The Washington times., 1908-01-31
Nation Should Control
Great Corporations

1t IS especially necessary to Sc
cure TO the representatives Of the
National Government full power to
deal with the great corporations en-
gagged in interstate commerce, and,
above all, with the great interstate
common carriers. Our people
should clearly recognize that while
there are difficulties in any course
OF conduct to be followed in dealing
with these great corporations, these
difficulties must be faced, and one
OF three courses followed.
The first course is 10 abandon all
eLIoLt 20 oversee and control their ac-
tons IN the interest Of the general public
ana 20 permit a return to the utter lack
or control which would obtain II they
We're left to the common law. I 40
net Tor one moment believe that our
people would tolerate this position The
eNlEaQTdlnary growth of modern indus
ITlallsm has rendered the common law,
which grew up under and was adapted
10 deal with totally -nerent COudi-
lions, In many respects Inadequate 20
deal with the new conditions. These
new conditions make II necessary "a
shackle cunning as in the past we
have ShaCkled force. The vast iudiVid-
combinations Of capital, which have
marked the development Of our indus
trial system, create new conditions, and
necessitate change from the old atti-
tude Of the State and the Nation toward
the rules regulating the acquisition and
Entrammeled business use OF property
in order both that property may be
adequately protected, and that at the
same time those who hold & may be
prevented from wrou-dOiug.
The second and third courses are tC
have the regulation undertaken either
by the Nation or by the States OF
course in any event both the National
Government and the several State gov.
ernmeuts must do each its part and
each can do a certain amount that the
other can not do. while the only really
by the representatives of the NatiOna
and State governments working heartily
together within their respective spheres
But Ia my judgment thOroughgOing
and satisfactory control can in the END
only be obtained by the action of the
National Government, for almost all
the corporations of enormous wealth
that is, the corporations which ii is
especially desirable 10 COntTOl-are en-
gagged in interstate commerce, and
derive their power and their import
ance not from that portion Of their
business which is lntrastate. but from
interstate business. 1t is not easy al
ways 10 decide Just where the line of
dema-CatiOu between the two kinds OF
business falls. This line must be III
tlmately be drawn b. the Federal courts
Much Of the effort to secure adequate
control of the great corporations by
State action has been wise and effective
but much Of IT has been neither; for
when the effort IS made to accomplish
by the action Of the State what car
only be accomplished by the action OF
the nation, the result can only be dis
appointment, and in the end the law will
probably Je declared unconstitutional
So likewise in the national arena, we
who believe IN the measures herein ad-
VOcated are hampereG and not aided
by the extremists who advocate action
so violent that it would either be useless
or else cause more misChRf than il
would remedy.