Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-04

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tention to public utility corporations.
Gov. Deneen is moving in Illinois.
These movements are In the right
spirit. They show that underneath the
present combustion something practic-
able sis stirring that the winds that
are now whirling may settle soon into
steady forward forces.
But the steady forward forces win
not effectively set in until these we'll.
intentioned but sporadic efforts swell
into uniform national movement.
The corporation. to- he genuinely re-
formed, must be reformed everywhere.
It will do little good to have reformed
corporations in New York while the
free and easy, corporations Of New
Jersey remain. The reform in. all
essential respects must be uniform
throughout the nation and the states;
and this will not come until some ma
tional organization, embodying public
opinion on the subject, resolves in
earnest that the corporation--the le-
gal embodiment of the country's in
be genuinely reformed,
that it may embody also the nations
spirit Of democracy and fair play;
and then obtains the mandate Of the
people to frame corporation policy,
both for the states and the nation,
that will carry that resolve into exc
cution. .l.5
Events now transpiring, events up
permost in the discussions Of the hour,
seem to make this the time to set that
national movement on foot. In many
state legislatures bills have been in
troduced regulating local railroad
matters, and in some legislatures such
bills have been passed. with "a few.
exceptions these bills are not the re-
suit Of inquiry into the cost Of ser
vice; are not founded on any judg-
ment other than the general Judgment
OF the legislators that the thing done.
is popular thing to do. Whether
such proposed regulation on careful In.
Sauiry will stand the test 81 reason.
ableness. or whether it viii prove con
Ffiscatory, do not know. The rail-
road corporations say that in its ap-
phcation u many lines, it would prove
confisca tory and there appears to be
disposition among railroad CORPORA.
tions to appeal from these actions Of
the states. p!
That appeal SO far as Interstate
railroads are concerned, should in nv
Judgment be given a calm and careful
hearing; not on the ground that. as a
matter OF fact, rates named by the
states are unreasonable; but on the
ground that what regulation by way Of
rate making is reasonable, even be-!
tween points not in the same state;
that the inquiry raised is an inquiry
sef national concern, to be settled in
the nation tribunals. 81
lss-s-7s
Hartman in \ a recent inter
view yoicing have no doubt the judg-
rnent of other railroad men, appeals
also to the nation to modify the Sher.
man antitrust act, to the extent that
that act prohibits railroads from max
ing contracts respecting the distribu-
ton Of their freight. That appeal, Il
think too, ought to be heard, and
calmly discussed; for If such arrange
ment would cheaper the cost of trans.
portation, and can be so adjusted as
to benefit the public as well as the rail-
road corporations, there can be no rea-5
son-the railroad always being sub
ject to regulation by government
why false Or Wasteful system should
be kept up.
But when the railroad corporations
thus appeal to the nation for protec-
ton against what they deem ill-con-
sidered or hasty legislation 81 the
people Of the states; and when flleyI
appeal to the nation to think over,
anew the Justice or advisability of
applying antitrust restrictions It's cor
porations that are under the regula-
ton Of government, 1t is fitting that the
case OF the people against the corpora
tons should also be heard--that tie
appeal should be SO rounded out tI,at
itswould settle, finally and comprehen-
sively, the relations Of the corpora-
tions To the people OF the country:
for. after all, It was not the personal
wealth of Mr.. Hartman or Mr.. Still-
man, Or their predecessors in financial
strategy, that built these roads !; it was
BY the wealth Of the middle Americans
loaned to these men through the fnan-
cial institutions of the country, that
the roads were built 1t viii moi be
the wealth Of MI. Hartman 81 Mr..
Stillman or their successors, that win
extend these roads. or rehabilitate
them were the wealth Of the middle
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