Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-11-15
TAFT ON THE FUTURE
The Secretary of War Considers
the Trusts.


Danger That In the Current Zeal For
Reform the Demagosues and the So
eiaIists May Get the Upper Hand and
Garry Legislation Too Tar-Faith In
the American People.
In recent issue the Citizens Bull
Ietin of Cincinnati gives a series of ex-
tracts from the most recent addresses
of Secretary Taft After taking up In
some detail the evils that have result
ed from the rapid development OF cor
porations during the past few years
Mr.. Taft says:
without defending, mitigating or In
any way justifying the evils l have
described, it certainly can be said that
they were the outgrowth Of the enor-
nous expansion of business and of
capital involved in the spreading bust
ness of the country and that, while
they are to be deplored and to be
stamped out, it would be the utmost
folly to initiate and carry through
legislation which instead of remedying
the evil shall kill the enterprise and
investments which have gone on apace
to make this nation the great center of
industry and production of the world.
And the danger now is that in the zeal
for reform demagogues Socialists and
enemies of society may be given an
opportunity to carry on legislation to
such an extreme as permanently to
hamper the business growth of the
country.
mo injustice reacts so quickly as
injustice to capital, for capital can pro-
tect itself, can stand loss and with
draw and leave the community from
which 1t fees in a condition of help
lessness that it will take years to over
come. While this Is the danger from
the awakened public conscience on the
subject of business integrity, let us
not fail to rejoice in the enormous ben
eft to the country which is involved In
the existence Of this public conscience,
for 1t was quickened into expression
at time when the greatest prosperity
prevailed throughout the country.
when lavished wealth made comfort
for more people than ever before and
when that luxury and hunt for pleas
ure which led the Roman empire and
other dynastIes of old to destruction
it was prophesied would bring about
the same fate for this republic. But
It has not done so, and in the face
of comfort, luxury and pleasure there
has arisen this protest from the many
enjoying all the prosperity possible
l. ~ al ~
the trust, and there has arisen a cry
for higher business morality and 9
more sacred care and scruple in the
conduct of agents and trustees.
n The Publie's Demands.
"It Is becoming more and more Ger
tain that the public will insist or
greater publicity in the management
of these great financial trusts, and g
closer scrutiny into the methods By
which the great combinations shall
continue and maintain their business
and greater and greater care and re
gard for the public with which the
railroad and other transportation com
panies shall discharge the duties
which, in accepting valuable fran
=
ward the communities in which they
carry on their business.
1.-THE various provisions Of law, thu
tribunals and executive machinery b!
which these results are to be accom-
plished, will be the duty of the comm,
generation to work out and develop
The responsibility Of the wielder o
millions of capital which has hereto
fore accompanied his exercise Of pow
er in the business communities, it
now settled, must have an end, ant
the limitation which shall effectuall.
end 1t will be dictated by experience
and the statesmanlike acumen Of tn
coming generation.
Such changes cannot be effected Il
a short time. Such changes cannot b
= brought about by mere denuncia
ton and indiscriminate condemnation
whether delivered from a stump 0
contained In the provisions of Law
They must and viii be fashioned ult
mately by the hands of one or man
who shall realize the necessity 70
maintaining the institutions of privat
property and the freedom of indiviC
ual initiative on the one hand, and G
restraining the well recognized abuse
and illegalities of the exercise of til
power of concentrated wealth
achieve monopoly by duress.
Such regulation is possible, and
1 needs only experience and earnest e
fort, honest and courageous and exp
ditious courts, intelligent and fearles
juries, to enforce the regulations whic
shall teach those who would otherwis
offend and misuse the power of col
centrated wealth that it is not onl
moral and conducive to their happ
ness, but also profitable to observe IL
regulations that the quickened col
science of the people has insisted upo
introducing into the statute book"