The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-02-15

Justice may continue to be, what IL now
Is. in very fact the department of jus
tice, where so far as our ability per-
mits Justice is melted out with an even
weak and strong. Moreover there
should be no delay in experimenting the
laws now on the statute books by the
enactment of further legislation as
outlined in the message ] sent to the
congress on its assembling. Under the
existing laws much, very much. has
been actually accomplished during the
by actual experience that they can be
enforced against the wealthiest cor
poration and the richest and most pow
corporation, as vigorously and fearless
ly as against the humbiest offender.
Above all; they have been enforced
agents Of wrongdoers who have for
so many years gone scot-free and
ffouted the laws with IMMUNITY,
against great law-defying corpora;
within the last half dozen years have
treated themselves and have expected
others to treat them as being beyond
It is especially. necessary to secure to
the representatives of the national gov
eminent full power to deal with the
great corporations engaged In inter .
great interstate common carriers. Our
people should clearly recognize that
while there are difficulties in any
dealing with these great corporations.
these difficulties must be faced, and one
of three courses followed. The first
course is to abandon all effort to over
see and control their actions In the in
terest of the general public and to per-
nit return to the utter lack of con-
troll which would obtain II they were
one moment believe that our people
would tolerate this position. The ex-
traordinary growth OF modern indus
trialism has rendered the common law,
ed to deal with totally different condi-
tfons, in many respects inadequate to
deal with the new conditions. These
shackle cunning as in the past we have
shackled force. The vast individual
and corporate fortunes. the vast COM
binations of capital, which have marked
tenn. create new conditions. and neces-
state change from the old attitude
OF the state and the nation toward the
rules reg9lating the acquisition and
erty. in order both that property may
the same time those who hold it may
Talks Of Financial Stress.
I'VE have Just passed through two
months of acute financial stress. At
tirely innocent people suffer from no
fault of their own; and every one must
feel the keenest sympathy for the
honest investors Of honest wagework-
ers, who suffer because involved In q
crash for which they are in no way
responsible. AT such time there IL
a natural tendency on the part of many
men to feei gloomy and frightened at
the outlook; but there is no justifica-
ton for this feeling. There is no ma
ours 81 eoue ef WE sha suc
ceed Ours is a nation of masterful
energy, with continent for its domain,
and It feels within its veins the thrill
they possess the future. We are not
cast down by the fear of failure. We
are upheld by the confident hope of ul-
list are TO be corrected; but they in no
way Justify doubt as to the final OUT
come, doubt as to the great material
prosperity OF the future. or Of the lofty
that prosperity. as foundation. No
misdeeds done In the present must be
permitted to shroud from our eyes the
cause of this very fact it behooves us
never to swerve from our resolute pur-
pose to cut out wrongdoing and uphold
Seievs tb bsn tb 40 mot FOR
istration have brought on business dis
tress: SO far as this is due to local and
not World-Wtde causes, and to the ac-
tons of any particular individuals, Il
Is due to the Speculative folly and ma
grant dishonesty of few men of great
wealth. who seek to shield themselves
from the effects of their own wrong
doing by ascribing its results to the
actions Of those who have sought to
put stop to the wrongdoing. But IL
e were true that to cut out rottenness
from the body polite meant a mo-
check to an unhealthy
seeming prosperity, I should not for
to the corruption. On behalf OF all
our people. on behalf no less Of the
honest man of means than of the hon.
est man who earns each days liveli- |
hood by the days sweat of his brow. IL
Is necessary to insist upon honesty in |
business and in politics alike. in all |
walks of life. in big things and in little
between man and man. Those who |
demand this are striving for the right |
IN the spirit of Abraham Lincoln" said |
In v1ol, ct /