The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-03
90 FAIRMoNT VIReINIA. MONDAY, DEoEMBER q 1907.


a.#1s
must never blind us to the underly
ing fact that there is this sharing, ant
that the benefit comes in some de
gree to each man concerned. Nor
mally, the wageworker, the man o
small means. and the average consum
er, as well as the average producer
are all alike helped by making condi
tlons such that the man Of exception
al business ability receives an excep
tional reward for his ability. Some
thing can be done by legislation tt
help the general prosperity; but nj
such help Of permanently beneficial
character can be given to q the
less able and less fortunate
save as the results OF pol
Icy which shall inure to the adyan
tage OF all Industrious and efficient
people who act decently; and this Is
only another way Of saying that any
benefit which comes to the less able
and less fortunate must OF necessit,
come even more to the more able
and more fortunate. II, therefore, the
less fortunate man is moved by enY,
OF his more fortunate brother to strike
at the conditions under which they
have both. though unequa!ly, prosper
cd, the result will assuredly be tina,
while damage may come to the one
struck at. 1t will visit with an ever
heavier load the one who strikes the
blow. Taken as a whole, we must al
go up or so down together.
1T has been a misfortune that the
National laws on this subject have
hitherto been Of a negative or prohib
,ftfye rather than an affirmative kind
and still more that they have in part
sought to prohibit what could mot be
effectively prohibited, and have I'm
part In their prohibitions 5confounded
what should be allowed and what
.shoall mot. be allowed. is general
.lys useless. Stos trss TO prohtst. all 3Sre,
straint on competition. whether. this
restraint be Reasonable or unreasona
BILE: and where 1t is not usless It is
generally hurtful. . The success
ful prosecution OF one device to evade
the law Immediately develops .anoth
er device to accomplish the same pur.
pose. What is needed Is not sweep
ing prohibition of every arrangement
good or bad, which may tend to re,
strict competition, but such adequate
supervision and regulation as will pre-
vent any restriction OF competition
from being to the detriment of the
public, as well as such supervision
and regulation as will prevent other
abuses in no way connected with re,
striction OF competition"
I have called your attention in these
quotations to what have already said
because | am satisfied that It is the
duty OF the National Government to
embody in action the principles thus
expressed.
interstate Commerce.
No small part OF the trouble that we
have comes from carrying to an OK,
trenie the national virtue OF self.re.
lance, Of independence in initiative
and action. II is wise to conserve
this virtue and to provide for II full
est exercise, compatible with seeing
that liberty does not become liberty
to wrong others. Unfortunately, this
is the kind of liberty that the lack Of
all effective regulation inevitably
breeds. The founders Of the Consti
tuition provided that the National Gov.
ernment should have complete and
sole control OF Interstate commerce
There was then practically no inter
state business save such rs was con.
Quoted by water, and this the Nation
Oh Government at once proceeded to
regulate In thoroughgoing and effect
I've fashion. Conditions have now SC
wholly changed that the Interstate
commerce by water is insignificant
compared with the amount that goes
by land, and almost all big business
concerns are now engaged In inter
state commerce, as result, II can
be but partially and lmperrectly con
troffed or regulated by the action OF
any one OF the several States; such
action inevitably tending to be either
too drastic or else too lax, and In
either case ineffective for purposes OF
Justice. Only the National Govern
ment can In thoroughgoing fashion ex
erclse the needed control. This does
not mean that there should be any ex
tension OF Federal authority, for such
authority already exists under the
Constitution in amplest and most far
reaching form; but 1t does mean that
there should be an extension Of Fed
eral activity. This Is not advocating
GENERALIZATION. 1t Is merely looking