1t involves
a multitude Of transactions among the
people Of the different states and be-
tween American companies and foreign
governments. / urge that the congress
carefully consider whether the power
Of the bureau of corporations cannot
constftutionally be extended to cover
interstate transactions in insurance.
Rebates.
Above all else we must strive to keep
the highways Of commerce open to all
on equal terms, and to do this 1t Is nee
essary to put a complete stop to all re-
bates. Whether the shipper or the rail-
road is to blame makes no difference.
The rebate must be stopped, the abuses
of the private car and private terminal
track and sidetrack systems must be
stopped, and the legislation Of the Fiji
ty-eighth congress which declares 1t tn
be unlawful for any person or corpora
ton to offer. grant, give, solicit, accept
or receive any rebate. concession or
discrimination in respect Of the trans
portation Of any property In interstate
or foreign commerce whereby such
property shall by any device whatever
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