Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-04-27

cast during the progress of thi:
legislation.
I hear senators referred to on
the one hand as railroad senators
and on the other hand as the foes
or opponents of corporations, cor
porate wealth, corporate power,
and all that sort of thing. I sin.
cerely trust that l am neither.
I hope that / am a friend of rail.
roads and OF every other legiti-
mate commercial and industrial
enterprise. I would not know
ingly cast a vote the effect OF
which would be to embarrass or
cripple any legitimate industry
or business. We are called upon,
however, by legislation to regu-
late the conduct of individuals,
and in a greater or less degree
every character of business.
That we find it necessary to ex-
ercise a higher degree OF care
and to provide for wider degree
of control and regulation of So
called "public service corpora
tions" than of other enterprises is
due entirely to the fact that the
relation of these corporations to
the public is in large degree
that of governmental agencies,
clothed in great measure with
governmental powers. But In
enacting legislation OF this char
acter we must take care that we
neither sacrifice the interests of
the public, on the one hand, nor
render it impossible, On the other
hand, for those who have invest.
ed their money, their savings,
and their earnings in these cor
porations to earn just and rea-
sonable compensation for the ser
vices that they perform. To do
the one would be to prove false to
the trust with which we are
charged. To do the other would
be at once to discredit ourselves
and our country.
I have not the slightest pa
tience with the cry that simply
because senator favors this bill
or that, he is necessarily >and
ipso facto the tool, the agent, or
the representative of some pecu-
liar or special interest. I am
very confident that every senator
in this body in casting his vote
upon this question, as upon every
other, will so cast it as to repre-
sent, according to his best judg-
ment and according to his con-
science, the people whose duty
it is for him to represent here.
That there should be wide differ
ences of opinion is not surprising,
A man who comes from a purely
commercial center is naturally
imbued with ideas and convic-
tions that prevail there; a man
who comes from a manufacturing
center is quite naturally iuhuenc-
ed in a large measure in his con-
victions by the convictions that
prevail there; and so a man who
comes from an agricultural sec
ton is influenced largely by the
views that are entertained there
touching public questions and
matters of legislation. Were this
not true, we would not B.. repre-
senting our constituents, make
no pretence that my judgment is
not infuenced-I know it must
be, though perhaps unknown to
me influenced very largely-on
questions OF public policv by
what seems to be the judgment
and the wishes of the people 1 in
part represent.
l honor the man, Mr.. Presi-
dent, who has the courage of his
convictions. 1t may be unpop-
ular for the moment for him to
advocate them, but I believe in
the principle of eternal justice,
and l believe that justice will ul-
timately prevail and the time
will come when he will be recog-
nized and honored because of the
courage he displayed in stand
ing for his convictions.