The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-01
GENERALIZATION
Roosevelt Disclosed His Scheme in His
Provincetown Address.

has at last disclosed his scheme for cen
trallzation at which he has limited II
former speeches. In his Provincetowl
MasS.) address. he proposes the ma
tional incorporation Of railroads anG
other corporations engaged in interstate
commerce. He says:
Most large corporations do bust
ness that is not confined to any one
State. Experience has shown that the
effort to control these corporations by
mere State action can not produce
wholesome results In most cases such
effort fails to correct the real abuses OF
which the corporation is or may be
guilty: while III other cases the effort is
apt to cause either hardship to the cor
poration itself. or else hardship to neigh
boring States which have not tried to
grapple with the problem III the same
manner: and of course. we must be as
scrupulous to safeguard the rights OF
the corporations as to exact from them
in return full measure of Justice to the
public
Il believe i'll d national Incorporation
law for corporations engaged i'll inter
state business. believe. furthermore.
that the need for action Is most pressing
as regards those corporations which. be
CauSc they are common carriers, excr-
else quasi public function: and which
can be completely controlled. III all re
spects. by the Federal government, by
the exercise OF the power conferred I'M
der the interstate commerce clause. and.
if necessary. under the postroad clause,
of the Constitution.
During the last few years we have
taken marked strides III advance along
the road of proper regulation of these
railroad corporations. but we must not
stop in the work The national govern
ment should exercise over them a SIM
liar supervision and control to that
which it exercises over national banks.
We can do this only by proceeding far
Their along the lines marked out by the
recent national legislation
Here is the secret--it is out at last.
The States are annoying the corpora
tlons and the corporations demand Fed
eral protection from State legislation.
The President thinks that action is
most pressing as regards those corpora
lions which, because they are common
carriers, exercise a quasi public tulc-
ton / he States have been enacting
two-cent fare laws and laws reducing
freight rates and the railroad managers
demand that they shall BE relieved from
further fear of such legislation. | he
Presidents Hamiltoniail ideas make him
an easy victim and he yields to the en-
treaties OF the railroads.
If it was the public he sought to pro
tcct he would recommend Federal rem
edies which would not Interfere with the
State dies-but it is the railroad.
not the public that demands the removal
of authority to Washington,
The Democrats can be depended upon
to oppose with all their might this move
ment toward Capitalization. If any Dem
ocrat wavers his constituents should
look into his business relations and see
whether he is under obligations to the
railroads. A Hamltonian Republican,
like the President. may honestly think
that the farther the government is re-
moved from the people the better it will
be, but d Jeffersonian Democrat does not
cherish any such delusion. Even the
Hamiltonian Republican ought to hest
tate to trust Congress with any more
power while the United States senators
are elected by legislatures.
1t is fortunate that the people have ha i
an object lesson so recently. The Federal
law stopped rebates and passes, but the
railroads make more money than they
did before. The States. OIL the other
hand gave the people reduction i'll
rates and those who are receiving the
benefit OF these reductions will be slow
to surrender the advantage thus far
gained.
1t is very doubtful whether the Re
publican congressman from the West
will dare to support the President
but if an attempt Is made
o put such measure through Congress
he Democrats will stand good chance
If retiring every Western Republican
who votes for it. Let the Democrats
present an unbroken front on this vital
EIIDEE ADACDA DIG