Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-18

tiot W Bt tAtTNlHtu III spirit Vi Ifhttfo-
| lence toward the men who have created
the wealth, but with the firm purpose
both to do Justice to them and to see that
they in their turn do justice to the public
ct large.
The first requisite in the public servants
who are to deal in this shape with corpor-
atioHs, whether as legislators or as ex-
eeutiyes, is honesty. This honesty can be
no respecter OF persons. There can be no
such thing as unilateral honesty. The
danger Is not really from corrupt corpora
tons; It springs from the corruption IT.
self, whether exercised for or against
corporations.
The eighth commandment reads: ssThor
shalt not steal.n 1t does not read: "Fhou
shalt not steal from the rich man." IL
/ does not read: ''Thou shalt not steal from
the poor man." 1t reads simply and
plainly. ''rhou shalt not steal.n No
good whatever will come from that warped
and mock morality which denounees the
misdeeds OF men of wealth, and forgets
the misdeeds practieed at their expense;
which denounces bribery, but blinds itself
/ TO blaekmail; which foams with rage IL
corporation secures fayors by improper
methods, and merely leers with hideous
mirth IL the corporation is itself wronged.
The only public servant who can be
trusted honestly to protect the rights of
the public against the misdeed Of a corpo-
ration is that public man v no will just as
3 nAEttA pEolett tut tufpuIhtNOu ltstll lFbiu
wrongful aggression. If a public man is
willing to yield TO popular clamor, and
do wrong TO the men of wealth or to rich
corporations, it may be set down as cer-
| tain, that II the opportunity comes, he
will secretly and furtively do wrong to
the public in the interest Of a corporation.
HONESTY AND SANITY NEEDED.
But, in addition to honesty, we need
sanity. No honesty will make a public
mn N ~ nfV.lf hat 10
ish, IL he is n hot-headed zealot or an
impractieable visionary. As we strive for
reform we find that it is not at all merely
the case of long uphill pull. On the
/ contrary, there is almost as much OF
| breeching work as of collar work; to de-
pend only on traces means that there will
soon be a runaway and an upset. The
men of wealth who to-day are trying to
prevent the regulation and control of
their business in the interest OF the pub
lie by the proper government authorities
will not succeed in my Judgment, in
checking the progress of the movement.
But II they did succeed they would find
that they had sown the wind and would
surely reap the whirlwind, for they would
ultimately provoke the violent excuses
which accompany a reform coming by
| CONFUSION instead Of by steady and
natural growth.
On the other hand. the wild preachers
of unrest and discomfort, the wild agita-
tors against the entire existing order, the
men who act crookedly, whether because
OF sinister design or from mere puzzle
headedness, the men who preach destruc-
| tion without proposing any substitute for
what they intend to destroy, or who pro-
pose a substitute which would be far
worse than the existing evils-all these
men are the most dangerous opponents of
real reform. II they get their way they
viii lead the people into deeper pit than
any into which they could fall; to get their
way they will still do incalcuable harm
by provoking the kind of reaction, which
/ in its revolt against the senseless evil of
their teaching, would enthrone more Sc
curely than ever the very evils which
their misguided followers believe they are
attacking.
SYMPATHY FOR MAN.
More important than aught else is the
development of the broadcast sympathy of
man for man. The welfare of the wage
worker, the welfare of the tiller OF the
soil, upon these depend the welfare of the
entire country; their good is not to be
sought in pulling down others; but their
good must be the prime object of all our
| craftsmanship.
| Materially we must strive to secure a
/ broad, economic opportunity for all men,
so that each shall have a better chance to
! show the stuff of which he is made.
| Spiritually and ethically we must strive
! to bring about clean living and right
I thinking. We appreciate that the things
OF the body are important; but we appre-
ciate also that the things OF the soul are
UNNECESSARILY more important The
! foundation stone of national life is, and
ever must be, the high individual charac-
ter OF the average citizen.