The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-02

OF not Il Few OF our most Nsluablc notivc. mo
} oicnal plants was Gaiocd FROM the Indians,
AS mad" UP b. Improved and exact pro-
ccSses. the "Favorite Prescription " Is n1cst
ehclcnt remedy Cor regulating sll the woE'~
anly functions. correcting displacements. n
prolapsus. artevcrs!or and retorveTsior.
! overcoming painful periods, tonins up the
nerves and tN1Ging about q perfect state ot
health Sold bT ali dealers 50 ,gsdIclneS
/ equally prospered, the result viii assur-
| ediy be. while damage may come to the
/ one struck at, 1t will visit with an even
I heavier load the one who strikes the
blow. Taken as a whole, we must all
| go up or go down together,
Government Is Sovereign.
Yet. while not merely admitting. but
insisting upon this. It is also true that
where there Is no Governmental restraint
or supervision, some OF the exceptional
men use their energies not In ways that
are for the common good. but in ways
which tell against this common good.
The fortunes amaSsed through corporate
organization are now so large and vest
such power in those that WELD them as
to make IL matter OF necessity to give
TO the soyereign--that Is. to the Govern
ment. which represents the people as
wholesome effective power OF super
vision over their corporate use. In order
10 insure a healthy social and industrial
responsible by, and be accountable to-
some sovereign strong enough to control
its conduct. l am in no sense hostile 10
corporations. This is an age OF combina-
tions, and any effort TO prevent all COM
bination will not only be useless, but In
the end vicious. because OF the contempt
for law which the failure to enforce law
inevitably produces. We should, more
over. recognize In cordial and ample
fashion tho immensely good effect by
corporate agencies In a country such
ours, and the wealth OF intellect. energy
and fidelity devoted to their service, and
therefore normally TO the service of the
The corporation has come 10 stay, Just
as the trade union has come to stay,
Each can do and has done great good.
Each should he favored so long as II
does good. But each should he sharply
checked where ii acts against law and
Justice. Experience has shown
conclusvely that it is useless TO try TO
get any adequate regulation and super
vision OF these great corporations by
State action. Such regulation and super
vision car only be effectively exercised
extensive with the field Of work Of the
corporation-that is. by the National
Government.
Congress Should Intervene.
II believe this regulation and supervi-
sion can be obtained by the enactment
should be by legislation. cautiously and
carefully undertaken. but resolutely per-
severed in, TO assert the sovereignty OF
the National Government by affirmative
action. IT has been a misfortune
that the national laws on this subject
have hitherto been OF negative or pro-
and still more that they have in part
sought TO prohibit what could not he ef-
fectively prohibited and have in part I'm
their prohibitions confounded what should
lowed. Ii is generally useless TO try to
prohibit all restraint In competition,
whether this restraint be reasonable or
unreasonable, and where 1t is not use
less II Is generally hurtful
What is needed Is not sweeping prohioi-
ton Of every arrangement good or bad.
which may tend TO restrict competition,
but such adequate supervision and regu-
latlon as Will prevent any restriction OF
competition from being 10 the detrment
OF the public as we'll as such supervision
and regulation as Will prevent other
abuses in no way connected with restric-
tion of competition. OF these abuses per-
haps the chief although by no means the
only one. is italzation-generally
itself the result OF dishonest promotion
because OF the myriad evils IL brings In
Its train. for such capitalize ton Of
ten means an imitation that invites bust
ness panic: il always conceals the true
relations OF the profit earned to the capi-
tai actually invested, and IL creates
burden OF interest payments which is a
fertile cause of improper reduction in or
limitation OF wages. IL damages the small
investor, discourages thrift and encour-
perhaps worst of all Is the thickness and
dishonesty which 1t implies-for harm to
morals lS worse tnafl any possible harm
TO material interests, and the debauchery
OF politics and business by great dlshon-
est corporations is far worse than any
actual material evil they do the public. |
Until the National Government obtains,
In some manner which the wisdom OF
the congress may suggest, proper control |
over the big corporations engaged in in
terState commerce-that Is. over the !
great majority OF the big corporations
It will be impossible to deal adequately
with these evils This power |
10 regulate rates. like all similar powers
over the business world should be ex-
ercised with moderation, caution and self
restraint, but II should exist. so that Il
can be effectively exercised when the
need arises.
Duty of the Government.
II do not believe in the Government
undertaking any work which can with
propriety be left In private hands. But
ninching from overseeing any work when
Il becomes evident that abuses are sure
TO obtain therein unless there is gov
ernmental supervision,
THE best possible regulation OF rates
would, Of course. be that regulation So
cured by an honest agreement between
the railroads themselves to carry out the
FOR instance, at once put a stop 10 the
efforts OF any one big shipper or big |
railroad 20 discriminate against or secure |
advantages over some rival, and such !
agreement would make tho railroads !
themselves agents for enforcing the law !
Tho power vested In the Government 10 |
put stop to agreements 10 the detriment |
OF the public should. In my judgment, be !
accompanied with power TO permit un- |
"A f,t