The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-30


power an unanswerable adherence to
the theory that the exercise Of humane
considerations is not. in the long run,
detrimental to the dividend-paytng
power Of a corporation that is conduct
ed for profit. No wrecks Of human
hopes mark the pathway pursued by
this tremendous industrial machine; no
bleaching bones attest the callous in
difference usually imputed to corporate
greed and its incidental disregard Of
the individual.
The outstanding and universally OBJ
vious distinctive feature Of the United
States Steel corporation-aside from it's
wonderful eficiencv-is its evident as
sumption that the greatest good for
the corporation is to be had by binding
the interests Of the people whom it
necessarily employs, or does business
with, to its own interests. The ire
mendous strength inherent in a vast
coalition Of wealth and unified intel
ngence has been made entirely impreg-
nable by policy that is concfliatory
but purposeful. It is giant that gains
it's ends by constraining individuals to
It's assistance through showing that the
giant is willing to exert its strength for
mutual benefit.
]. + i.
There is nothing haphazard about all
this. There are no sporadic outbreaks
of generosity INDUCED with view to
meeting an exigency and currying favor
for the moment. The United States
Steel corporation is most assuredly not
a philanthropic institution. Its mis-
sion is to- make money for it's stock
holders, of which it Is said to have up
ward Of 100000. There is no manner
Of doubt that it could efPectually &C.
complish this purpose by methods which
have made other great corporate insti-.
buttons to be treated as enemies Of the
public. 1t has resources in capital and
power that would make it a fearful en-
CINE Of oppression-operating quite
within its legal rights-if It's manag-
ing forces had not been directed to put
ting it upon the higher level Of econom-
r. endeavor
It would not be profitable nor conclu-
sive to inquire into the subject Of cor
porate morality or immortality so far as
the steel corporation is concerned. AS
corporation, 1t must be souAAess, but
there are many upright men whose lives
are conducted upon the higher levels Of
q refined morality. who decline to sub
scribe to the doctrine Of the soul as
something susceptible Of taking reward
or punishment. Perhaps the morals Of
the steel corporation-and they are
pretty sound-are not formed upon
spiritual ground. Morality with the
corporation is simply business propo-
sition. There is nothing Pecksniffian
about its code of morals. It does not
with soul and body, squarely. A
man who knows more about it's oper-
alton than any other individual not
q in it's employ or part Of it's organiza-
ton said to me: .--.5~g. T.. .sa -. s-.E Il
!. tts;The chiefs Of the steel corporation
do not ask their executive men how
much money they are making. They
know that will take care Of itself. They
ask: 'How do you stand with the peo-
pie? Are you giving them square
deal9'' Ill., |,.-
And there never has been time in
the history Of the corporation when the
chiefs have been obliged to confess that
the company had lost public favor.
There has been no time when it had
to be confessed that labor was dissatis-
fed. There has been no report show
ing that the state was compelled to ex-
ert it's power to get from the corpora
ton all that it claimed as its due in Z
taxes.
On the other hand, the people who
know the corporation by it's work
have abandoned their attitude of sus-
picious apprehension, assumed when the
formation Of the corporation was an
nounced And it is notable among cor
porations for the fact that it has not
only not resisted increases in Its as