Semi-weekly herald., 1907-11-14
SERVED TO AWAKEN
coNSCiENcES OF MEN.
by VIM Il. Curtis. Correspondent OF
Chicago Recori-Herald.

New York. Nov. LII the crusade
which President Roosevelt has been
leading assinst he corporations has
done nothing more. it has at least
served to awaken the consciences of
many men who control great Industries
and financial interests. and II Will GER
tainly elevate the standard of business
morals in this city and the country at
large.
Most OF the men who manage the
| corporations have high sense of pro-
priety and the desire and intention to
10 right. Everybody who knows them
| personally Is convinced OF that fact,
and If you can get close enough to
them TO gain their confidence they will
| themselves frankly admit that the hab-
its and customs OF Wall street and low
| er Broadway are not exactly what
| they ought to be. In the struggle for
wealth and power. IN the rivalry OF the
| rich and great. these captalns OF in
| dnAtry have done many things that
they would consider repreheusible in
the other and that they would not
want their sons and daughters to know
about. Although there are exceptions
which need not be individualized, the
mass of the money-mad throng in this
modern Babylon are much better men
than they have the credit for being.
and the good they do is much greater
than the evil
AS proof of the assertion that the
crusade of the president has awaken
cd the consciences of the corporations
! submit letter which has accidental
ly fallen into my hands. written by
the head of the United States Steel
corporation, the greatest trust In the
world. to one of his subordinates, the
general manager OF an affiliated cor.
goration which represents a capital OF
more than hundred millions of dol
lars, employs an army Of nearly IT,
600 men, and has an output OF nearly
Sl0O00.0OO worth of manufactured
merchandise every year. This letter
should he read and committed to mem.
ory by every business man In the
country:
My Dear Mr. -: Large corpo.
time in their business experience. The
public are more critical. and this feel
ing is shared by the president AMI his
administration. Among honest and
thoughtful people there is 10 feeling
of hostility to capital or corporations
Antagonlsm is directed to the conduct
OF corporations which is believed to be
wrong / think your effort should be
10 ascertain whether the business OF
your company of every kind. aud in
all places, Is conducted properly, hon
estly and with due regard to the rights
Of others. If In any respect you are
wrong you should get right and keep
right. Your methods of doing business
in every locality should be above re-
proacb. II the public officials are con
vlnced that your company Is following
the standard of justice there will be
no serious trouble.
"Of course, write as an Individual
stockholder and without authority. but
the principal owners OF the corpora
tion are men of high character. who
have never been guilty OF, nor had
any desire to do anything that was
wrong. Therefore | believe they will
expressed.
''It is time for business men OF
wealth and influence who occupy posi-
tlons OF responsibility to unite in rails.
ing somewhat the standard OF business
propriety.
These suggestions are not called for
by any facts have in mind and they
are not at all necessary; but the ideas
think are worthy OF consideration
by all OF us. Sincerely yours,
&c. II. GARY"
Some corporations have souls, and
some have not, as we know by OBJ
seryation and experience. Our presi-
dent tells us that there are good trusts
and bad trusts. and 1t is not difficult
for a safe AMI sane man to classify
them. On the other hand, there are
good trust-busters and bad trust-bust-
ers. and both kinds esn be found In
the office of the attorney general and
| among his subordnates throughout the
country who are commanded by the
supreme power to destroy the dragon
that has already done so much dam
age.