New-York tribune., 1907-10-04

in democracy as regards political rights as re-
CARDS education, and. finally as regafus ~
dustrial conditions BY democracy we under
stand securing. far as II is humahly possIsni
to secure It, equality OF 1pPort@unt'y, @ IAN is to
show the stuff that is in him ana 10 actneoe H
the measure of success TO which MS own S IoLSo
of mind and character entitle him. Rehglously
this means that each man is to nave the ! IisnS,
unhindered by the state, to worship his creator
as his conscience dlctates' SIaIuns 49, 4or
others the same freedom Wnlch ne dsHs 70
himself. Politically can be said suDstdIr
TALLY to have worked out our democratic IDEAS
and the same is true, thanks TO the common mon
schools in educational matters But in indus
try there has not as yet been the governmental
growth necessary in order to meet the tres
mendous changes brought about in Industrial
conditions by steam ana electricity 1t is not
in accordance with our principles that nterail!
desDotic power should be put into the hands or
a few men in the affairs of the industrial worm
Our effort must be for a just and effective plsn
of action, which while scrupulously safeguard
ing the rights OF the men or wealth. shall YET
so far as is humanity possible secure under the
law TO all men equality or opportunity 10 MAKE
a living 1t is to the interest OF all OF us that
the man of exceptional business capacity shouid
be amply rewarded; and there is nothing IN
consistent with this in our insistence that he
shall not he guilty of bribery or eXtortion and
that the rights of the wageworker and of the
man of small means, who are themselves honest
and hard working shall be scrupulousiy sa1e.
guarded The instruments for the exercise or
modern industrial power are the great corpora
tions which, though created by the individual
states. have grown far beyond the control OF
those states and transact their business through
tions. like the industrial conditions which nave
called them into being did not exist when the
Constitution founded; but the wise fore
thought of the founders provided. under the IN
terstate commerce clause of the Constitution,
for the very emergency which has arisen, II
only our people a whole will realize what
this emergency is; for if the people thoroughly
realize It their governmental representatives
will soon realize II also The national govern
ment alone has sufficiently extensive power and
jurisdiction to exercise adequate control over
the great interstate corporations. while TINS
tional government is desirable primarily in the
interest of the people, It will also, l firmly be-
lieve. be TO the benefit Of those corporations
themselves which desire 10 be honest and law
abiding. Only thus can we put over these cor
porations competent and efficient sovereign
the nation-able both to exact Justice from
them and 10 secure justice for them, that
they may not be alternately pampered and op-
pressed The proposal need be dreaded only by
those corporations which do not wish TO obey
the law or to be controlled in just fashion. but
prefer TO take their chances under the present
lack of all system and to court the chance of
getting improper favOrs offsetting the chance
of being blaCkmaied-an attitude rendered ia
miliar in the past by those corporations which
had thriven under certain corrupt and lewless
city governments.
FEDERAL CONTROL OF RAILROADS.
The first need is to exercise this federal
troll in thoroughgong and efficient fashion over
the railroads, which. because of their peculiar
position. offer the most immediate and urgent
problem The American people abhor vacuum
and are determined that this control shall be ex-
ercised somewhere: IL Is most unNlSe lot llc
railroads not to recognize this and to submit
to IT as the first requisite Of the situation
When this control is exercised In some sucIt
fashion 1t is now exercised over the national
banks there will be no falling off in business
prosperity. On the contrary. the chances for
the average to do better will be increased
Undoubtedly there will be much less oppor-
tunty than at present for a very few individ-
uaIs not of the most scrupulous type 10 amass
great fortunes b. speCulating in and manipulat-
Ing securities which are issued without any kind
of control or supervision. But there VIII pe
plenty Of room left for ample legitimate reward
for business genius, while the chance for the
man who is not a business genius. but who IS
{; a good. thrifty hard working citizen, VIII bS
better. I do not believe that our efforts VIII
have anything but a beneficial effect upon the
permanent prosperity OF the country; ana, as
matter of fact, even as regards any temporary
effect I think that any trouble is due funda-
mentally not TO the fact that the national au-
thoritics have discovered and corrected certain
abuses but to the fact that those abuses were
there to be discovered. l think that the excel
lent people who have complained OF our policy
asshurting business have shown much the same
spirit as the child who regards the dentist ana
not the liberated tooth the real source OF
MS woe. l am as certain as l can be or any
thing that the pursuing VIII ultl-
mately help business; for the corrupt man or
business is as great a foe TO this country as the
corrupt politician. Both stand on the same
evil emnence of infamy. Against both II Is
necessary 10 war: and If. unfortunately, IN
either type Of warfare. few innocent people
are hurt, the responsibility lies not with us but
with those who have mlsed them TO their hurt.
This is a rapidly growing nation. on new
ever shifting conditions Often a Is necessary
to devise methods Of meeting these new
conditions. We must regard the past. but We
must not regard only the past. We must also
think OF the future: and while we must learn
by experience we cannot afford 20 pay heed
merely to the teachings OF experience. The
great preacher Charming in his essay on The
Union" spoke with fine insight ON this very
point In commenting on the New England
statesman Cabot, whom he greatly admired, he
said that nevertheless "he had too much of the
wisdom of experience; he wanted what may be
l .T11I Of
in words which have peculiar fitness for the
conditions of to-day: We apprehendl that II Is
possible TO make experience too much our guide
There are seasons in human affairs. of inward
and outward revolution. when new depths seem
10 be broken up In the soul when new wants are
unfoded in multitudes, and new and unde-
fined good is thrsted for. These are periods
when the principles of experience need 10 be
modified when hope and trust and instinct
claim share with prudence in the guidance OF
affairs when in truth to dare is the highest
| wisdom" .
| These sentences should bs carefullyipondered
| by those men, often very good men, who for
get that constructive change offers the best
method of avoiding destructive changes; that re-
| form is the antidote to revolution; and that
| social reform is not the precursor but the pre-
| ventve OF socialism.