The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-02

crations. for the same reason that il Is
IN the interest OF the corporation which
there should be an effective employers
liability act. or an cffectice system of fac
tory laws TO prevent the abuse OF women
and children. We wish 10 insure as fair
treatment for the small town ms for the
big city; for the small shipper as for the
big shipper.
Opposes Public Ownership.
1T is because. in my judgment. public
ownership OF railroads Is highly undesira-
BILE and would probably in this country
10 see such supervision and regulation of
them in the interest OF the public. as
it Will make IL evident that there is no
need for public ownership. The oppon
onts or Government regulation dwell upon
the difficulties TO be encountered and the
intricate and involved nature Of the prob
lem. Their contention is true. II Is a
complicated and delicate problem. and oil
kinds of difficulties are sure TO arise In
connection with any plan of solution.
which plan will bring all benefits hoped
But while fully admit the difficulties in
the way, l do not for II moment admit
that these difficulties warrant us in
stopping In our effort to secure a wise
and Just system AT present we face
such utter lack OF supervision. such free
dom from the restraints OF laws, that ex-
forced into doing what they deplored be-
cause otherwise they Were left at the
mercy NJ uuscrupulous competitors To
assall the men who have done as they best
could under such circumstances accom-
pltshes little, What we need to do is to
develop an orderly system; and such a
system can only come through the gradu-
ally increased exercise OF the right of
efficient Government control
In his message 10 Congress at the be-
ginning OF the second session OF the
Fifty-ninth Congress, December 2, 1905,
the President said;
1.-THE interstate commerce law has
rather amusingly falsifled the predic-
lions, botn OF those who asserted that II
who asserted that 1t did not go far
enough and would accomplish nothing
During the last FIVE months the railroads
have shown increased earnings, and some
OF them unusual dividends; while during
the same period the mere taking effect
OF the law has produced an unprecedent-
ed and hitherto unheard of number OF
voluntary reductions in freight rates and
lsreS by the railroads. II must
not be supposed, however, that by the
passage of these laws it will be possible
to stop progress along the line OF In
creasing the power of the National Gov
ernment over the use of capital and
interstate commerce. For example there
will ultimately be need OF enlargng the
powers Of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission along several different lines so
ns 10 give larger control over the rail-
roads 1t cannot too often be repeated
that experience has conclusively shown
inc lNpOSSlblIlly OF securing ny the dC-
tons of nearly half hundred different
State Legislatures anything but ineffec-
tive chaos in the way of dealing with
the great corporations which do not op-
=r2te exclusively within the limits of any
one State In some method. whether by
national license law, or In other fashion,
we must exercise, and at an carly date.
4 far more complete control than at
present over these great corporations-a
control that will. among other things.
prevent the evils Of excessive over
capitalization and that viii compel the
disclosure by each big corporation of its
business whether owned directly or
through subsidiary or affiliated corpora
lions. This Will tend 10 put a stop 10 the
securing OF inordinate profits by favored
individuals at the expense. whether of
The general public or the stockholders.
IT tho wage workers. Our effort should
be not so much TO prevent consultations
as such. but so to supervise and control
{ as TO see that IL results In no harm
o the people.
Working on Definite Plan.
I'm cnactins and enforcing such legis-
alton as this Congress already has TO
is credit. we are working on a coherent
plan, with steady effort 10 secure the
needed reforms before the joint action
If the moderate men, the plain men. who
10 not wish anything hysterical or dan
;erous, but wno do intend TO deal In
'esolute. cornrGon- sense fashion with the
'eal and great evils OF the present sys-
en-. The reactonaries and the violent
extremists show symptoms of joining
lands with MS. Both asserted, for in
stance that II radical we should go to
Government ownership Of railroads and
he like; the reactionaries, because on
such an issue they think the people
would stand with thep1. while the eX
remists care ather to preach discomfort
md agitation than 10 achieve solid re-
suits. As n matter Of ract. our position
S as remote from that of a Bourbon
'eactionary as from that OF an imprac-
icable or sinister visionary. We hold
hat the Government should not conduct
he business OF the Nation. but that IL
insure its being conducted in the inter
st of the Nation. Our aim is. so far
s NAV be 10 secure for all decent, hard
equality of opportunity and
quality of burden
Combine of Capital Necessary.
The actual working OF our laws has
hown that the effort TO prohibit all com
/ Is not ineffective. Combination OF capt.
al, IKE combination OF labor, Is neces-
airy element OF our present industrial |
ystem. II Is not possible completely TO
,revent IL, and II it were possible. such
omplete prevention would do damage TO
he body polite. What we need Is not
'ainly to try 10 prevent all combination.
nut 10 secure such rigorous and adequate |
ontrol and supervision OF the combina-
ions as 20 prevent their injurlng the |
yItahly to threaten injury--for the mere |
act that mbination has secured Drac- |
ically complete control OF n necessity |
4 a life would under any circumstances |
how that such combination was TO be
resumed to be averse 10 the public In
crest. 1t Is unfortunate that our pres