The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-22
CORPORATIONS.
Strong Analysis of the Question
by Judge GrOsscup.
Says Disease Cannot Be Eradi-
Gated by Campaigns.
CONGRESS MUST WORK
Worst Feature of Trust Is
Destruction of Competition.
Lecture Delivered at Ottawa
Chautauqua Assembly.

Ottawa, Kas., June 22.-Judge
Peter Grosscup. of Chicago, of the
court Of appeals. delivered an ad-
dress here today at the Ottawa Chau-
tauqua dealing with corporations.
Judge Grosscup spoke of the great
industrial growth in this country
since the civil war. He told how the
new life had grown beyond the means
OF single individuals to handle it's en-
terprises and the consequent appear
ance of corporations which latter
grew in proportions as the new life
had grown, until today in spite OK
popular resentment at wrongs done,
in spite of natural jealousy. in spite
of drastic antitrust laws, the corpo-
ration, as an instrument of working
out our commercial and industrial
supremacy is itself almost supreme"
He continued: THE real problem
lies shut up in the question who owns
the corporation, in the human rather
industrial life; in the fact that coin
cident with the displacement of the
country's industries, individually
owned, the new great Industrial do
main, corporately owned, is more and
more ceasing to be an institution of
the people-more and more becoming
a domain alien to the people.
There is no way said he, Ito undo
in a day all that has been done
throughout a generation. But we
need not wait even day to set on
foot a process that will eventually
corporation that it be a truth teller
an honest trustee of those whom it
represents Impart to the corpora
ton something of those qualities that
in an individual we call character;
and the process of restoration will be
do today, by act Of congress for cor
porations that in their nature are ma
tional, and by acts Of the state Iegis-
lature that in their nature are local
He spoke of the revelations made OF
the manner of conducting certain cor
porations. THE first effect of this
revelation" said he, was to obliter-
ate in the public mind the difference
between the corporations rfghtfuI
place as an instrument of the new in
dustrlal hfe-its practical necessity
ana usefulness in the maintenance of
prosperity-and those particular cor
porate organizations that had abused
Ihat place. Almost instantly the
name corporation became synonymous
with fraud and wrong And out of
e+4Ao Aae@o COAIC d spirit OF 10QlSCTlTl1-
nate distrust a spirit of criticism. in
too many places a blind fury that con-
tinues still to enveIop our judgment.
as fog blinds the eyes. to intelligent
study of some great building"
Judge Grosscup said that the first
thing to do was to dispeI this fog. to
see things in their right places and
proportions.
"A constant duty. of course. is to see
70 It that the particular corporations
that are breaking the law be made to
obey the law. To the full extent that
the national administration sincerely
and inteldgently is pursuing this duty
public opinion will remain behind ii.
But if the administration and the Re
publican leaders think that this Is the
alpha and omega of what is needed
If they think that the disease will be
reached and eradicated solely through
continuous campaigns against this or
that Incorporated enterprise, as if the
corporation in itself, as the embodi-
ment of modern enterprise, were some
alien enemy entirely dissent from
them. When Mr.. Bryan denOunces the
particular corporations that by dis
elimination and favorttism succeed in
SuppreSSlng competitors. or that un-
justly Oppress the country, l agree
with him. Every species of device
that puts 1t within the power of an
outside party to chose which of two or
more competitors shall succeed and
first principle of American business
Hfe-equality OF opportunity. But
when Mr.. Bryan, as the already
chosen leader Of the Democrat party
sees no further than this-when he
confuses what under a just corporate
policy corporate enterprise could be-
come, with particular corporations
that have abused their opportunities
L dissent again
THE Incorporation of enterprise is
NOT in itself q The
Of enterprise has proven itself over
and over again, one of the great es-
sential agencies of general progress
and prosperity. True competition in
many lines has been unjustly and
cruelty suppressed; competition in
many lines almost destroyed But the
cause of this is not to be found in the
fact that men have been allowed to in
corporate. The chief cause is in the
fact that under our present corpora
ton policy, the people at large, though
they have abundant available means.
have no reasonably secure corporate
way offered to them to raise up com
petitors- The thing to do is to raise up
competition, is to rehabilitate the cor
poration, to purify it, to restore to it
character and responsibility=that the
people may come back into the owner
ship of the countrys Industrial prop
critics. For until that is done all op-
portunity for new or competitive en-
terprise will be in the hands of those
who already have a monopoly of the
field
Inclosing Judge Grosscup said:
'sThe message that I have come to
deliver is to urge the people of this
state to take the lead in giving to the
new Industrial life of the union. an
embodiment that instead of losing
sight Of will again lift up to his right
fuI place in his country's prosperity,
the individual man.
weather Indications.
Chicago, June 22-Forecast for
Erar~a-- F3-oF,a f,T~- =R4r,-~ers - ,<,7o-