The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-18
THEY AGREE
 WITH PARRY National Rate Making Power Opposed. VIEW OF MANUFACTURERS The Conclusion of an Interest
 ing Fight. Resolutions Passed Favor Active En- forcement of Existing Legisla-
 tion-President Samuel
 Spencer's Speech.

Atlanta, Ga, May 17.-The Natlonal Manufacturers Association today pass ed A resolution upholding the stand ta- ken bv President Parry against the ex- ercise by the national government or the rate-making power for the rail- roads
 An interesting fight on the railroad rate question has been waged oehlnd closed doors and in the hotel corridors ever since the convention began and was not settled until this afternoon. Both the executive and resolutions committees held lengthy meetings for the consideration of the question in which leading members of the ergan- ization supported the position O. Pres- fdent Parry against the exercise by the government of the rate making power as taken by him in his annual address. E. B. Pike of New Hampshire, Chair man of the standing committee on or ganization on interstate commerce commission, led the fight in behalf of the exercise of tho rate-making power, presenting lengthy resolutions to that effect This afternoon the resolutions committee refused to endorse Mr Pike's position and presented a resolution to the convention which was unanimously / adopted with much applause, the advo- cates of the pending legislation Lefcre Congress not pressing their position in the open convention. rho resolutlohs follow:
 Resolved, that we favor the active enforcement by the executive depart ment of the general department of all existing laws to prevent the giving or acceptance of rebates or special favors (through whatever device) to or by favored shippers, and we call upon the Interstate Commerce Commission to apply all the remedies at their dis posal as provided by the original inter- state commerce and the Elkins act amending the same.
 Legislation if Necessary.
 Resolved, That if the existing laws for the detection and punishment of the giving or acceptance of such re- bates are insufficient or defective in any respect, we favor the enactm ant of such further legislation as may be necessary adequately to deal with the evil and to secure this complete pre- vention.
 Resolved, That in order to carry into effect the provisions of the fore going resolutions, Congress be asked that provision be made for the neces- Bary examination of the books of the railroad corporations, something after the manner of the national bank exam nations, for the purpose of detecting and eliminating special favors and dis criminatiOns against the small and less favored shippers, and also that pro- vision for adequate punishment he pro- vided for improper disclosure of conh- dential information so gained"
 The important features of the second days sessions of the National Assocla- ton of Manufacturers were .he ad- dresses of President Samuel Spencer of the Southern Railway, the address of Eugene N. Foss of Massachusetts, on reciprocity and the report of the com mittee on resolutions, which caused a lively debate and the rejection of one part of the report, which called upon the Isthmian Canal Commission to use American made goods in connection with the canal construction.
 Increased attendance and increased interest marked the days program, which was opened by MT. Foss, whose prominence as an advocate of reci- procity for foreign nations has given weight to his words. In a lengthy paper he discussed the subject histori- cally and economically. He was fol- lowed by President Samuel Spencer, who spoke as follows
 MT. Spencer's Speech.
 MT. Spencer reviewed the purpose of rate legislation. He said in part:
 T am not denying the power or the right of the policy of governmental regulation by proper and safe methods of the performance by the railways of their public duties.
 ITO correct abuses Is one thing, to supervise and direct the earning power of the operations of business what ever character is quite another
 T am only pointing out that if the government in its regulation of com mon carriers, shall go beyond the point of correcting legal well-defined abuses and unjust discrimination, it may unin- tentionally. possibly unconsciously, be entering upon policy of governmental paternalism, from which retreat will be difficult if not impossible.
 May not the corporate manufacturer or the corporate merchant be confront ing in the near future, the same prob lem with which the carriers have been brought face to face, namely, suggest ed additional legislation on the plea that existing legislation has not ac- complished its purpose? If so, if the precedent Is established that a com mission shall make rates for the rail- ways, may not the equally illogical and harmful step follow that the govern ment shall make prices for the manu- facturer and the merchant?
 "The remedy for corporate evils lies not in suppression nor in undue gov ernmental regulation nor in govern mental control. Suppression by statute has ben tried and has failed. Govern mental regulation beyond the limits of correcting Irregularities and abuses, means a paternalism which will sap not only the energies and initiative of the individual, but retard the develop rnent of the country, and may possibly threaten the foundations upon which free government Is based.
 The remedy lies In an intelligent and thorough recognition of the bene- fits to be derived from large corporate instead of small individual activity. if lies in throwing the searchlight Of nublic knowledge and public scrutiny unon all corporate action and methods which can. by Illegal abuses and dls- criminations. inflct injury and injus- tice upon others of equal rights; it lies in wise and judicious laws in re- snect to the formation of corporations. the amount and character of their canitalizatfon and the scope of their corporate powers. and in system of governmental supervision and inspec- tion which can successfully detect and punish all infractions of the law.
 Tt lies not In the restriction of the earning power or the profits of cor porations thus formed or thus super visaa The profits of corporations