The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-12-10


with the new relations that arise
from the mutuallsm, the interdepen-
dence OF our time. Every new social
relation begets a new type of wrong
doing - of sin, to use an old-fash-
ioned word--and many years ALWAYS
elapse before society is able to turn
this sin into crime which can be ef-
fectively punished at law. During
the lifetime of the older men now
alive the social relations have
changed far more rapidly than In the
preceding two centuries. The i'm
mense growth of corporations, of
business done by associations. and the
extreme strain and pressure of mod
ern life. have produced conditions
which render the public confused as
to who its really dangerous foes are I;
and among the public servants who
have not only shared this confusion.
but by some of their acts have In
creased 1t, are certain judges. Marked
inefficiency has been shown in dealing
with corporations and in re-settling
the proper attitude to be taken by the
public not only toward corporations,
but toward labor, and toward the So
cial questions arising out of the fac
tory system, and the enormous
growth of our great cities.
The huge wealth that has been ac-
cumulated by few individuals of re-
cent years, in what has amounted to
a social and industrial revolution. has
been as regards some of these indi-
viduals made possible only by the i'm
proper use OF the modern corporation.
certain type of modern corpora
xui 4
many Issues of securities, and its con-
slant consolidation with allied under
takings, finally becomes an instru-
ment so complex as to contain a
greater number of elements that, un-
der various judicial decisions, lend
themselves to fraud and oppression
than any device yet evolved In the hu-
man brain. Corporations are neces-
sary instruments OF modern business.
They have been permitted to become
a menace largely because the govern
mental representatives of the people
have worked slowly in providing for
adequate control over them.
The chief offender in any given
case may be an executive, a Leglslat
ure or a Judge Every executive head
who advises violent, instead Of grad
ual, action. or who advocates ill-con-
sidered and sweeping measures of re-
form Especially If they are tainted
with vindictiveness. and disregard for
the rights of the minority is particu-
larly blameworthy. The several leg
islatures are responsible for the fact
that our laws are often prepared with
slovenly haste and lack of considera-
tion. Moreover. they are often pre-
pared. and still more frequently
amended during passage, at the sug-
gestion of the very parties against
whom they are afterward enforced.
Our great clusters of corporations,
huge trusts and fabulously wealthy
multimillionaires, employ the very
best lawyers they can obtain to pick
flaws in these statutes after their
passage. but they also employ a class
of secret agents who seek, under the
advice of experts, to render hostile
legislation innocuous by making 1t
unconstitutional. often through the
insertion of what appear on their face
to be drastic and sweeping provisions
against the interests of the parties
inspiring them; while the dema-
gogues, the corrupt creatures who in
troduce blackmailing schemes to
strike" corporations, and all who de-
mand extreme, and undesirably radi-
cal, measures, show themselves to be
the worst enemies of the very public
whose loud mouthed champions they
profess to be.
Real damage has been done by. the
manifold and conflicting interpreta-
tions of the interstate commerce law.
Control over the great corporations
doing interstate business can he ef-
fective only If 1t is vested with full
power In an administrative depart
ment, a branch of the Federal execu-
tive, carrying out Federal law IL
can never be effective II divided re-
sponsibility is left in both the States |
and the Nation: It can never be ef- !
fective II left in the hands of the |
courts to be decided by lawsuits.
In no other nation In the world do |
he courts WELD such vast and far |
-eaching power as in the United |
States. All that is necessary is that
he courts as whole should exercise |
his power with the far sighted wis
iom already shown bv those judges
Who scan the future while they act in
he present. Let them exercise this
sreat power not only honestly and
,rayely. but with wise insight into
he needs and fixed purposes of the
'eople. so that they may do justice.
md work equity. so that they may
'rotect all persons in their rights.
md vet break down the barriers Of
'r1vileEe, which is the foe of right.
The President devotes a long chap
er to the subject of forests, declaring
hat II there Is one duty which more
han another we owe tn our children
nd our children's children. It is to
ave the forests of this country. for
hey constitute the first and most i'm
ortant element in the conservation
I our natural resources.
The Message then turns to inland
Iaterways and maintains that action
Or their Improvement should begin
orthwith. 1t is also urged that all
ur National parks adjacent to Ma
onal forests be placed under the con-
rol of the forest service of the Agri-
Department. | am happy to
ay, continues Mr.. Roosevelt, that |
ave been able to set aside in various
arts OF the country small, we'll
hosen tracts of ground to serve as
anctuaries and nurseries for wild
FEATURES
The Message announces that the
Sc in the arts and industries OF de-
atured alcohol is making fair
rogress and the law making II pos
lble is entitled TO further support
-om the Congress. According to the
resident, the pure food legislation |
as already worked benefit difficult I
} overestimate. In the paragraph on
le Indian service the Message tells
ow 1t has been completely removed