The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-12-13

MISUNDERSTANDING DIV eacn or the otner
rights. aggravated by an unwillingness or
either party to accept as true the state
ments of the other as to the justice or In
Justice OF the matters In dispute. The ex-
erciSe OF judicial spirit by disinter-
ested body representing the Federal gov
eminent, such as would be provided by a
commission on Cancellation and arbitration,
would tend TO create an atmosphere or
friendliness and Cancellation between con-
tending parties; and the giving each side
an equal opportunity TO present fully its
case in the presence OF the other would
prevent many disputes from developing into
serious strikes or lockouts, and, In other
cases. would enable the commission to per-
suade the opposing parties TO come to
terms.
Withdrawal of Coal Lands.
1t Is not wise that the nation should
ALLEVIATE its remaining coal lands. l have
temporarily withdrawn from settlement all
the lands which the geological survey has
indicated as containing, or in all PROBABLE
ity containing, coal The question, how
ever, can be properly settled only by legis-
latlon, which in my judgment should pro-
vide for the withdrawal of these lands from
sale or from entry, save in certain especial
circumstances. The ownership would then
remain In the United States. which should
permit them TO be worked by private indi-
viduals under royalty system, I
Control of Corporations.
The present Congress has taken long
strides In the direction Of securing proper
supervision and control by the national
government over corporations engaged in
interstate business-and the enormous ma
j0rity OF corporations of any size are en-
gagged in Interstate business The passage
of the railway rate bill, and only to less
degree the passage Of the pure food bill,
and the provision for increasing and rem
dering more effective national control over
the beef-packing industry, mark an import
ant advance In the proper direction. All
fhpSa have iuStI6p1 their
actment. 1t must not be supposed, how
ever, that with the passage Of these laws
1t will 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 enlarying the pow
ers of the interstate commerce commission
along several different lines, so as to give
1t a larger and more efficient control over
the railroads.
1t cannot often be repeated that ex-
perience has conclusively shown the impos-
sibillty of securing by the actions of nearly
anything but ineffective chaos In the way
OF dealing with the great corporations
which do not operate exclusively within
the limits OF any one State: In some
methods, whether by national license law
or In other fashion, We must exercise. and
that at an early date. far more complete
control than at present over these great
corporations-a control that will among
over-capitalization, and that will compel
the disclosure BY each big corporation OF
Its stockholders and Of its properties and
business, whether owned directly or through
subsidiary or affiliated corporations This
will tend to put q stop to the securing OF
inordinate profits by favored individuals at
the expense whether of the general public.
the stockholders, or the wageworker Our
effort should be not so much to prev,.t con-
solidation as such. but so 10 supervise and
control IL as to see that IL results In no
harm to the people.
So the proper antidote 10 the dangerous
and wicked agitation against the EN- of
wealth as such is TO secure by proper legis-
lation and executive action the abolition
of the grave abuses which actually do obtain
I'm connection with the business use of
wealth under our present system-or rath-
er no system-of failure TO exercise any adj
equate control at all. Some persons speak
as IL the exercise OF such governmental
control would do away with the freedom
ual effort This is not a fact. 1t would
be a veritable calamity TO fail to put
premium upon individual initiative. individ-
ula capacity and effort; upon the energy,
character and foresight which II Is so i'm
portant to encourage in the individual. But
as a matter Of fact the deadening and de-
grading effect of pure socialism, and the de-
struction Of individual character which they
would bring about. arc in part achieved by
the wholly unreguIated competition which
results In single Individual or corporation
rising at the expense Of all others until
his it's rise efectually checks all com
petition and reduces former competitors to
position Of utter inferi0rity and suJ0r-
dination.
In enacting and enforcing such legisla-
ton as this Congress already has to Its
credit, we are working on coherent plan.
with the steady endeavor to secure the
needed reform by the joint action of the
moderate men, the plain men who do not
wish anything hysterical or dangerous. but
T.. Int. x...a.tr ION
sense fashion with the real and great evils
of the present system. The reactionares
and the violent extremists show symptoms
of joining hands against US Both assert,
for instance, that II logical. we shoviu 70
to government ownership OF railroads and
the like the reactionaries. because on such
an issue they think the people would stand
with them, while the extremists care rather
achieve solid results. AS matter of fact.
our position Is as remote from that OF the
Boulbon reactionary as from that or the
impracticable or sinister visionary: we hold
that the government should not conduct
the business OF the nation. but that II
should exercise such supervision as will in
sure its being conducted In the interest OF
the nation. Our aim Is, so TAR as may DE,
to secure. for all decent. hard-working men,
equality OF opportunity and equality Of bur-
den.
The actual working of our laws has
shown that the effort TO prohibit all com
is not effective Combination OF capital,
like combination of labor. Is necessary
element OF our present Industrial system
II Is not possible completely 10 prevent u
and II IL were possible. such complete pre-
vention would do damage to the body poll
tic What we need Is not vainly 10 uy 70
prevent all combination. but TO secure snfh
rigorous and adequate control ana superv' $
ion of the combinations as TO prevent tn'hr
Iniurinc the public. or existing In such form
as Inevitably to threaten injuYy-for the
mere fact that combination mas secured
practically complete control OF a necessary
Of life would under any circumstances show
that such combination was to be presumed
TO he adverse to the public interest. Ii Is un-
fortunate that our present laws should lot
bid all combinations. instead OF sharply dis
which do good and those combinations which
do evil. Rebates, for instance, are as often
due to the pressure of big shippers tas was
showr In the INVESTIGATION OF the Standard
Oh Company and as has been shown since
by the investigation OF the tobacco ana
sugar trusts) as to the initiative of big
railroads Often railroads would Ike 10
combine for the purpose of preventing Big
shipper from maintaining improper advant,
ages at the expense of small shippers ana
of the general public. Such a combina-
ton. instead Of being forbidden by law,
should be favored In other words, IL snouio
be permitted to railroads to make agree
ments provided these agreements were sane
sion and wre published. With these two
conditions complied with II is impossible TO
see what harm such combination could
do to the public at large.
Inheritance and Income Tax.
The national government has long derived
its chief revenue from a tariff on imports
and from an internal or excise tax. In ad-
ition to these there Is every reason why
when next our system of taxation Is revised
the national government should impose
graduated inheritance tax, and, IL posi-
bic, n graduated income tax. The man OF
great wealth owes a peculiar obligation TO
the State because he derives special advan-
tages from the mere existence of govern
ment. Not only should he recognize this
obligation In the way he leads his daily
life aud In the way he earns and spends
his money, but Ii should also be recognized
by the way in which he pays for che protec-
ton the State gives him. On the one hand.
IL is desirable that he should assume his
full and proper share OF the burden OF tax
alton; on the other hand, Ii is quite as
necessary that in this kind of taxation,
where the men who vote the tax pay but
little of It, there should be clear recogni-
ton of the danger of inaugurating any
such system save In a spirit of entire JUS
tice and moderation. Whenever we, as
people. undertake to remodel our taxation