The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-11


TO submit to reasv.- ,ervision
and regulation by the nauIu.lal au-
thorities, or else they will ultimately
nave to submit to governmental ac-
ton of far more drastic type. Per-
sonally, l think our people would be
most unwise if they let any exasper-
alton due to the acts of certain great
corporations drive them into drastic
action, and I should oppose, such ac-
ton. But the great corporations are
themselves to blame If by their op-
position to what is legal and just
they foster the popular feeling which
tells for such drastic action.
Render enforcement Impossible.
Some great corporations resort to
every possible expedient to render
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
inquire whether 1t should not seek
other means for carrying into effect
the law. I believe that all corporations
engaged in interstate commerce should
be under the supervision of the Ma
tional government. do not believe
in taking steps hastily or rasnly, and
1t may be that all that is necessary
in the immediate future is to pass
an interstate commerce bill comforting
::pon some branch of the executive
government the power of effective ac-
tion to remedy the abuses in connec-
tion with railway transportation. But
in the end, ana in my judgment at
time not very far off, we shall have
to take further action as regards all
corporations doing interstate business.
The enormous increase in interstate
trade, resulting from the Industrial
development of the last quarter of a
century, makes it proper tnat the
federal government should, so far as
may be necessary to carry into eff
feet its national policy. assume a de-
gree Of administrative control of these
great corporations.
Forfeiture Penalty.
It may we'll be that we shall find
that the only effective way of exer-
cising 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 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 stat
ute, that foreign corporations may
lawfully conduct business within their
boundaries only when they produce
certificates that they have complied
with the requirements of their re-
spective states; in other words, that
corporations shall not enjoy the priv
ileges and immunities afforded by the
state governments without first COM
plying with the policy of their laws.
Now the benefits which corporations
engaged in interstate trade enjoy
under the United States government
are incalculable; and in respect of
such trade the jurisdiction of the fed
eral government is supreme when it
chooses to exercise it.
Evade the Law.
When. as is now the case, many of
the great corporations consistently
strain the last resources of legal tech
nicality to avoid obedience to law
for the reasonable regulation of their
tha nffpnfiVP1V
meet this attitude on their part is to
give to the executive department of
the government more direct and
therefore more efficient supervision
and control of their management.
In speaking against the abuses
committed by certain very wealthy
corporations or individuals, and OF
the necessity of seeking so far as 1t
can safely be done to remedy these
abuses, there is always danger lest
what is said may be misinterpreted
as an attack upon men OF means gen.
erally. Now it can not too often be
repeated in republic like ours that
the only way by which 1T is possible
permanently to benefit the condition
of the less able and less fortunate, is
so to shape our policy that all INDUS
trious and efficient people VINO act
decently may be benefited; and this
means, Of course, that the benefit VIII
come even more to the more able and
more fortunate. If, under such cir
cumstances, the less fortunate man
is moved by envy Of his more for
tunate brother to strike at the con-
ditions under which they have botn,
though, unequally, prospered, ne may
rest assured that while the result may
be damaging to the other man. II VIII
be even more damaging to himsei1. VI
course. I am now speaking of pros
nerity that comes under normal and
proper conditions.
In our industrial and social system
the interests of all men are SO close
| 1v intertwined that in the immense
| ma iority of cases the straight
man who by ingenuity and industry
hanef,ts himself must also benefit 9th
| or The man of great productive ca
nacitv who gets ricn through gulolng
the labor of hundreds or thousands oI
other men does so, as rule, by en-
oh,;ns their labor to produce more
than il would without his guidance
| sAAS-A~ In the