New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-17
COCHRAN HAS PANACEA.
TO CURE CORPORATE ILLS.
No Attack on Mayor at Tammdny
Meeting, but ". BOurke Talks.

many Hall prescribed last night remedies Tot TWO
public complants-the predatory productions
of corporate power and the laws delays For
the first he would have the government name
director in every board Of directors of a cor
poration using a public franchise the govern
rnent's representative being the highest public
official in the territory occupied by the corpora
ton.
The employees should also name one Of the d.
rectors. he said. but the capital invested in the
corporation should control and name the major
ity OF the directors.
In practical working out this would give the
President the naming of a representative in
every interstate corporation, the Governor the
naming of director in every so-called state
corporation and the Mayor similar prerogative
in strictly local instances. Labor would also
have a representative in every board Of d.
vectors.
For the laws delays Mr.. Cochran would reor-
ganize Jurisprudence and have the state consti-
tuition compel the adjudication of simple issues
within fifteen thirty days all decisions 10 be
given with the greatest prOmptness, opinions II
any. TO follow at the convenience Of the court.
II there are an insufficient number OF judges
now commissions should be appointed. He said
that this district should have five appellate de-
partments TO clear up the calendars The Court
OF Appeals should not be allowed TO exceed three
months in which dispose OF the weghtlest
questions. and the decisions OF that court should
be given In advance of their written opinions
All day yesterday the air was full Of rumors
OF an attack TO be made by the Tammany or
ganization on Mayor Mcclellan. Nothing OF the
kind took place at the meeting Of the Tammany
General Committee In the evening Instead OF
wars and rumors Of wars the braves heard a
dlsuuisition from DR.. Cochran on the ills OF gov
eminent II was hot inside the wigwan, and
the faithful did not take kindly to doctrines,
many OF them departing in the middle of MI
Cockrans speech.
After Thomas f Smith had read the code
of rules which the old one brought forward
for readoption he read the set of resolutions
written by Mr. Cochran. starting of with the
following we'll known Cockranian platitude;
The Democracy OF the city and county of New
York assembled IN general committee at Tammany
Hall reafirms the definition OF Democracy en-
bodied In the resolutions adopted by this organ
ization on the 18th OF March. 1895. and made the
party platform by the last Democratic State Con
vention. believing Democracy as there declared 10
be but the application 20 political institutions OF
the Injunction laid the first man. that in the
sweat OF their brows he and all his Posterity must
eat their bread. by the establishment Of govern
nent FOR the sole purpose Of assuring every man
thu right 10 cat In peace all the bread produced In
the sweat OF his brow. 10 enjoy in security
all the property created by the labor Of his own
hands. and OF preventing any man from eating one
crumb produced in the sweat OF another mans
brow, taking single thing produced by the
labor Of another mars hands. etc.
The Public Service Commission does not suit
Mr.. Cochran and he said so in the following
words:
We denounce the recent state legislation provfd-
ing for boards OF public utilities commissioners as
an honest attempt to supervise and control public
service corporations In the interest OF the people
but as n cunning attempt deceive the public
conscience by pretended compliance with the de
mand OF the Democratic platform for the estab-
the actual cost OF operating all public service
pOratons and o fix from time time reasonable
community Will always be permitted 10 share
all benefits flowing from economies and improve
ments IN administration"
We denOunCe this legislation sCandalOus and
cynical violation OF morals. because telephones have
been deliberately excluded from its provisions We
denounce II as undemocratc- because II clothes the
state government with power to supervise and reg
uate enterprises essentially local in their opera
tlons and which therefore should have been left
subject control and regulation by local authOri-
ties.
which II creates have been constituted that
member of the IabOring masses has been admitted
TO their membership, and the task or curing cor
porate rascality has been confided 70 corporate
agents.
Coming 10 the question of the regulation OF
corporations. Mr. Cochran laid down the follow
ing principles:
We hold that in every public franchise whose
operations intrusted 70 private agencies there
are three principal interests: First, the community
for whose benefit II Is chartered second the capt
tai employed IN IT, and third the labor by which
the operation is effected
The community Is entitled to the best service
consistent with security of the private property
through which the franchise ia operated; the capt.
tai is entitled TO absolute safety. and safety OF
capital includes the right 10 reasonable profit
The actual operation, in the nature OF things.
be controlled by tho stockholders. or otherwise
II would be impossible 10 enlist private capital in
such enterprises. But the community. having a
vital interest In the result of such control IS en-
titled know at all times just how It is exercised
Speaking to the resolutions. Mr.. Cochran said
that from the Tammany Hall platform twenty
years ago came the first suggestion for govern
ment control of public utilities He said he did
not object to the Republicans stealing Demo-
cratic ideas if II resulted in good to the public
The public service law sure to be inefficient.
he thought. because it framed that it's
enforcement would be sporadic and capricous
instead of universal
If the government had the right to examine
corporation. Mr.. Cochran thought il had
the right to examine all. Then he enunclated
his ideas by saying that where a corporation
operating under public franchise its
directorate should contain the President Gov
ernor or Mayor, as the case might be- according
to the scope of the business of the corporation
or the direct representative of the highest ofa-
Cials
In closing Mr. Cochran said:
We We're told by some of the nevspapers that the
object OF this meeting for this organization 10
seek the satisfaction OF personal animosties. The
answer OF this organZa ton those stories IS this
dehverance for the welfare of the whole common
wealth | say for myself that / am authorized nv
every responsible leader of this organization To
say that whoever accepts the principle OF these
resolutions Is the political associate OF every one
OF us, even though personally would not care
TO shake his hand
This little thrust may have been meant for
the Mayor and his friends, and 1t may not