The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-09-26
STATES RIGHTS
GOV. FOLKS PLEA.
OMMONWEALTHS MAKE GREAT
CORPORATIONS AND SHOULD
GOVERN THEM, HE SAYS.
SEES GENERALIZATION PERIL.
Uncovering of Official and Business Cor
ruption Not Detriment but an Aid
to American Prosperity.

]
I cial. Gov. Joseph Folk of Missouri at
the Missouri day celebration at the eX'
position today pointed out as a peril the
tendency toward Capitalization Of the
American government and declared for
state rights particularly in regard to
dealing with dishonest corporations with
in its limits.
The states created the corporations,
he said. Shall they be denied the con
troll Of their creatures?'
This is the greatest nation in the
world. 1t is great because it is nation
of self governing states. Let us keep II
So for its decline will commence when
the self government of the states, the
fountain hcat of its strength, il taken
away.
Folk Sees More Prosperity.
Gov. Folk ulso declared that the pun
ishment of guilty corporations was not
depressing and he said he saw greater
prosperity ahead.
Gov. Folk said in part:
The magical age III which we live is
the result OF the idea that the liberty
Of the individual is a right, not a priv
iIcgc, The nearer we keep TO this idea.
the more real progress we shall make,
and the further we get from it, the more
removed we shall be from the ideal re
public, towards which those who believe
in the liberty Of the individual as Il right,
not as privilege, are striving.
Liberty as Il right of the individual,
not a privilege, does not mean that each
person may do as he pleases without
limitation. The liberty that was guar
unteed by the founders of this govern
m"nt is liberty under the law.
Nations Future Brightest.
The greatest enemy to the liberty
Of the individual is privilcgc-the priv
lcge Of laWlessness, the privilege con
fcrrcd by law and the privilege of
monopoly. There has been a great
awakening Of the public conscience dur
Ing the past few years as to the privi-
lcge Of IaWleSsnCsS. This public CON
science goes marching on day by day
correcting some evil; day after day
rcmcdylng some wrong.
There are some who see danger to
our institutions in the agitation resulting
from the exposures of wrong doing III
official and business life. TO my mind
the hope for the pcrprtulty of this GOV
eminent by the people was never bright
"r than now. This awakening Of the
public conscience does not proceed from
spirit Of discomfort, but comes from
the quckcuIug Of the moral sense Of the
average individual. 1t is simply a de
termination TO stamp out the stains OF
diShUnor in public life and the things
that Cypress in private life. firm re
solve that the government shall be repre-
sentative of the liberty of the people
not Of the privilege of special inter
ests, The great combinations of CAPT
tai that have grown up in the past few
years require strictCr rules of regula-
ton as to their conduct than were need
ed in years gone by in relation to indi-
yidual action. In exposing and prose.
cutting the wrong doing OF these aggre-
cations Of wealth the liberty Of the
average individual is being protected
Those whose business methods will not
right to complain. If they persist in
wrongdoing and are hurt, they are not
injured by the people, but by the wrong
which they do.
States Duty and It's Right
in the fight against the privilege of
lawlcssncss there have arisen questions
between the federal and state govern
mcuts rs to the consideration of the
powers Of each. If the people of the
states cannot be trusted to enact valid
laws with respect to corporations hy
what process If reasoning can il be as
sumcd that they have the capacity 10
lcglSlatc for the individual citizen. The
states create the corporations shall they
be denied the control of their creatures
The regulation of Interstate commerce
must necessarily be by the FEDERAL gov
Crnmcut; but as to commerce within the
states, it is the right and duty of the
state TO regulate it, In ordinary lines Of
business, competition can be trusted TO
regulate prices and protect the people.
With a monopoly, however, the law must
supply the regulation which in the ease
OF enterprises open to all is furnished
by competition. Railroads are necessary
TO the Development Of our vast resources.
and are entitled 20 fair treatment the
same rs Individuals. But mrcstrninrd
their power to iiX rates is the power
10 tax, and the power to tax is the power
to destroy.
The danger to the integrity of the
states can best hc checked by the states
exercising their rights of self-govcrnmcnt
IN the enactment of good laws, aud en-
forccmcnt of those laws. The states
that allow their self-govcrnment to be
spread out and dissipated among many
subdivisions, until it becomes so weak
as to mean but little, are dong much to
aid in the plan of those who argue for
more centralized government at the
nations capital
States Great as Nation
This is the greatest nation in the
world. but it Is no greater than the states
that compose it. 1t is great because il
is nation of self governing states Let
us keep it SO, for it's decline will com
mcnce when the Sclf-goycrumcut of the
states, tn" fountain of its strength, is
taken away.
In constructing this great govern.
mont. our forrfHthers exercised n wis
dom unsurpassed in the annals of man
kind. They founded a government guar
antcoing rights to the individual never
obtained or exercised 10y aay other PEG
pie They fought in order to give rs
this nation with its blessings of freedom
II is for 10 20 preserve it ms govern
mcnt Of the people, for the people and
by the people
Coy. Folk held n public reception ut
the close of the speech and after an Of.
fetal luncheon reviewed Il great mill