Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-12
TALKS OF RAILROADS.
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TALKS OF RAILROADS.
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certain of the beef packers recently
Indicted in Chicago, it is impossible
longer to show leniency. Moreover, if
the existing law proves to be made
quate, so that under established rules
of evidence clear violations may not
be readily proved, defiance of the law
must inevitably lead to further legis-
lation. This legislation may be more
drastic than would prefer. If so, it
must be distinctly understood that 1t
will be because of the stubborn deter
lnination of some of the great combin-
ations in striving to prevent the en-
forcement of the law as it stands, by
every device, legal and Illegal Very
many of these men seem to think that
the alternative is simp between sub
hitting to the mild kind of government
control we advocate and the
absolute freedom to do what
ever they think best. They are
\ greatly in error. Either they will
have to submit to reasonable super
vision and regulation by the national
yauthorities, or else they will ultimately
have to submit to government action
Of far more drastic type. Personal
ly, / think our people would be most
unwise if they let any evaporation due
to the acts of certain great corpora
tions drive them into drastic action,
and | should oppose such action. But
the great corporations are themselves
% blame If by their opposition to what
Is legal and just they foster the popu-
lar feeling which tells for such drastic
action.
Some great corporations resort to
every technical expedient to render
enforcement of the law impossible,
and their obstructive tactics and re-
fusal to acquiesce in the policy of the
law have taxed to the utmost the ma
chinery Of the department Of justice.
In my judgment congress may well in
quire whether it should not seek other
means for carrying into effect the
law. l believe that all corporations
engaged in interstate commerce
should be under the supervision of the
national government. I do not be-
lieye in taking steps hastily or rashly,
and it may be that all that is neces-
sary In the immediate future is to
pass an interstate-commerce bill con-
ferring upon some branch of the ex-
ecutive government the power of effec-
tive action to remedy the abuses in
connection with railway transporta-
lion. But in the end, and in my judg-
ment at time not very far off, we
shall have to, or at least we shall
find that we ought to, take further &C.
tion as regards all corporations doing
Interstate business. The enormous in
crease in interstate trade, resulting
rom the industrial development Of the
last quarterly of a century, makes 1t
proper that the federal government
should SO far as may be necessary to
carry into effect its national policy
assume degree of administrative
control of these great corporations.
ut may be well that we shall find
that the only effective way of exercis-
Ing this supervision is to require all
corporations engaged in interstate
commerce to produce proof satisfac-
tory, say, to the department of COM
merce, that they are not parties to any
contract or combination or engaged in
any monopoly in interstate trade in
violation of the antitrust law, and
that their conduct on certain other
specified points is proper; and, more
over, that these corporations shall
agree, with a penalty of forfeiture of
their right to engage in such COM
merce, to furnish any evidence of any
kind as to their trade between the
States whenever SO required by the
department Of commerce.
1T Is the almost universal policy of
the several states, provided by statute,
that foreign corporations may lawfully
conduct business within their bounda-
ries only when they produce certifi-
Gates that they have complied with the
requirement Of their respective states;
in other words, that corporations shall
not enjoy the privileges and immuni-
ties afforded by the state governments
without first complying with the poll
cy Of their laws. Now the benefits
which corporations engaged in inter-
state trade enjoy under the United
States government are incalculable;
and in respect of such trade the juris-
diction of the federal government is
supreme when it chooses to exercise
w.
when, as Is now the case, many of
the great corporations consistently
strain the last resources Of legal tech
nicality to avoid obedience to a law
sor the reasonable regulation Of their
business the only way effectively to
meet this attitude on their part is to
give to the executive department of
The. government more direct and
therefore more efficient supervision
md control of their management.
Tn speaking against the abuses
committed by certain very wealthy
corporations or individuals, and of the
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