The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-12-04

asserted that II would ruin the railroads
and Of those who asserted that II did not
nothing During the last ive months the
railroads have shown increased earnings
and some OF them unusual dividends;
taking effeet OF OF the ia law s'i9 has pr Produced
an unprecedented. hitherto unheard OF,
number Of voluntary reductions in
freights and fares BY the railroads Since
The Founding OF the commission there has
never been time OF equal length In
which anything like so many reduced
tariffs have been put into effeet. On
the new law went into effect. the COM
mission received notices OF over 5000
separate tarlffs which represented reduc-
tions from previous rates.
II must not be supposed, however. that
with the passage OF these laws II viii be
possible TO stop progress along the line
OF Increasing the power Of the national
government over the use Of capital In
Interstate commerce. For example. there
will ultimately be need OF eniarglng the
powers Of the interstate commerce COM
as to give II larger and more efiiclent
control over the railroads.
Need OF Federal Legislation.
II cannot too often be repeated that ex-
perience has conclusively shown the inn
possibility OF securing by the actions OF
nearly half hundred different state
Shaos IN the Rsy of dealing MiS sSs
great corporations which do not operate
exclusively within the limits OF any one
state IN some method, whether BY a
national license law OF In other fashion.
we must exercise. and that at an early
date. FAR more complete control than
a. present over these great corpora
things prevent the evils OF excessive
overcapitalization. and that will compel
the disclosures by each big corporation
Of is stockholders and OF It's properties
and business. whether owned directly or
thru subsidiary or affiliated corporations.
This viii tend 70 put stop to the secur-
ing o. inordinate pronts by fayoree
the general public. the stockholders, Or
the WageworkeFs. Our EFFORT should be
not 30 much e prevent consultation, as
such, but ~ 20 supervise and control Il
as 70 see that II results In no harm to
the people. The reactionary or ultracon-
eervagive apologists for the misuse of
wealth assajl the effort 20 secure such
control as a step toward socialism. AS a
matter Of fact Il Is these reactionaries
and uitraconservatives who are them
tic feeling. one OF the most efiicIent
methods Of ayerting the consequences OF
dangerous agitation. which Is 50 per
cent. wrong, u g remedy the 2o per cent;
OF evil as 10 which the agitation Is well
founded. The best way 10 avert the very
undesirable. move for the governmental
ownership Of railways Is 70 secure BY
the government on behalf OF the people
as whole such adequate control and
regulation Of the great interstate COM
mon carriers as will do away with the
against them SO the proper antIdots
70 the dangerous and wicked agitation
against the men Of wealth as such is TO
secure BY proper Legislation, and execu-
tive action the abolition OF the grave
abuses which actually do obtain In con-
nection with the business use OF wealth
under our present system-or rather no
Quate control at all. Some persons speak
as II the exercise Of such governmental
control would do away with the freedom
vidual effort. This Is not fact. II
would be veritable calamity 20 fail 10
put a premium upon individual Initiative.
individual capacity and enort: upon me
energy. character and foresight which |
II IL 80 important 10 encourage In the |
individual But as q matter Of fact the |
deadenlng and degrading enect OF pure |
form communism. and the destruction of |
Individual character which they would l
bring about. are In part achieved BY the |
resos mnos snas ,ndsdes or corpo
alton rising at the expense Of all others
until his or its rise efiectunily checks all
competition and reduces former compeuss
tors 20 a position OF utter inferiority and i
Ii enacting and enforcing such legis-
latlon az this congress already has. 70 its
credit we are working on coherent !
plan, with the steady endeavor 60 secure /
the needed reform by the Joint action Of i
the moderate men. the plain men who |
dangerous but who do intend 10 deal 4
In resolute coumonaense fashion Nth /
the real and great evils Of the present
system. The reacuonaries and the vlo-
lent extremists show symptoms OF join
Ing hands against US Both assert for
instance, that II logical. we should go
20 government ownership of railroads
on such an lsgae they think the people
would stand with them. while the ex-
tremlsts care rather TO preach discontent
and agitation than to ecnleve SOLD re-
is as remote from that Of the bourbon
reactionary as from that Of the lmprae-
ticahle or sinister visionary. We hold
that the government should not conduct
the business OF the nation. but that 4
should exercise such supervision as viii
insure lis being conducted IN the inter-
may he. 10 secure, for ali decent, hard
working men. equality Of opportunity and
equality OF burden.
Combinations Are Necessary.
The actual working OF our laws has
shown that the effort 10 prohibit all COM
binatlon, good or bad. "a noxlous where
Il 4 not Ineffective. Combination OF
necessary element OF our present Indus
trial system. IL Is not possible completely
TO prevent Il; and II Il were possible
Huch complete prevention Wvulu 10 uAm-
age to the body polite. What we need
Is not vainly 70 prevent al combination,
but 10 secure such rigorous and adequate
control and supervision OF the combina-
lions as to prevent their lnluring the
public. or existing In such form as inev-
tably 10 threaten injury-for the mere
fact that combination has secured
sary OF llfe would under any circum-
stances show that such combination was
10 be presumed 10 be adverse 10 the pub
Ne interest. II Is unfortunate that our
present laws should forbid all comblna-
ions, Instead OF sharply discriminating
between those comhinations which. do
will Rebates, FOR Instance, are as often
Tue to the pressure OF big shippers (as
was shown IN the investigation OF the
Standard Oil company and as has been |
|hown since by the Investigation OF the /
obacco and sugar trusts as to the init- |
ltive OF big railroads. Often railroads
would like 70 combine for the purpose OF
ng Improper advantages az the expense |
" small shippers and Of the general pub
lei Such a comhInation. instead Of being
orbldden by law. should be favored. IN
,ther words. II should be permitted 20 /
ailroads TO make agreements. provided
hese agreements We're sanctloned by the
Interstate commerce commission and
we're published. With these two condi-
Ions complied with 1T Is impossible 10
ZEE what harm such a combination could
10 to the public at large. II Is a public
WI 10 have on the statute books law
incapable OF full enforcement because
10Th judges and iurles realize that It's
ull enforcement would destroy the busi-
less Of the country. for the result Is 10
make decent railroad men yIolators OF
ne law against their will. and to put a !
Iremium on the behavior. OF the wilful