Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-10-04

| feel must be accomplished. We shall
not halt; we shall steadily follow tn,
path we have marked out, executing
the laws we have succeeded in put
ting upon the statute books with alb
solute impartiality as between mar
and man. and unresting in our en-
deavor to strengthen and supplement
these by further laws which shall en-
able us in more efficient and more
summary fashion to achieve the ends
we have in view.
During the last few years congress
has had to deal with such vitally inn
portant questions as providing for
the building of the Panama canal,
inaugurating the vast system of ma
tional irrigation in the states of the
great plains and the Rocky noun
tains, providing for Pacific cable,
and so forth. Yet in addition to
these facts. some of which are of
stupendous Importance, congress has
taken giant strides along the path
of government regulation and control
of corporations; the interstate COM
merce law has been made effective
in radical and far-reaching fashion,
rebates have been stopped, pure
food law has been passed. proper
supervision of the meat-packing
business provided, and the bureau of
corporations established-a bureau
which has already done great good,
and which can and should be given
a constantly increasing functional
power.
The work of legislation has been
no more important than the work
done by the department of justice in
executing the laws, not only against
corporations and individuals WHO
HAVE BROKEN THE ANTITRUST
OR INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW
BUT AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN ENGAGED IN LAND
FRAUDS. Scores of suits, civil and
criminal, have been successfully un-
dertaken against offenders of all
kinds-many of them against the
most formidable and wealthy COM
binations in the land; in some the
combinations have been dissolved.
in some heavy fines have been impos-
ed. in several cases the chief Of
tenders have been imprisoned.
Must Check Greed.
1t behooyes us Americans to look
ahead and plan out the right kind
of a civilization as that which we
intend to develop from these wonder
full new conditions of vast indus
trial growth. 1T MUST NOT BE.
THE CIVILIZATION OF A MERE
A BANKING
HOUSE, WALL STREET SYNDI.
CATE CIVILIZATIONS; nor yet
can there be submission to
class hatred, to rancor, bru-
tality. and mob violence. for that
would mean the end of all civilza-
tion. Increased powers are suscep-
tible of abuse as we'll as use; NEVER
BEFORE HAVE THE OPPORTUNI-
TIES FOR SELFISHNESS BEEN
so GREAT, NOR THE RESULTS
OF SELIFISHNESS SO APPALLING
for in communities where every
thing is organized on a merely sell
fish commercial basis. such selfish
ness, If unchecked, MAY TRANS
FORM THE GREAT FORCES OF
THE NEW EPOCH INTO POWERS
OF DESTRUCTION HITHERTO UN-
EQUALED.
We need to check the forces OF
greed, to insure just treatment alike
of capital and of labor. and of the
general public, to prevent any man,
rich or poor, from doing or receiving
wrong, whether this wrong be one
of cunning or of violence. Much can
be done by wise legislation and by
resolute enforcement of the law.
But STILL MORE MUST BE DONE
BY STEADY TRAINING OF THE
INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN, IN con-
SCIENCE AND CHARACTER, IN
TIL HE GROWS TO ABHOR COR
RUPTIoN AND GREED AND TYR
AMY AND BRUTALITY AND TO
PRIZE JUSTICE AND FAIR DEAL
ING.
The men who are to do the work
of the new epoch must be trained
SO as to have sturdy self-respect, a
power OF sturdy insistence on their
own rights. and with It proud and
generous recognition OF their duties,
a sense of honorable obligation TO