The Springfield herald., 1907-06-07


ject to securing the previous assent o.
the Interstate Commerce Commission
The movement to regulate railways
by law has come to stay. The people
of this country have made up theii
minds-and wisely made up theii
minds-to exercise closer contro
over all kinds of public.service corpor
atoms, including railways. Every hon
estly managed railway will gain ant
not lose by this policy
The men more anxious to manipu
late stocks than to make the manage
ment of their roads efficient and hon
est are the only ones who have cause
to oppose it.
I'VE who believe in steady ant
healthy progress stand unalterably fol
the new era of the widest publicity
and of fair dealing on the part of rail
roads with stockholders, passengers
and shippers. We ask the consent o.
no man in carrying out this policy; but
we gladly welcome u e aid of ever,
man in perfecting the law in its details
and in securing its enactment and the
faithful observance of its wise provis
ions. We seek nothing revolutionary
We ask for such laws as in their es
sence now obtain in the staid old com
monwealth of Massachusetts; sucl
laws as now obtain in England. The
purpose of those of us who so reso
lutely believe in the new policy. in its
thorough carrying out and in its pro
gressive development. is in no sense
punitive or yindictive We would be
the first TO protest against any form
of contiscation of property, anC
whether we protested or not, may ado
that the Supreme Court can be trusted
in any event to see that there should be
nothing done under the guise of regu
latinS roads to destroy property with
out just compensation or without due
process of law.
''As matter of course, we shall pun
ish any criminal whom we can convic
under the law, but we have no inten
ton of confounding the innocent
many and the guilty few by any i'll
judged and sweeping scheme of ven
Geance. Our aim is primarily to pre-
vent these abuses in the future. Wher
ever evil doers can be. they shall be
brought to justice; and no criminal
high or low. whom we can reach vii
receive immunity. But the rights o
innocent investors should not be jeop
ardiZed by legislation or executive ac
ton; we sanction no legislation which
would fall heavily on them, instead o'
on the original wrongdoers or benefici
aries of the wrong.
"There must be no such rigid laws
as will prevent the development of the
country, and such development car
only be had if investors are offered ar
ample reward for the risk they take
The experience of the past winter
proves how great is our dependence or
the railroads and how serious the re
sponsibility of those who undertake tc
care for the public u the matter oI
transportation. | believe that there is
sufficient ingenuity and executive gen
ius in the operating officials of the
roads greatly to diminish the troubles
complained of.
"The most effective way to lesser
demands for unreasonable Legislation
is for the railroads acting individually
and collectively to remedy as many a:
possible of the abuses and shortcom
ings for which there are remedies, anc
for which remedial laws are demandec
by the shipping public.
"The admirable national Legislation
Of recent years, in taking away from
the railroads the power of giving lille
gal favor, has taken away from them
one of the illegitimate methods by
which they used to protect themselves
from improper attack and it is there
fore necessary that upright public ser
wants should be as visilant to protect
them against harm as to prevent them
from doing harm.
What we have to demand in our
selves and in our public servants is
honesty-honeSty to all men; and II
we condone dishonesty because we
think it is exercised in the interests ct
the people, we may rest assured that
the man thus showing it lacks only the
opportunity to exercise Il against the
interests of the people. The man who
on occasion will corruptly do what is
wrong in the interest of big corpora'
ton is the very man eager to black
mail that corporation as the opportun-
itX-,arises.
"The man who is on occasion a cor
ruptionist, is apt, when the gust OF
popular feeling blows hard against the
corporations he has corruptly served.
to be the loudest. most reckless and
most violent among those who de-
nounce them. Hunt such man out of
public life. Hunt him out as remorse-
leSSlN II ne Is DldtkUldItG DIS IL ne
stands corruptly for special privilege.
Demand honesty-absolute, un-
flinching honesty-together with cour-
age and common sense, in public ser
want and in business man alike.
Let the man of great wealth remem-
Der that, while using and enjoying it,,
he must nevertheless feel that he is in
a sense trustee. and that consistent
misuse, whether in acquiring or spend
ing hts wealth. is ominous of evil to
to others who have wealth,
and to the Nation as a whole.
"As for the rest of us, let us guard
ourselves against envy as we ask that
others guard themselves against AFRO
gance, and remember Lincoln's words
of kindly wisdom:
"'Let not him who is houseless pull
down the house of another, but let him
work diligently and build one for him
self, thus by example assuring that his
own shall be safe from violence when
built"
Raisipo Dairy Cows