New-York tribune., 1906-12-15
Mr.. HUGHES'S SPEECH.

Governorelect Hughes showed repeatedly
In the recent campaign a capacity TO turn
phrase with all the terseness and force of an
epiCram and with more regard for the truth
than epigrams commonly show. We need only
recall his exposure of effort TO corrupt pub
lie opinion and his ridicule of government
by headlines to show how effectively and
Justly he can put tendency in few strik
ing words In his speech at Rochester on
Thursday night he just as neatly took the
ground from under the feet OF certain ardent
patriots who cry out in alarm at the grow
ing tendency toward paternalism." Let not
those" he said "who enjoy the benefits of
"paternalism in the creation of corporations
''object to paternalism in their just regulation
"in the public interest" There is new idea
in that sentence; new ideas seldom come out
epignmmatically. 1t has been said thousand
times that the power to create implies the
power TO regulate" but how fresh and strik-
ing the idea is presented in its new form! The
state may be paternal in the creation Of cor
porations; WELL then, it is a poor sort of pa
ternity that abandons its offspring to their
own devices.
The common use of the word ''paternalism"
is an instance Of danning movement with
name. Call any proposed action of a state
"paternalism," and in the minds Of many per-
sOus you nave pIONeu II Ill dlltUlpl 10 SuDNcit
our institutions. But our states do a great
many things which are paternal and which
everybody approves without even noticing the
paternalism. Public charities are paternalsm.
The state care Of the insane is paternalism.
Public education is paternalism. We might
mention many other forms Of paternalism which
pass everywhere as the necessary and natural
functions of government. Paternalism Is not
an evil in itself. The only peril is that govern
ments will enter upon activities which do not
properly belong to them and which may better
be left in private hands. Many persons think,
for instance, that the state or city ownership
and operation of gas plants would be danger
Gus paternalism, but hardly anybody denies
that state regulation of gas production, fixing
the price of gas and inspecting its quality, is
proper and necessary. The benefits Of that pa
teTnaHsm which, Mr.. Hughes points out
creates corporation are not TO be confined TO
the corporations promoters managers and
stockholders. The same power which gives
privileges and immunitles puts reasonable re
strictons on them in the public interest
What seems like unwise paternalism at one
time may become wise and necessary ar an
other. When several companies are supplying
pubic want by means of a public franchise
IL may be advisable TO trust 10 competition to
safeguard the interests of the community
Competition is largely self-reguIating. Where
competition has ceased and something must be
done 10 protect the rights of the people. Mr..
Hughes Is for state regulation. He says con-
cerning public service corporations:
Inc people have right TO insist and do in
slst' upon good service, upon reasonable charges
upon impartial treatment and upon a fair
shar1ng OF the public burdens by proper taxa
non 1hey demand that supervision OF these
important activities. existing only by virtue of
n ha a1Tl
mai but effective. and that whatever condi-
uons or regulations have been or may be inn
posed shall be strictly enforced
Ia short Mr.. Hughes believes in the states
requiring its public service corporations to be
true 10 their name