Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-03

rate organization are now so large, and
vest such power I'm those that WELD
them, as 10 make Il q matter OF ncccs-
sity TO give to the soVerClgn-that Is,
To the government which represents
the people as "a Wholesome effective
power OF supervision over their Corpo-
rate use In order to insure "a healthy
social and Industrial life, every big cor
poration should be held responsible by
and be accountable TO- svino sovereign
strong enough 10 control It's conduct. ]
am IN no sense hostile To corporations.
This Is an age Of combination, and any
effort to prevent an combination Will be
not only useless. but In the end vicious,
because Of the contempt for law which
the failure TO enforce law inevitably
produces. We should. moreover recOg-
nize I'm cordial and ample fashion the
immense good effected by corporate
agencies In a country such as ours, and
the wealth OF intellect energy. and f.
deity devoted 20 their service, and
therefore normally 20 the service Of the
public. by their officers and directors
The corporation has come TO stay just
as the trade union has come to stay
Each can do and has done great good.
Each should be favored so long as 1T
does good. But each should Doe sharply
checked where It acts against law and
justice
The makers OF our nation
al Constitution provided especially that
the regulation Of Interstate commerce
should come within the sphere Of the
general government The arguments I'm
favor OF their taking this stand wero
even then overwhelming. But they are
FAR stronger today, I'm view of the enor-
nous development Of great business
agencies. usually corporate iu form.
Experience has shown cOnclusivcy that
a. Is useless 10 try 90 get any adequate
regulation and supervision Of these
great corporations by state action. such
regulation and supervision can only
bc effectively exercised by a sovereign
whose jurisdiction is coeXtensive with
the field Of work OF the corporations
that Is, by the national government l
believe that this regulation and super
vision can be obtained by the enactment
OF law by the Congress.
Our steady aim should be by legislation,
cautiously and carefully undertaken,
but resolutely perseverod In, 10 assert
the sovereignty of the national govern
ment by affirmative action
NO REAL INNOVATION.
"This IS only in form an innovation
In substance Il is merely a restoration.
for from the earliest time such regula-
tion OF Industrial activities has been
recognized in the action OF the law
making bodies and all that propose IS
60 meet the changed conditions In such
manner as win prevent the common
wealth abdicatng the power 81 has al
ways possessed, not only In this coun- /
try but .also in England before and
since this country became a separate
nation.
LAWS ONLY NEGATIVE.
1T has been a misfortune that the IA
tional laws on this subject have hith- I
eric been Of a negative or prohibitive /
rather than an Affirmative kind, and /
still more that they have In part sought |
TO prohibit what could not be effective I
IS prohibited, and have I'm part In their l
prohibitions COMPOUNDED what should be /
allowed and what should not be al I
lowed II is generally useless 10 try 10 |
prohibit all restraint on competition.
whether this restraint be reasonable I
or unreasonable and where Il is not /
useless Il is generally hurtful i
The successful prosecution OF one de- !
vice 10 evade the law Immediately de- I
vclOps another device to accomplish the I
same purpose What As needed Is not
sweeping prohibition Of every arrange
ment, good or bad. which may tend 10
restrict competition but such adequate
supervision and regulation as viii pre-
vent any restriction OF competition
from being 10 the detrment Of the pub
Tic. as well as such supervision and reg.
ulation as viii prevent other abuses I'm
no way connected with restriction Of
competition"
] have called your attention I'm these
quotations 10 what , have already said
because I am satisfied that lt Is tho
duty Of the national government TO em-
body I'm action the principles thus ex-
pressed.