The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-10-22

Chicago, Oct. 2.-Ihc trust Conici-
,nce OF hte National Civic Federation,
which is to continue for four days. open
I'd here today. About 400 delegates were
,resent and represented AZ states. and also
approximately 20 organizations OF mer-
,antile, civic or municipal character.
That the Sherman antitrust law COM
nits the nation TO policy which Is TOO
utreme and that the time may have come
when the act should be amended in way
o relieve some OF the limitations upon
business activity which the act imposes
vas suggested by President Nicholas Muir
-ay Butler OF Columbia university In an
address welcoming the delegates to the
convention. He said that the purpose or
,uch an amendment would not be so much
% relieve the corporations as the people
themselves. He suggested that 1t might
.hus be possible for the people TO secure
.or themselves the benefits which come
rom cooperative activity, as manifested
n corporations and by agreements be-
:ween corporations. without In any way
essening the protection which all desire
against the evils which have followed up-
On the creation OF great corporations and
upon agreements between them In re-
straint OF trade. He said In part:
CORPORATION GROWTH.
I'VE are here to try to shed light upon
ome OF the most difficult economic and
political problems OF our time. We do not
sxpsct TO solve them, but II Is not too
much to hope that we may contribute
something toward their solution. One of
he most beneficent results or the de-
relopment OF the 10th century was the
apid growth OF the corporation as an in
ltrument for carrying on industry and
,ommerce. Experience has shown us,
,owever. that we have not been entirely
uccessful as yet In adjusting our public
administration and our legal theory 10
he situation which the multiplication and
growth OF corporations has brought about.
Not only has there been. In far too many
cases. a sinister alliance between corpor-
rtions which they serve and those who as
governmental officers were In position Ia
influence the granting OF such privileges
s,it Acorporatiops themselves although the
creatures of the state, have seemed to be
m some ways beyond the power OF the
state TO control and outside the reach OF
hs authority. Particularly Is this true oi
hose most important bodies which are
Known as public service corporations. II
will hardly be denied that the power
which called the corporation into exist
snce must. In self-defence and In order
20 sustain an equitable relation TO every
sitizen, so supervise and control the re-
vice corporation that the latter shall mol
infringe either on the powers OF the state
itself or on the rights and just privileges
pf any Individual citizen.
SIZE NOT RESPONSIBLE.
MY own opinion, which runs counter to
that OF many others TO whom we are
bound to listen with respect Is that moth
Ing Is necessarily TO be feared from cor
poration because OF its size. The charac-
ter of corporation does not depend upon
Its size, but upon the principles and poll
cies which actuate Its management. Cor
porations themselves have no moral quail
tiles; II is corporate officers and managers
who are good or bad honest or dishonest
as the case may be. The problem OF Great
ing and developing a public service cor
poration that truly serves the public Is
simply the problem always and every
where present In our life. OF securing for
positions OF trust and power men who
are not only intelligent. but upright, who
are not only efficient, but honest. IL Is not
combination and cooperation that are to
be feared and antagonized, but only mo-
nopoly and discrimination.
Problems of grave Importance, not only
legal but political in the highest sense,
arise when we attempt to fix the ways
and means by which the government shall
COnlTul d00 SuptTNlet pubiC cciNito eVi-
porations Our constitutional limitations,
our political traditions and past party
differences, and the complex structure OF
our whole governmental system with its
state and national agencies, make the
problem OF governmental control OF cor
There are those who think they see short
and easy methods OF accomplishing the
desired end, but my predictions Is that.
true TO the characteristics of our people.
we shall work out just solution OF these
involved problems. not at one stroke or by
wholly logical processes. but step by step
and after many experiments. and that not
q few unforeseen difficulties will have to
be surmounted or circumvented.
THE SHERMAN LAW.
There is now reason TO believe that
the Sherman antitrust law commits the
nation TO a policy which Is too extreme.
to a policy that In putting an end to GER
tain admitted evils, also puts an end to
certain demonstrable benefits. Many OF
US believe that the act unduly exalts the
principle OF n competltion and fails %
lay due emphasis upon the public beno-
fits which may follow from properly reg
ulated and supervised cooperation. The
distinction between combinations which
are reasonable and may well be permitted
and those which are unreasonable and
must At all hazards be forbidden. Is one
which ought not to be surrendered OF
overlooked. II is q most important ques.
ton, therefore. whether the time has not
order to relieve. not corporations. but tho
people. from limitations upon their bust
ness activity which this act imposes, al.
though In reality they are not necessary
in the public interest. IL is not combina.
tion itself 80 much as II Is unfair discrim.