Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-02-28
NE IS OPTIMISTIC
d.. schurman, President Of Cornell
University, Talks Of Some
Present Day Problems.
ADMITS some MONOPOLlES
He Sees Danger In Stolen Fortunes
But Not In Swollen Fortunes
When Tariff Schedules
Are Doomed. '3

birthday was generally observed b.
q suspension of business and appro
pirate ceremonies. The most notable
event In honor of the day was the an
nual dinner Of the Omaha club, al
which the principal speakers were
DR.. Jacob Gould Schurman. president
of Cornell university, Colonel ]. Ham
ilton Lewis, corporation counsel for
the city of Chicago. and G. A. Dick
son, a prominent democratic leader
Of Sioux City, la. John N. Baldwin,
general counsel for the Union Pa
cific was toastmaster. DR.. Schurman
discussed Some Present Day Prob
lems," in part as follows:
Referring to the tendency Of the
present time to the concentration OF
capital and the accompanying danger
Of trade monopoly, DR.. Schurman
said:
Il suppose there is little doubt that
In some industries-not, / think, in
many-monopoly actually exists and
oppression Is actually practiced by
making the public pay extortionate
prices" He added
There are remedies within reach
which may be used at any time.
I'm the first place trusts which are
monopolistic and oppressive may be
deprived Of the advantages which
they now enjoy as a result Of tariff or
other legislation. If any tariff sched-
ule does actually enable trust to
exploit the people for It's own enrich
ment that tariff schedule is doomed,
no matter how much talk there may
be Of the sanclty OF the tariff or the
solemn duty Of standing pat.
"A second remedy is q better reg
ulation of corporations and trusts in
the interests of the public. Perhaps
We may see the big corporations To-
gally enjolned from charging marked
ly different prices for the same COM
modify In different parts of the coun-
try, for the sole purpose Of freezing
out independent rivals"
The speaker then went on to dis
cuss recent revelations Of corrupt
practices in business and official life.
The speaker argued that the fault
lay In the fact that the leaders Of
great industries have not developed
as rapidly In their moral natures as
In their economic and financial ca
pacities. DR.. Schurman did not,
however, consider this hopeless con-
ditlon. Said he:
I'm the ancient world traders and
were despised and associ-
ated with robbers and pirates; but the
merchant of today is one Of the very
best types of our civilization, and In
he modern development Of vast at
airs and high finance l doubt not we
hall ere long see the same control
II moral principal which already
dominates the ancient avenues of
rade and commerce"
The speaker then referred to the
more radical remedies proposed for
xisting evils. He denied that SO far,
he experiments in state and munich
al ownership Of public utilities had
asulted In any appreciable benefit
Though he did not oppose that sys-
en-. He said however:
II dread the Bureaucracy which :
overnment ownership Of American
ailroads (as proposed by W. j.
RYAN, would make inevitable. No
overnment IN the world is qualified
, go into the railroad business and
East Of all the government of the
Inited States, which draYs It's life
'om the party politics and In which
Il administrations are necessarily II,
hort lived" m
The speaker said he could not agree ca
it'll President Roosevelt as to the cl
lreatened danger from swollen for.
ines" -
"The danger l see," said he, comes =. -
ot from swollen fortunes but from M
olen fortunes" Pi