The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-11-23
Saturday, November 2s, 1907.
IN A RfFLEoTlTE MOOD.

IN A RFFLEOTITE MOOD.
There are welcome signs that the
public speakers of the country have
fallen into reflective mood They
are no longer tearing the American
eagle from its lofty perch and swing
ing 1t about their frenzied heads Their
remarks have suddenly become
thoughtful and it is the disposition Of
the crowd to listen more patiently
than it has been in the habit Of doing
Of late. With the consequences Of
clamor and hasty thinking and impul-
sive action before their eyes they fear
to add fuel to the brightly burning
Ares Of former discomfort Those of
them who talk at all or get an audi
ence to listen to them are quiet in
their demeanor and in their spirit.
Then, too, the really wise men of the
nation find at last willingness to lis
ten to them, 1t is situation calling
for the greatest possible measure Of
satisfaction.
The most distinguished speaker at
the annual dinner of the New York
Chamber of Commerce Thursday
evening was former United States
Senator Spooner Of Wisconsin, whose
voluntary retirement from the upper
chamber of congress was commented
upon by his colleagues Of both politi-
cal parties as constituting national
loss. A learned expounder of the con-
stitution. his attitude towards propos-
ed federal legislation was awaited with
profound interest by his fellow SEN
ators. The expression safe and sane"
applied to him with the greatest
force. What he has to say now there
fore Of the tendency Of the govern
Tnent to regulate trade In its inter-
state aspect will be weighed respect
fully He frankly told the members
of the New York Chamber of Com
Ynerce that he had reason to regret
his failure to follow the lead of United
States Senator Platt of Connecticut
when the senate had under considera-
tion In 1887 the bill to regulate the traf-
nc conduct of railroads doing an in
terstate business, Senator Plat plead
Cd with his colleagues to grant the
railroads the right to make reason
able traffic contracts which were to be
made public and subject to abrogation
" they ran counter to the public in
terest. Mr., Spooner gave it as his de-
Hibernate conviction that had the views
Of the Connecticut senator been adopt
cd much that is Objectionable in the
general situation to-day would have
been avoided.
The people Of the State of Connect
cut will not miss the opportunity Civ
en- them by Mr.. Spooner to felicitate
themselves upon the fact that they
were wisely represented at Washington
that winter even though practical ex-
perience had to be endured before the
Plat view could be appreciated. But
this was not the only error of judg-
tment Mr.. Spooner confessed to in con-
nection with his otherwise distinguish
ed service to the country. FIe says that
the Sherman antitrust act was a mis-
take, at least as 1t has been construed
by the department of Justice He said
It was never the purpose of the SEN
ate to enact law which would pre-
vent reasonable traffic agreements be.
tween interstate railroads. THAT
says Mr.. Spooner, has brought about
Of necessity precisely the thing which
the act was intended to prevent, be-
cause trade and competition in trade
Is o battle and like all battles the
weaker must go down before the
stronger. And so great combinations
corporate In their character, called by
some people trusts, have come into ex.
istence, whereas if reasonable agree.
ments for the maintenance of prices
could have been entered into competi.
tors of smaller wealth and power
could have existed and new competi.
tors would have been invited into the
field" In other words, Senator Plat
with that rugged common sense which
distinguished him and which was DIES
tined to add his name to the roll o
actual statesmen, pointed the prope
way to remove the evils which wer,
real and to preserve the virtues which
were of inestimable value. Unmovet
by the clamor of the hour he looked
ahead to a possible situation whicl
would disturb the country as it ha
been doing and which now demand
the amendment of the anti-Shermal
trust law, just as he declared woul
have to be done if it was enforced. w
nj have no doubt toe that If he yer