New-York tribune., 1905-08-12


certain very wealthy corporations on tnalVideals
and OF the necessity OF seeking SD tar as II can
safely be done TO remedy .hese abuses there ~
always danger lest What - SalG may pe ms
Interpreted as an attack upon men OF means
generally. Now, IL cannot too often be repeated
in a republic like ours that the only way ~
which il is possible permanently 20 beneht the
condition OF the less able and less fortunate =
TO shape policy that all Industrious anu
hted and this means. or course. thaJ ihe peiisAt
viii come even more TO the more able ana mo e
fortunate. If. under sueh circumstance. the
less fortunate man Is moved by envy OK his iilofp
fortunate brother 10 strike the conditions 0ll-
der which they have both. though uhsgually'
pr0speTed ne may rest assured that White tae
result may be damaging 10 the other man ~
will be even more damaging 70 himself VI
course. I now speaking or prosperity lhat
comes under normal and proper conditions
In industrial and social system the IA
teTests of all so CLOSELY inter lieh tit
in the immense majority OF cases the sLralshi
dealing man who, by ingenuity ana lnduszrS'
benefits himself must also benefit others The
man of great productive capacity VINO gets flch
through guiding the labor of hundreds or thou
sands of other men does so, as a Tufe, Dy en-
abling their labor 10 produce more than II Wouio
without his guidance, and both ne and they
share in the benefit so that even II the share be-
UNEQUAL IL must never be forgotten that they.
too are really benefited by his success.
THE MAN AT THE TOP.
vital factor in the success of any enter
prise is the guiding tntelhgenee OF the man al
the top. and there is need IN the interest OF an
activity Of the exceptional men who guide aver
age men so that their labor may result in IN
creased production OF the klhq Whlch rs Is
u,anded at the time. Normally we help the
wageworker, we help the man OF small means,
by making conditions such that the man or eN-
ceptonal business ability receives an eXceptlOnal
reward for that ability
But while insisting with all emphasis upon
this it is also true that experience has SHOWN
that when there is no governmental restraint
or supervision some of the exceptional men use
their energies. not in ways that are tor IN
common good. but in ways which tel against
this common good: and that by doing they
not only wrong smaller and less able men
whsther wageworkers or small producers ana
traders-but force other men Of exceptional aoll-
tiles themselves 10 do what is wrong under pen
atty of falling behind in the keen race FOR sue
cess.
LEGISLATION To MEET ABUSES
There is need of legislation 70 strive 20 meet
such abuses Al one time or in one place this
legislation may take the form OF factory laws
and EMPLOYERS liability laws, Under other con-
ditions IL may take tbs form OF dealing with % the
franchises which derive their value fFoIn t1e
grant Of the representatives of the people II
may be aimed at the manifold abuses FAR ~reaeh- ~
ing in their effects. which spring from over
caDftaIization or it may be necessary 70 meet
such conditions as those with Whlcn am now
dealing and 10 strive TO procure proper SUP SUI
vision and regulation by the national govern
nlent of all great corporations engaged III inter-
state commerce or doing an interstate business.
There are good people who are AFRAID OF eacn
+,-r,e ~ Iee.islation: and much the same kind or
argument that IS now advanced against Jhe eI-
fort 70 regulate big corporations mas useIi esslil
and again advanced against the eHort 10 secure
proper employers liability laws or proper tac-
tory laws with reference to women and emil
dren. much the same kind of argument was ad-
vanced but five years ago against the tranchlSe
Tax law enacted in this State while 1 was Gov
eFnOr.
OF course. there is always the danger OF aouse
If legislation of this type is approached IN an
bvsteriraI or a sentimental spirit. or, above ali,
II It ia approached in a spirit of envy and hatred
toward men of wealth.
EVOLUTION, NOT REVOLUTION
We must not try 10 go too fast, under pen
atty OF finding that we may he gong ~ Lh''
IK-r0ng direction. and in any event We ought al
wavs to proceed by evolution and not py feVolu-
ton The laws must be conceived ana executed
-, - sntrit o4 sanity and Justice and with ex
actIv as much regard for the rights OF the olS
man as for the rights OF the little rneh-tfeatliis
his man and little man exactly alike
0ur ideal must be the effort 20 combine al
nroTer freedom for individual effort with some
quarantee that the effort is not exercised IN
eontravention Of the eternal and imInutaole
principles of justice