The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-04


that VIII compel the disclosure by
each big corporation of its stockhold-
ers and OF its properties and business
whether owned directly or through
subsidiary or affiliated corporations.
This Will tend to put stop to the Sc
curing Of inordlnate profits by favored
individuals at the expense whether of
the general public, the stockholders,
or the wageworkers. Our effort
should be not so much to prevent con-
solidatIon as such. but so to supervise
and control it as to see that it results
in no harm to the people. The reac-
tionary or ultraconservative apologists
\ for the misuse OF wealth aSsail the ef-
fort to secure such control as a step
toward socialism. AS a matter OF fact
it Is these reactioRaries and ultracon-
servatives who are themselves most
potent in increasing socialistic feeling.
One of the most efficient methods of
averting the consequences of dan
gerous agitation. which is 80 per cent
wrong. is to remedy the 20 per cent Of
evil as to which the agitation is well
founded. The best way to avert the
very undesirable move for the govern
mental ownership of railways is to Sc
cure by the government on behalf Of
the people as a whole such adequate
control and regulation Of the great in
terstate common carriers as will do
away with the evils which give rise to
the agitation against them. So the
proper antidote to the dangerous and
wicked agitation against the men of
wealth as such is to secure by proper
legislation and executive action the
abolition OF the grave abuses which
actually do obtain in connection with
the business use of wealth under our
present system
In this connection. the president
also says that some sorts of combina-
lions, both OF capital and labor are
necessary and should be made legal
instead OF prohibited.
President Roosevelt is a strong be-
lever in an inheritance tax, and also
in an income tax If such law can be
devised that will be constitutions. He
discusses both subjects at length.
A step of far reaching Importance is
that which the president states briefly
in discussing the coal land situation.
He proposes that no more coal lands
shall become private property. but that
they shall be held by the government
and leased under such terms as shall
permit absolute government control in
the interest of the people
1T is not WISE says President Roose-
welt, that the nation should ALLEVIATE its
remaining coal lands. have tenporar-
lily Withdrawn from settlement all the
lands which the geological survey has
indicated as containing or in all prob
ability containing, coal. The question,
however, can be properly settled only
by legislation. which in my Judgment
should provide 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 not |
however. attempt to work them, but
permit them to be worked by private |
individuals under a royalty system. the
government keeping such control as to
permit 1t to see that no excessive price |
was charged consumers. 1t would, of |
course. be as necessary to supervise the |
rates charged by the common carriers |
to transport the product as the rates
charged by those who mine 1t: and the
supervision must extend to the conduct |
of the common carriers. so that they !
shall in no way favor one competitor at
the expense of another"
This is a radical departure from the
way mineral lands have been treated |
in the past, but 1t will prevent the re-
currence OF the Pennsylvania situation, !
where the coal barons have absolute |
control of the anthracite fields. 1.-The
coal. like the forests" says the presi-
dent should be treated as the prop 1
erty of the public. and it's disposal |
should be under conditions which would |
inure to the benefit Of the public as a
whole"
This is in reality government owner
ship of the coal mines. but not govern
ment operation.
Among minor matters treated by the
president, he recommends that mar
riage and divorce be controlled by the
national government instead of by the
states. although it may require con-
stitutional amendment to bring it about.
He renews his recommendation to