The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-02-20
Let There Be a
Flood of Light.

- AOSNA ~
Again has the Roosevelt fat gone
forth: Turn on the Light
Theorists will undoubtedly complain,
and conservatives" raise thei- voices
loud in protest, and the lungs OF at
feast part of the press will agonize
afresh in its wall Of How long, oh
Lord2"
But the mass Of the people will I'M
doubtedIy approve, as-indeed-why
should they not? And why, indeed,
should any withhold approval?
Many a man, opposed in principle
and practice alike, 10 any and all
abuses of capital-or any other-and
glad TO have corporations intelligently
regulated, believes that the past two
years OF regulatory legislation have
chronioled laws that will prove
TO be extremes rather than govern
nent. These, at least, ought TO
welcome the presidents suggestion,
which is practically an order, that
the Interstate commerce commission
ascertain at once all the facts that
underlie the rather general, and in in
stances extreme, reductions in oper-
ating expenses and curtailment of
construction projects of the railroads.
1t may or may not be significant
that Henry II. Flagler is pushing his
ocean going" railroad to Cuba while
many other railroad men are saying
that the mania regulatory" is driving
them to the wall.
II may or may not be significant
that there was not very much railroad
rurtailment until after one of the Ia
Dor organizations in a southern state
attributed reduction in its wages to
hat states new rate laws, and aligned
he organization with the opposition
TO reduced passenger traffic rates.
We do not pretend to say, but this
We do say:
IL 1t is true, as some contend-and
we believe that many of them are
sincere-that governmental regulation
of traffic rates and conditions has
transcribed the bonds OF justice-if
this be true, we say, common decency
demands that congress through the
interstate commerce commission as
certain the facts with the least pos
sible delay
And we also contend, that the ques-
tion is one of such all-embracing i'm
portance. ard so involving every other
material interest OF the more than
10000 900 population of these United
States, that congress should with the
least possible Delay ascertain through
the interstate commerce commission
If TO any extent any corporate interest
is taking advantage of the labor vote
or OF that half-unconScious fear that
turks in a nations thought after any
money market trouble, to pislead any
portion OF the public as to the causes
and effects of present conditions in
the industrial life of the nation; and,
If there be any misleading, by whom
and to what extent.
Are the salient features in the in
dustrial troubles today symptoms or
shams? Roosevelt says that congress
and the public should know, with
prejudice and malice to none. And he
is right,
If present reductions of wages by
great corporate interests continue,
there will be labor troubles.
Mr.. Roosevelt says in effect-and
he says it in such language that no
one is justified in accusing him of par
tisanship-that the intelligence and
power of the government should at
once De used TO ascertain whether the
possible labor troubles are due to any
injustice that laws have done COM
merce,. or whether such troubles, IL
they come. are the fault of selfish in
terests.
Turn on the Light he says, that
the public and congress, which have
acted in good faith thus far, may con-
time to do SOTO adhere To a
righteous course or TO amend and re-
trace, as the flood of light may de-
mand. And whatever the result, no
fair-minded man has any right to OBJ
3ect.