New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-02

amusingly falsifed the predictions both Of those
who asserted that II would ruin the railroads
and OF those 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
unprecedented. a hitherto unheaFd-Of number OF
voluntary reductions in freights and fares by
II must not be supposed. however. that with
the passage OF these laws IL viii be possible to
stop progress along the line Of increasing the
power OF the national government over the use
Of capital and interstate commerce. For ec-
ample. there viii ultimately be need OF enlars-
ing the powers OF the interstate Commerce Com
mission along several different lines. so as TO
give it larger and more efficient control over tbs
railroads.
IL cannot too often be repeated that experiences
has cOncluStvely shown the impOssibiltty Of
curing by the actions Of nearly half hundred
different state legislatures anything but tnef-
fecttve chaos in the way Of dealing with. the
great corporations which do not operate eXclu-
stvely within the limits Of any state. In some
method whether by national license law or in
other fashion, must exercise and at an early
date 1ar more complete contrCl than at pres
ent over these great eOrpOratlOnS-a control Cnac
WILL among other things. prevent the evils Os
excessive OvercapitalizatiOn. and that win COM
pei the disclosure by each big corporation Of It's
stockholders and Of it's properties and business
whether owned directly or through subsidiary
or affiliated corporations This viii tend TO put
a sion TO the securing OF fnOrdfnate profits nv
favored individuals at the expense whether OF
the general public the stOckhOIders or the vrays
workers. Our efforts should be not so much TO
prevent consolidation as SUCH but so 20 SUPER
wise and control IL TO that IL results IN no
harm TO the people.
In enacting and enforcing such legislation as
this Congress already has to its credit we are
working on coherent plan with a steady sn-
deavOr to secure the needed reforms by the Joins
action of the moderate men, the plain men who
do not wish anything historical or dangerous.
but who do intend 70 deal In res0lUtes common
sense fashion with the real and great evils oe
the present system. The reacttouart9S and tna
violent extremists show symptoms OF Joining
usf rs Both TOr hat
If logical should so to government Owner-
ship of railroads and the Ike; the missionaries.
because on such an issue they think the people
would stand with them while the extremists
care rather to preach discomfort and agitation
than TO achieve SOLID results. as z matser OF
fact our position is as remote from that Of q
Bourbon FeactiOnary as from that OF me lmprao-
ticable or sinister visionary. We hold that the
government should not conduct the business Ot
the nation but that IL should exercise such sl-
pervisiOn as will insure It's being conducted IN
the interests OF the nation. Our aim Is SO TAR
as may be. to secure for al decent, hardsworklns
equality OF opportunity and equality OF
burden
the effort to prohibit all combination good or
bad is nOxiOUs where 1t Is not Ineffective. COM
binatiOn Of capital. like combination OF labor, 10
a necessary element or our present industrial
system It IS not possible completely TO pre-
vent it: and II 1t were possible such completes
prevention would do damage 20 the body polite.
What we need Is not Vainly 90 try 20 prevent all
combination. but 20 secure such rigorous and
adequate control and supervision OF the cOmhi-
nations as TO prevent their intuFing the public
or existing IN such form as inevitably 70
threaten injury-fOr the mere fact that a oOnbi-
nation has secured practically complete control
OF a necessary OF Lite would under any circurn-
stances show that such combination was to Do
presumed to be ayerse 70 the public interests.
II is unfortunate that present laws should for
bid all combinations instead Of sharply discrirn-
mating between those combinations which do
good and those combinations which do evil Re-
bates. for instance are often due to the PRESS
ure OF big shippers (aS shown in the In
yestlgatiOn OF the Standard Oil Company, and
has been shown since by the Investigation OF thu
Tobacco and Sugar trusts to the initiative
Of big railroads. Often railroads would like 70
combine for the purpose of preventing a big
shipper from maintaining improper advantages
at the expense Of small shippers and Of the gen.
eral public. Such q combination instead Of be-
ing forbidden by law should be favored In
other words q should be permitted to railroads
were sanctioned BIZ the Interstate Commerce
Commission and were published. With these
conditions complied with. Il Is impossible 70 see
what harm such combination could do TO thu
public at large.