New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-06-13
PRES. MATHER SPEAKS.
Head of Rock Island Railroad DIS
Cusses Corporations.

Calesburg. Ill. June 12-Robert Mather. presi-
dent Of the Rock Island Railroad. delivered an
address corporations at Knox College, In this
city. tonight. Mr. Mather said. in part:
The great commercial enterprises of to-day are are
almost exclusively conducted by corporations. lIs
corporation presents manifest and admltted aIv@ r
tunties especially in making efectIve me pncv
of cooperation would not readily be brought in
united effort. The corporation as an agency tne'e
our Industrial life But concerning the methods OF
organization. OF management and OF c2ntrE IL OF
some of our great corporations facts OF late tIc e
been revealed that have shocked the consct en-,
and stirred the anger of the people. Every 1orIi
of crime conceivable of commission by or tnI9usI.
or against corporation has been dlSpiayeu -.
whose shares would be sold to the public at nett
ous prices under cover of respectable names; gross
oppression OF competitors by the favorite shPpeIs'
surance Companies for the private benefit of ind-
viduals; the use of the favors and power or great
oicer welding the bower; the making Of private
profit by trustees for the stockholders IN their
dealings with the securities and property or the
And with the commission of each of these offences
names In the world OF industry and finance The
Ieve that the whole commercial fibre is rotten. and
the denunciation OF the corporate ,nanageme4a1Ii
the press ard deafens the public ear 49,
Investigations. and hold BRIEF for the culprits
there discovered But have not. on ACCOUNT Of
The facts that have been made known are sensa .
tional and bad enough In all conscience. nut Jney
touch only the edge OF the field of corporate activ-
ty, and smirch but spot of It's broad expanse.
The numbers of the dishonoTed you may count on
your fingers. but their name Is legion whose lives
Of honor of rectitude and Of probity have adorned
the history of corporate management and dignihed
the commercial career.
One figure only has been starred before the pub
lie in these Observation-Disclosures accused The short
and simple annals OF the unsupported lack the
features OF sensationalism that call for startling
pages in the press and printers ink has not been
wasted upon them. / speak for the man who has
not had part in this inqusition and whose cause
has not been heard-the average honest business
And ! assert IN spite of the sad spectacle
tegTity of American business, and OF our business
corporations and of business
1t is with earnest conviction that proclaim this
gospel on the essential honesty OF our business life
At no time could this proclamation more con-
hdently he made than the present, for awakened
corporate conscience reused by recent events, has
sharpened the sense of commercial integrity and
holds close to the eye of corporate directors and
managers their duties and their responsibilities
Wrongs have resulted from corporate overcaptal-
ization. and they should be prevented. But they
can and should he prevented without denying TO
the industrial pioneer the right to capitalize not
only his cash Investment, but his risks. his faith
his labors and his hardships.
Nor do 1 argue the regulation of the business
of common carriers. But II may be doubted
whether a nation OF individualjsts quite
prepared for bureaucratic control OF the methods
Of conducting our. business affairs We have Vet
10 learn that the mere fact that holds \
commission from the government throws around
him the mantle Of nfanbility, clothes him with
the impenetrable armOr OF righteousness.