The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-20
ALL IN SAME BOAT.
Public Interest That Tips 1t En-
dangers Everyone on Board.

Toledo, O.. Nov 19-Judge Peter
Grosscup of Chicago spoke before the
Toledo Transportation club last night.
He said. in part:
approximately one-third of the
property of this country is its farm
lands and their belong ings; one-third
its city real estate and the floating
wealth in the form of bank deposits,
and the remaining third of the coun-
try incorporated property-the manu-
featuring and commercial enterprises
and trainloads and other public
utilities that have taken on corporate
forms
Let us begin them in any study of
the corporate problem, with the
fundamental truth that none of the
interests that make up life of America
can get along without the other in
terests; that no interest can be at its
best unless all others are at their
best. Despite what the agitatorS and
damagogues may say, we are all, so
far as what is called prosperity is
concerned, in the same boat, and that
whoever tips the boat in effort to
throw any one overheard, endangers
the safety of all.
But this does not mean that there
is no corporation problem, or that the
only duty of us is to keep prosperity
going
ct know on every side there are
signs of a return to business activity,
and l would not say one word to re-
press them. / can see how ebull1ent
Wall street is. 1t is not for me, here
tonight, to say one word, either for
or against, the feeling of enthusiasm
But let us not deceive ourselves. The
verdict that the people have just re-
turned is not. as 1 read it, verdict
porate conditions go unamended. The
truth is, in the recent election, no
real issue was made, no real issue
submitted to the people.
I'm my judgment that issue will
take som ething like this form:
''Shan the great and growing
domain remain a mere class posses
sion. as the landed domain on the
other side of the ocean is class
possession, a restricted proprietorship
the people mere retainers, or will it be
raised into a truly national possession,
taking its place alongside the farms
of the country, the savings of the
country, the labor spirit of the coun-
try as a possession of the people and
by the people, the people here, as in
our agricultural domain, individually
the proprietors?
Mr.. Roosevelt has not yet shown
that he comprehended that there is
such an issue; has, not yet shown any
comprehension that it is only by
thorough reconstruction of the cor
poration as a medium of holding
property, that orr corporate past can
be divided from what l trust will be
the country's corporate future and.
possibly, the time is not ripe to frame
or submit that issue. What view Mr..
Taft may take will be interesting to
watch. Mr.. Bryan went straight to
the deep human feeling and the deep
human instinct that lies behind this
deeply human issue when, in his Chi
cago speech, he said: There is a
problem that is not the problem of
today or of yesterday or of tomor-
row. 1t is a problem that has existed
since mans race began and will exist
while time endures. That problem is
the adjustment of reward of society.
Upon the settlement of that problem
Alright depends the future of man
kind but in his platform. Mr.
that would tend, to adjust widely
among the people those permanent
rewards of our national corporate ac-
tiyfty that last when mere wages are
spent and gone"