Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-05-21
A BOSTON EXAMPLE
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT CALLS AT.
TENTlON IN MESSAGE.
New England Steel Combine CinCh City
OF Boston. The President Uses
Straight Language Regarding a
State of Affairs That Require S
Federal Legislation.

The president in his recent mes
sage gives an illustration of trust
methods. He tells of Boston's expe-
rience with combination which Sc
cured control of the market. He
says:
ALLEGATIONS are often made to the
effect that there is no real need for
these laws looking to the more eff
fective control of the great corpora
tions, upon the ground that they will
do their work well without such con-
troll. | call your attention to the ac-
companying copy of a report just
submitted by Mr.. Nathan Matthews,
chairman of the finance commission,
to the mayor and city council of Bos-
ton, relating to certain evil practices
of various corporations which have
been bidders for furnishing to the
city iron and steel. This report
shows that there have been extensive
combinations formed among the va
rious corporations which have busi-
ness with the city of Boston, includ-
ing, for instance, carefully planned
combination, embracing practically
all the firms and corporations engag-
ed in structural steel work in New
England. This combination included
substantially all the local concerns,
and many of the largest corporations
in the United States, engaged in man
ufacturing or furnishing structural
steel for use in any part of New Eng
land; it affected the states, the cities
and towns, the railroads and street
railways, and generally all persons
in that section of the country. AS
regards the city of Boston, the COM
bination resulted in parceling out the
work by collusive bids, plainly dis
honest and supported by false affir-
nation.
81 have submitted this report to
the department of justice for thor
ough investigation and for action II
action shall prove practicable
Surely such state OF affairs as
that above set forth emphasizes the
need of further federal legislation,
will secure, but above all because this
federal action should be part, and a
large part, of the campaign to waken
our people as a whole to lively ana
effective condemnation of the low
standard of morality implied in such
conduct on the part of great business
concerns. The first duty OF every
man is to provide a livelihood for
himself and for those dependent upon
him: it is from every standpoint de-
sirable that each of our citizens
should endeavor by hard work and
honorable methods to secure Tor MIN
and his such competence as Will
carry with it the opportunity TO en-
joy in reasonable fashion the COM
forts and refinements of life; and,
furthermore, the man of great busl-
ness ability who obtains fortune IN
upright fashion inevitable in so do
ing confers benefit upon the COM
munity as a whole and is entitled to
reward, to respect, and to admiration.
But among the many kinds Of evil,
social. industrial and political, which
it is our duty as a nation sternly to
combat, there is none at the same
time more base and more dangerous
than the greed which treats the plain
and simple rules of honesty with Gym
ical contempt if they interfere with
making a profit; and as nation we
can not be held guiltless If we con-
done such action. The man who
breaches hatred of wealth honestly
acquired, who inculcates envy and
jealousy and slanderous i'll will TO-
ward those of his fellows who by
thrift, energy and industry have be-
come men of means, is menace to
the community"
This is splendid illustration OF
the manner in which the public is
robbed by private monopoly. 1t is
time that the private monopoly was
exterminated, for it's determination,
instead Of destroying business, Will
revive business and at the same time
relieve the public from one of its
menaces.