The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-03

il. is also used fer and not against the
interests OF the people as 3 whole. Our
peculiar form o. government. a govern
nient IN which n Nation IS supreme
throughout the Tnion in certain re-
spects. while ach OF nearly half a hum
dTed states IS supreme in its part OF
the Union in certain other respects.
renders the task Of dealing with these
conditions especially difficult. No 1nai-
~ satisfactory result ii be expected
from merely state action. The action
must come through the Federal govern
mcnt. The business OF the country IL
now carried on In n way OF which tile
founders OF 4 constitution could hy
no possibility ave had any idea.
All great business concerns are en-
gagged IN interstate commerce. and IL
was beyond question the intention Of
the founders OF our government that
interstate m IN all its brancheo
n aspects should be under national
n not state control. II the courts de-
eide that this intention was not carried
| out and made effeffctive in the coEsA
tuition and made effective in the consti-
end the constitution IL not construed
| dife. emily. will ave 20 be amende9
so that the original ~undoubted inten-
ton may be made effective. But, or
course, a constitutional amendment IS
only 10 be used as 4 last resort. x
every effort OF legislation and admin
istr1tion shall. ave been proved made
ouate.
Meanwhile the men in public life ana
the men who direct the great business
interests OF the country should work
not in antagon;sm but in harmony
toward this given end. In entering ,
field where the progress must Of nece.-
sity be so largely experimental Ii is
essential that the effort to make prog
ress should be tentative and cautious.
We must grow by not by
revolution. There must be no hurry,
but there must also be no halt; ard
those who are anxious THAI there should
be no sudden and violent changes
must remember that precisely these
sudden n violent changes will be ren-
dered likely il we refuse TO make the
needed change IN cautious and mode!-
ate tanner.
At the present mOmen the greatest
need is for an increase in the power
OF the National government TO keep the
great highways of open alike
to all on reasonable and equitable
terms. Less than a century ago these
highways were still, as they had been
since the dawn of history, either wa
terways, natural or artificial. or else
OrUlIfdTv TOduS LOT wICtI NeHlCtfS
| drawn by animal W The railroai,
which was utterly unknown when our
government was formed and when the
the great principles OF our jurispru-
dence Were laid down, has now become
almost everywhere the most important,
and, in many large regious, the only
form of highway The man
who controls its use cannot be per-
mitted to control it in his w inter
est lone.
1t is not only just but it is in h in
terast of the public that this man
should receive the amplest payment tor
the masterful business capacity which
enables him to benefit himself while
btnaftting the public; but in return he
must himself recognize his duty to the
pubic. He will not and can not do this
if our laws are so defective that in ;ne
sharp competition of the business
word the conscientious man is put at
a disadvantage by his less s~crupulous
fellows. 1t is in the interest OF the
conscientious n public spirited ra'-
way man that there should be such
governmental supervision of the rail-
way traffic of the country as TO require
from his less s~crupulous competitors,
and from INSCRIPTIONS big shippers az
wei, that heed TO the public welfare
which he himself would willingly give,
ana winch Is Cl vital oISSAutii@ ~
the small shipper. Every important
railroad is engaged in interstate cont
me-ce. Therefore,. this control over the
railroads must come through the Nat
iCnal government.
The control must be exercised by
some governmental tribunal, and it
must be real and effective. Doubtless
there will be risk that occasionally, if
an unfit President is elected, this con-
tro: will be abused: but this is only
another way Of saying that any AIDE
Guate governmental power, from the
power Of taxation down, can n Will
10 aSused if the wrong men get con-
:rol Of il.
the details must rest with n law
makers of the two Houses Of Congress;
but about the principle there can be
no doubt. Hasty or vindictive action
would merely work damage; but in
temperate. resoIute fashion. there
must be lodged in some tribuna the
power over rates, and especially over
rebates-whether secured by means Of
private cars. of private tracks, in the
form Of damages. or commissions. or
in any other manner-whfch VIII pro-
tect alike the railroad and the shipper,
and put the big shipper and the little
shipper on equal fotting. Doubtless no
law would accomplish all that enthu-
siasts hope; there is always disaD-
po;ntment over the results Of such 4
law among the overSanguine: but very
real and marked good has come from
the legislation and administration OF
the last few years; and now, rs part OF
a coherent plan, It is entirely possible,
and. indeed. necessary to enact an adj
ditional law which will mean further
progress along the same lines of de-
finite achievement in the direction Of
securing fair dealing as between man
and man.
In some such body as the Inter
state Commerce Commission there
must be lodged in effective shape the
power to see hat every shipper who
uses the railroads and every man who