Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-04

partial hold, though limiting his at
tention to public utility corporations.
Gov. Deneen is moving in illinois,
These movements are in the right
spirit. They show that underneath the
present combustion something practic-
able SIS stirring the winds that
are now whirling may settle soon into
steady forward forces. .s
But the steady forward forces win
not effectively set III until these we'll,
intentioned but sporadic efforts swell
into "a uniform national movement.
The corporation. to be genuinely re-.
formed, must be reformed everywhere.
It will do little good to have reformed
corporations in New York, while the
free and easy corporations Of New
Jersey remain. + The reform in all
essential respects must be uniform
throughout the nation and the states;
and this will not come until some ma
tional organization, embodying public
opinion on the subject, resolves in
earnest that the corporation-the le-
gal embodiment of the country's in
dustry-shall be genuinely reformed,
that it may embody also the nations
spirit of democracy and fair play;
and then obtains the mandate of the
people to frame a corporation policy,
both for the states and the nation,
that will carry that resolve into exc.
cution 5gs
Events now transpiring, events up
permost in the discussions Of the hour,
seem to make this the time to set that
national movement on foot. In many
state legislatures bills have been in
troduced regulating local railroad
matters, and in some Legislatures such
bills have been passed. With q few
exceptions these bills are not the re-
suit OF inquiry into the cost; of ser
vice; are not founded on any judg-
ment other than the general Judgment
of the legislators that the thing done
is popular thing to do. Whether
such proposed regulation on careful In
CURRY will stand The test ofs reason.
ableness, or whether it will prove con-
fiscatory, I do not know. The rail
road corporations say that in it's ap-
plication to many lines, it would prove
confiscatory and there appears to be
disposition among railroad corpora.
tons to appeal fromsthese actions Of
the states. ss3ss
! That appeal. so. far as Interstate
railroads are concerned, should ii my
Judgment be given calm and careful
hearing; not on the ground that, as a
matter Of fact, rates named by the
states are unreasonable; but on the
ground that what regulation by way Of
rate making is reasonable, even be-
i tween points not in the same state;
that the inquiry raised is an inquiry
| Of national concern, to be settled in
1.-The nations tribunals.
Mr. Hartman in recent inter-
| view, ,yoicing | have no doubt the judg-
! ment 8of other railroad men, appeals
| also to the nation to modify the Sher-
man antitrust act, to the extent that
that act prohibits railroads from MAX
ing contracts respecting the distribu-
ton Of their freight That appeal, i
think too, ought to be heard, and
calmly discussed; for if such arrange
ment would cheaper the cost of trans
tportation. and can be so adjusted as
to benefit the publ as well as the rail-
road corporations, there can emo rea-
SON the railroad always being sub
ject to regulation by government
why a false Or Wasteful system should
i be kept up.
But when the railroad corporations
thus appeal to the nation for protec.
| ton against what they deem ill-con.
sidered or hasty legislation BY the
people Of the states; and when they
iappeal to the nation to think over
anew, the justice or advisability 81
APPLYING antitrust restrictions to cor
4 porations that are under the regula
ton Of government, it is fitting that the
case Of the people against the corpora
tons should also be heard that the
appeal should be SO rounded out thai
itwould settle. finally and comprehen
sively. the relations Of the corpora
tons to the people Of the country;
for, after all, 1t was not the personal
wealth of Mr.. Hartman or MI. Still
man, Or their predecessors in financial
strategy. that built these roads !; it was
by the wealth Of the middle Americana
i loaned to these men through the finan
cial institutions OF the country. tina,
the roads were built. 1t will NOT BE-
the wealth 81 Mr. Hartman Or Mr.
stillnaan, or their successors, that viii
extend these roads. on rehahilstate
4 them were the weaff /. ~ n Z 81 II 4 Il