The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-10-04

not TO conduct the business OF the
country; but it ought to regulate II
so that It shall be concluded In the
interest of the public.
Perhaps the best justification Of the
course which in the National Govern
ment we have been pursuing in the
past few years, and which We intend
steadily and progressively TO pursue
in the future, is that 1t is condemned
with almost equal rancor alike by the
reacttonarles-ths Bourbons-cn one
side, and by the wild apostles of un-
rest on the other. The reacttonary is
bitterly angry because We have de-
prived him of that portion of his pow
er which he misuses to the public
hurt; the agitator is angered for var;
ious reasons, including among others
the fact that by remedylng the abus.
es we have deprI'ed him OF the fui.
crum Of real grievance. which alone
renders the lever Of irrational agita'
ton formidable.
We have actually ACCOMPLISHED
much. But we have not accomplish.
ed all, nor anything Ike ALL that we
feel must be accomplished We shall
rot halt; we shall steadily follow the
path we have marked out. executing
the laws we have succeeded In put.
ting upon the statute books with alb.
solute impartiaIlty as between man
and man, and unresting In our endeav-
or to strengthen and supplement
these by further laws which shall en-
able us in more efficient ami more
summary fashion to achtev the ends
we have in view.
Many Vital Problems,
I During the last few years Congress
has had to deal with such vitality i'm.
portant questions as providing for the
building of the Panama Canal, in.
augurating the vast system Of ma
tional irrigation in the States Of the
Great Plains and the Rocky Noun
tains, providing for a Pacific cable,
and so forth. Yet in addition to these
tasks, some of which are of stupen-
llous Importance, Congress has taken
fgiant strides along the path OF Gov.
ernment regulation and control of
corporations; the interstate Commerce
law has been made effective In radi.
cal and far.reaching fashion, rebates
have been stopt, a pure.food law has
been past, proper supervision of the
meatpacking business provided, and
the Bureau of Corporations establish.
cd a bureau which has already done
great good, and which can and should
be given constantly Increasing func.
tIonal power.
The work of legislation has been
no more important than the work done
by the Department OF Justice in exc
cutting the laws. not only against cor
porations 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 undertaken
against offenders of all kinds-many
OF them against the most formidable
and wealthy combinations in the land
in some the combinations have beer
dissolved, in some heavy fines have
been imposed, in several cases the
chief offenders have been imprison
ed.
1t behooves us Americans TO ioof
ahead and plan out the right kind o
a civilization, as that which we intent
to develop from these wonderful new
conditions of vast industrial growth
/ 1t must not he. It shall not be, tn,
civilization of a mere plutocracy, 1
: clearinghouse, Wall street syndicate
civilization; nor yet can there be sub
mission to class hatred. to rancor, bru
Il tally, ana mob violence, for tina
r would mean the end Of all civilization
! increased powers are susceptible o
: abuse rs well as use; never befor
: have the opportunities for selfshnes
l. been so great, nor the results of sci
fshness so appalling: for In commun
Q ities where everything is organize
S on a merely selfish commercial basis
u such selnshness, If unchecked, ma!
b transform the great forces of the nev
g epoch into powers Of destruction hitlI
u erto unequaled,
n we need to check the forces o
greed, 10 insure Just treatment a}i'i
II Of capital and of labor. and of tn
:. general public, to prevent any man
L rich or poor, from doing or receiving
It wrong, whether this wrong be one c
: cunning or of violence. EIuch can b
8 done by wise legislation and by resc
}, Lutte enforcement Of the law. But still
v more must be done by steady trainin
:, Of the individual citizen, in conscienc
!. anI character. until he grows to at
M hor corruption and greed and tyrann
y and brutality and to prize justice an
IS Coir dazzling