The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-12-04

receives an exceptional reward for his
ability. Something can be done by leg
islation TO help the general prosperity,
but no such help Of a permanently
beneficial character can be given to the
less able and less fortunate save as the
results of a policy which shall inure to
the advantage Of all Industrious and
efficient people who act deoently, and
this is only another way of saying that
any benefit which comes to the less
able and less fortunate must of neces-
sity come even more TO the more able
and more fortunate. If, therefore, the
less fortunate man is moved by envy
Of his more fortunate brother TO strike
at the conditions under which they
have BOTH though unequaliy. pros
pered, the result VIII aSsuredly
be that while damage may come to
the one struck at, 1t viii visit
with an even heavier load the one who
strikes the blow Taken as q whole
we must all go up or down together.
Energies Badly Used
Yet. while not merely admitting. but
insisting upon this, 1t is also true that
where there is no governmental re-
straint or supervision some OF the ex-
ceptional 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 I'm those
that WELD them as to make It a mat
ter OF necessity TO give to the sovereign
lildL ASs 70 lDc EOfCInIlcult W0lCn
represents the people as whole
some effective power OF supervision
over their corporate use. In order to
insure g healthy social and Industrial
held responsible by and be accounta bic
TO some sovereign strong enough to
control its conduct. ] am in no sense
hostile to corporations. This is an age
OF combination, and any effort to pre-
vent ell combination will be not only
useless, but III the end vicious, because
OF the contempt for law which the fall
ure 10 enforce law inevitably produces.
We should, moreover. recognize in cor
dial and ample fashion the immense
good effected by corporate agencies Ia
a country such as ours. and the wealth
of intellect. energy and fidelity de-
voted to their service. and therefore
normally to the service of the public,
by their officers and directors The cor
pOration 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 be sharply
checked where it acts against law and
Justice.
State Action Useless
.. The makers OF our
national constitution provided espe-
cially that the regulation of Interstate
commerce should come within the
/ sphere OF the general government. The
/ arguments in favor of their taking this
stand We're even then overwhelming
But they are far stronger today. in
view of the enormous development OF
great business agencies usually cor
porate in form. Experience has shown
conclusively that 1t is useless to try
to get any adequate regulation and
supervision OF these great corporations
| by state action. Such regulation and
supervision can only be effectively ex-
ercised by a sovereign whose juris-
dfction is coextensive with the field OF
work of the corporations-that is BY
the national government. believe
that this regulation and supervision
can be obtained by the enactment OF
law by the congress.
Our steady aim should be by legislation
cautiously and carefully undertaken
but resolutely persevered in, TO as
sert the sovereignty OF the nationa.
/ government by Affirmative action.
This is only in form an innovation
| In substance it is merely restoration
for from the earliest time such regu-
Iation of industrial activities has beer
recognized in the action of the law
/ making bodies: and all that / propose
is TO meet the changed conditions IL
such manner as viii prevent the com
monweslth abdicating the power 1t hal
/ always possessed, not only in this coun.
try, but also in England before and since
this country became separate nation