Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-01

ministered as they are now being id
mlnistered, so that the department Of
Justice may continue to be. what 1t
now is. IN very fact the department OF
Justice where, so far as our ability per-
nlits. justice Is inetcd out with an even
hnnd To great and small. fich and poor.
weak and strong. Moreover. there
should he no delay In supplcmcntlng
the laws now on the statute books by
the enactment OF further Legislation MS
outllneG In tue message sent to the
congress OH It's assembling. Under the
existing laws much, very much. has
been actually accomplished during tho
past six years. ana It has been shown
by actual experience TINT they cnn be
enforced against the wealthlest corpo-
ration and the richest ana most power
Iul manager or manipulation OF that
corporation rs vigorously and fearless
~ MS against the humblcst offender
Above MI they have been enforced
against the very wrongdoers and
agents of wrongdocrs who have for so
many years gone scot free and iioutcd
the laws with impunity. against great
law defying corporations OF immense
wcnlth which until within the last half
dozen years have trentcd themselves
and have expected others to treat them
MS being beyond and above all possible
check from law.
Three Courses Open to Government.
1t IL especially necessary to secure
to the representatives OF the national
government full power TO deal with The
nrput In, i,,t,
state commerce and, above all with
the great Interstate common carriers
Our peoplc should clearly recognize
that, while there are dinicnltlcs In any
course OF conduct to he followed in
dealing with these great corporations.
these difficulties must be faced and
one of three courses followed
The first course Is to abandon nil cf-
fort TO oversee and control their ac-
lions In the interest OF the general
public anu TO permit return to the
utter lack of control which would oh.
tain if they We're loft to the common
law. do not Tor ono moment believe
that our people would tolerate this pc.
si,ion, The extraordinary growth of
modern lnd4stglgllsm Inns rendered the
common law, which grew up under
aud Mas adapted "a deal with toutliv
different conditions, In many respects
Inadequate to deal with the new con
ditons. These new conditions make
Unnecessary TO shacklc cunning as in
The past we have shucliled force. The
vast Individual aud corporate fortunes,
the vast combinations of capital which
have marked the development of our
industrial system, create new condl-
tions and neccssitnte Il change from
the old attitude OF the state and the
nation toward the rules regulating the
acquisition and untrnmmcled bnslness
use Of property In order both that
property may lie adequately protected
and that ut the same time those who
hold 1t may be prevented from wrong
doing
State or Federal Regulation7
The second and third courses are to
have the regulation undertaken either
by the nation or by the states. or
course In any event both the national
government and the several state roy.
crnncnts must do each its mart. and
each can do II certain amount that the
other cannot 10. while the only really
satisfactory results must be obtained
by the representatives of the national
and state governments working hearth
ly together within their respective
spheres. But III my Judgment thor.
onShsong and satisfactory control can
In the end only lie obtained by the ac-
ton OF the national government, for
almost all the corporations OF enor
mons wealth tia. Is. the corporations
which 1t Is especially desirable to con.
trol-are engaged in interstate, com.
mcrcc and derive their power and
their Importance not from that portion
of their business which Is lnirhstate.
hut from the Interstate business Ii liz
poTcas; always IL decide Just where
the line OF demarcatioi between the
two Kinds o' business falls This line
must ultimately be drawn by tho fed
eral courts Much OF the effort 10 So
cure adequate contro' OF the great cor.
porntions hS state action has been
wise aud effective. but much OF II hns
peen neither, for when the effort Is
made To accomplish by tile action of
the state what can only he accom-
plished by lie action NJ the nation the
result can only he disappointment. ami
IN the end the law will probably he
declared unconstitutional So. likewise
In the national arena. we who beliey,.
In the measures herein advocated arc
hampered ana not aided by the OK
tremists who advocate action so vic.
lent that it would either be useless or
else would cause more mlschc. than it
wonld remedy.
In recent letter from learned
judge of the supreme court OF one of
the r-nlf Si-lIns tLn .....lL.-