Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-04-16
INDUSTRIAL AND POLITICAL
PROBLEMS DISCUSSED BY
MEN WHO SHOULD KNOW.
OUTLOOK DRIGHT 70 THEM
Commissioner NeIII Opposing compe-
tition Said Association or conbi-
nation Was the Only Way
TO Counterfeit II.

philadelphia, apr. ll.-luuubLElhl
sociological and political problems Of
the time were discussed at length here
Friday at the annual session of the
American Academy Of Political and
Social Science by men prominent in
various walks Of life. "The present
business situation and antitrust legis-
lation" was the topic for discussion
at the afternoon meeting. The speak
ers were Samuel Gompers, president
Of the American Federation Of Labor;
Charles P. Neill, commissioner OF
labor, Washington, D. c.; William ].
Schieffelin, vice-president OF the Ma
tional Association of Wholesale Drug
gists, New York; Isidor Stratus and
George l.. Duval, New York, and
Theodore Harburg Of Baltimore.
All the speakers were optimistic as
to the financial and business outlook:
Mr.. Gompers said that II 80 bust
ness men were to go before Just
Judge and give their opinions as to
the cause of the recent financial and
Industrial disturbance, he was of the
opinion that they could not agree, but
he desired to make 1t plain that what
ever the cause, the working people
were not to blame.
Commissioner Neill said that the
Sherman law was trying to restore
absolute free and unrestrained compe-
tition but the government could never
bring back such condition. Whlie
we are led to believe the consumer Is
the only honest person, Mr.. NELL said,
he was just as selfish as the trust
magnate or the labor leader. When II
comes down to the effects OF compe-
tition, the speaker pointed out that
every sweatshop was the legitimate
product of competition and the reduc-
ton of wages was also the result OF
competition. The association or COM
bination, he held, was the only in
telligent means of preventing destruc'
ton by competition.
The next speaker was Mr. Stratus.
who said in part:
"While the last panic was probably
the severest that this country has ex'
perienced within the memory OF any
living man, we fortunately were not
confronted with one phase OF dis
trust which was the chief factor In
creating and prolonging the disaster
Of 1893, namely, the question OF our
standard. Then we were threatened
with going on to deprecated silver
basis. And yet the last crisis was
more acute, because the commerce OF
the country had grown tremendously
therefore the amounts involved were
so immense that the fear Of cur
rency famine produced such distrust
by frightening depositors from the
banks 1t plunged every center into such
a depth Of despair that the sentimen-
tai effects created the gravest fea-
ture Of the panic.
"In conclusion cannot refrain from
adding, as q merchant Of nearly half
Q century's experience, that the pessi-
mist who desires to pose as prophet
had better seek another country than
ours. We undoubtedly have suffered
and are suffering from conditions
which seem to be inseparable from
young and vigorous nation. If bad
legislation could have definitely
checked our progress we surely
would not have arrived at our present
marvellous development. But as no
man, or no human institution, is per-
feet, both should be measured by the
balance struck after deducting the
vices from the virtues, and this bal
ance, believe, justifes US in looking
at the future with cheerful resigna-
ton, in a hopeful, yes, optimistic
spirit"
The annual address to the academy
by Judge Peter 8. Grosscup of the
circuit court Of appeals, Chicago, on
"The Scope, The Limit, And The Duty
Of The Government In Relation TO Cor
porate Construction and Manage
ment," and the discussion of the pa
per by Herbert Knox Smith, commits
sioner Of corporations, Washington,
D. c., and James B. Dill. Of the New
Jersey court of errors and appeals,
made up the program at the session
Friday night.
Judge Grosscup was the FIRST speak
or at the evening session.
Starting out with the proposition
that what government is to mankind
politically organized. the corporation
Is to modern industry organized,
Judge Grosscup dealt in his address,
with the relations Of the corporation.
as an organized form Of holding prop !
erty, to monopoly, to competition, 70
the recent business disturbances, and
especially to the ideal that in a coun- /,
try where political power is welded
BY the people, property should be
widely dlffused among the people.
But We need not despair. In the ]
wide stretches Of corporate discus
atou 49, ~nt,o An thar. q - - ~ /