The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-10-03

their business throughout large sess
tons Of the Union. These corpora.
ttors. HE the industrial conditions
which haye called them Into being,
did exist when the Constitution
was founded; but the wise fore
thought OF the founders provided. un.
der the interstate commerce clause
OF the Constitution, for the very emer.
gency which has arisen. IL only our,
people as whole will realize what
this emergency -; for II the people
thoroughly realize 1t. their govern.
rental representatives viii soon real.
lie 4, also. The National Government
alone his sufficiently extensive powe.
aud Jurisdiction TO exercise adequate
control over the great interstate cor.
PoratloRs. While this thorough sa.
perylsIon and control by the National
Government IS desirably primarily Ill
the interest Of the people. 1t will alsn.
llrmk believe, be to the benefit Of
those corporations themselves which
desire TO be honest and law.abiding.
Only THIS can We put over these cor.
porations one competent and cflcien,
sovereign--the Nation-able both 10
exact justice from them and TO secure
Justice for them. so that they may not
be alternately parhpercd and oppres5-
ed. The proposal need be dreaded
only by those corporations which 80
not wish TO obey the law or to be con.
trOllel in just fashion. but prefer 10
take their chances under the prcspn:
lacE Of all system and to court the
chance of getting improper favors rs
on-setting the chance OF being black.
maiied-au attitude rendered familiar
in the past by those corporations
which has ihriven under certain cor.
rupt and lawlcss city governments.
The first need is to exercise this
Federal control in thoroughgolng and
efficient fashion over the railroads.
which. because OF their peculiar posi.
ton, Offer the most immediate and ur.
fHnf problem. The American people
ahhor vacuum. and is determined
that this control shall be exercised
somewhere; 1t is most unwlsc for the
railroads not to recognize this AMI 10
submit TO # as the first requisite o;
The situation. When this control Is
exercised In some such fashion as II
Is now exercised over the national
banks, there will be no falling OF In
business prosperity. On the contrary.
the chances for the average man to
DO better Nill be increased. Undoubt.
ealy there will be much less opnor.
i9hit'' than At present for very fcw
individuals not OF the most scrupulous
type to :inass great fortunes By snec.
'ilaiin. in and manipulating securities
which are issued without any Kind Of
control or supervision. But there will
be plenty Of room left for ample legiii.
mate reward for business genius
while the chance for the man who Il
not business genius. but who Is \
good. thrifty. Woodworking citizen.
VIII be better, do not believe that
our efforts will have anything but a |
beneficial effect upon the permanent
prosperity of the country: and. as a |
matter Of fact. even MS regards am
temporary effect. think that any
trouble is due fundamentally not To
the fact that the national authorities
have discovered and corrected certain
abuses. but TO the fact TINT those
abuses were there to be discovered. n
think that the excellent people who
have complained OF our policy as hur..
inS business have shown much the |
Same spirit rs the child who regards
the dentist and not the ulceratCl
tooth as the real source Of his woe. |
am as certain rs can be OF anything
mat the course We are pursuing will
Ultimately help business: for the cor.
ruW man Of business is as great
Zoe 10 this country rs the corrupt polI,
tician. Both stand on the same evil
eminencc Of infamy. Against both
IL is necessary to war: and II. unlor.
tunatcly, in either type Of warfare,
lev innocent people are hurt. the re-
sponsibility lies not with us, but with
those who have mIslcd them TO their
hurt.
This is a rapidly growing nation.
on a new continent. and In an era Of
new, complex. and cver.shitting condI.
liens. Often 1t Is necessary to devise
new methods Of meeting these new
conditions. We must regard the pasl.
but We mast not regard only the past. |
We must also think OF the future: anil
while We must learn by experience. |
We can not afford to pay heed merely |
10 the teachings of experience. The
great preached Claiming In his cs.
say on aThn ITnInn" cnotyn ,,.i,h a,,