Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1906-12-08

tive action the abolition of the graz
abuses which actually do obtain ~
connection with the business use 10
wealth under our present system-or
rather no system-of failure to eyer
else any adequate control at all
Some persons speak as if the exer-
else Of such governmental control
would do away with the freedom ~
individual initiative and dwarf indi-
vidual effort. This is not a fact. II
would be a yeritable calamity to fail
to put a premium upon individual
initiative, individual capacity and ef-
fort; upon the energy, character and
foresight which it is so important tn
encourage in the individual. But as
a matter of fact the deadening and
degrading effect of pure socialism.
and especially of its extreme form
communism, and the destruction Of
individual character which they
would bring about, are in part
achieved by the wholly unregulated
competition which results in a single
individual or corporation rising at
the expense Of all others until his or
its rise etfectually checks all compe-
tition and reduces former competit-
ors to a position of utter inferiority
and subordination.
In %enacting and enforcing such
legislation as this Congress already
has 70 its credit, we are working on
a coherent plan, with the steady en-
deayor 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 who do intend to deal In a reso-
Lutte c-ommonsense fashion with the
real and great evils of The present
system. The r%eactionaries and the
violent extremists show symptoms of
joining hands against us. Both as
sert, Tor instance, that If logical, we
should 80 to government ownership
Of railroads and the like, the reac-
tiona.ies, because on such an issue
they think the people would stand
With them, while the extremists a
rather to preach discomfort and agi-
tation than to achieve solid results.
AS a matter of fact, our position is
as remote from that Of the Bourbon
reactionary a storm that of the inn
practicable or sinister visionary. We
hold that the Government should not
conduct the business Of the nation,
but that it should exercise such SUI
pervision as will insure its being
t conducted in the interest of the ma
ton. Our aim is, 50 far as may be.
to secure, for all decent, hard work
ing men, equality Of opportunity and
l equality Of burden,
The actual working OF our laws
has shown that the effort to prohibit
all combination, good or bad, is nox-
$ ious where it is not ineffective. Com
$ bination Of capital like combination
Of labor is a necessary element or
+ our present industrial system. II is
+ not possible completely to prevent
+ II; and if 1t were possible, Isuch
e complete prevention would do dam
q age 70 the body polite. What we
t need Is not vainly to try TO prevent
d all combination, but to secure such
+ rigorous and adequate control and
supervision of the combinations as to
d prevent their iniuring the public. or
" existing in such form as inevitably
z to threaten injury-for the mere
l. fact that a combination has secured
practically complete control OF a nee
le essary of life would under any cir
cumsUances show that such combina-
verse to the public interest. 1t is I'M
er fortunate that our present laws for
or bid all combinations, instead of
sharply discriminating, between
tie those combinations which do good.
Sc and those combinations which do evel
at Rebates, for instance, are as often
NC due 10 the pressure of big shippers
II, (as was shown in the investigation
re of the Standard Oil Company and as
K has been shown since by the investi-
I'd cation of the tobacco and sugar
or trusts as to the initiative of big
r railroads. Often railroads would
a like 70 combine for the purpose Of
te preventing a big shipper from main
he tanning improper advantages at the
b. expense of small shippers and OF the
e. general public. Such a combination,
OF instead of being forbidden by law.
as should be favored. In other words,
n II should be permitted to railroads
20 to make agreements, provided these
~ agreements were sanctioned by the
Interstate Commerce Commission
T. and we're published. With these two
conditions complied with it is i'm
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