The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-24

Tue Secretary Declared % M Alnsest
"A1in ne government"

TmO Secretary Declares . Nc Almost
"A0an ne Government"
TO TINE EDIroR o. TEE sUN-Str: The
speech OF Secretary Shaw at Memphis the
other day was q remarkable nttsTancs,
Parts Of II suEGest hal the Secretary must
have for gotten himsslf and his high position
temporarily, for hIs arsuments would almost
warrant one IN Jumping 10 the ccncsusion that
he 10 nearly a. much -agin the Government
A. Bryan himself, though In q totelly differ
ent way. He boldly proclaIms the natural
right Of the individual TO invest his money
wherever he pleasss"-even hIa right TO own
stock end be q director In both Q coal COM
pany and the railroad that hauls the coal.
Astonishin1i He shamelessly defends the
right Of q corporation 20 control all OF the
product In which II deals. Amaxtngi And
lIsteni He tells US that the revenues are
mostly paid In by che Htoh and paid out TO the
poor. AstoundinGl Also, according 70 him.
the railroads are In the habit OF doing things
and doing them well, while the Government
10 about the punkest thing In that line that
he sver heard Of. The efficiency Of tho Post
Ofhoe Department. he points out. 10 due 10
the fact that che mails are transported by
corporation owned railroads. and 10 10 In
cilned 10 believe that a corporation could
run the whole Department. much better and
cheaper. anyway. Gee whist Polite ex-
plosives are InadeQuate.)
And the facts Of the matter are that thus
far the Secretary 10 eminently correct. The
wonderful thing about II 10 that he permits
himself TO make such admissions for In con-
troverting the p~rofundities Of the peerless
william he II making q tacit srralgnment Of
the Administration and the laws. He winds
up his speech with defensive sencralities.
which. however. In no way vitiats the force
Of his previous arguments. ! quote the con-
Guiding para graph:
Il 10 tho appropriate function Of the Government
70 safeeuard the Individual and 10 see that the game
Of business 10 fAiriy played. that the cards are hcid
above the table and that everybody 10 Eiven a
square deal. II 10 not tho appropriate function Of
tho Government 20 st IN the game.
Sounds hnsl But 1t h my humble and
lon ssome opinion that II IL 10 the appropriate
function Of Govsrnm ent 70 NEEDLE ut all. IL
might much better sit In the game and accept
Its responsibility and take its loss. Govern
ment ownership Of railroads Ia an sbsurd expe-
dent. OF course; but IL might be accomplished
without serious violence 70 the time honored
principle Of Government protection for indi-
property rights. Government owner
would no doubt prove q public calamity.
but there are worse things than public calam-
tiles. Public dlshonor b worse. To compel
q railroad company. which IL but an associa-
ton Of individuals. to perform al arbitrary
service ct an arbitrary price, with arbitrary
conditions a. 70 methods. facilities, equip
msnts. &C., and without provision for pro-
or In the slightest mannsr assisting
said railroad company in the matter Of what
shall be compelled 70 pay for labor and
m Materials that IL must q In order TO per-
form said arbitrary service. Ia not q square
deal. and no aRgiomerAtion Of sophistry or
can make II even distantly appear
like one.
It proves nothing that certain railroad
presidents say they like the rate Law Some
Of those whose lines are particularly strong
and favorably located are perhaps natined
their more poorly conditioned competi-
tors are now deprived Of their erstwhile right
to compete with them for business. Are not
railroad presidents q willy and descending
lot. anyway: and isn't IL well known that
they approve is sure to be "asin the
peepul"3
Neither is precedent Of any value when In
a matter Of right and wrong. Govern
msnts have ever been prone TO tyranny: the
arbitrary nxinx Of prices was one Of the tricks
Of ancient kings. 1t was once believed that
an enlightened republic would prove to be
above the exercise Of despotic powers.
G.. z. TscHupL
N.~rrou ro1 aant.r,h.r "a