The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-01-31


not innocent who voluntarily purch
asses stock in corporation whose
mcthUds and management n, nows
to be corrnpt and stockholders are
bound % try 10 secure honest man
agement. or else are estopped from
complaining about the proceedings
the 80 ernment finds necessary in
order TO ccmpel the corporation 10
obey the law There has been IN the
past grave wrong done innocent
stockholders by overcapitalization,
stcck-watcring stock jobbing stock.
manipulation This we have sought
TO prevent first by exposing the
thing dcne aud Furnishing the often
der when any existing law had been
violated; second by recommending
the passage of laws which wound
make unlawful similar practices for
the future The public men, lawyers,
and lcditors who loudly proclaim their.
sympathy Tor the innocent stock
holders when great law-defying
corporation Is punished arc the first
70 protest with frantic vehemence
against All efforts by law to put a
stop % the practices which are the
real and ultimate sources OF the dam
ave alikc 90 the stockholders and the
public The apologists Of successful
always declaim against
amy effort 10 punish or prevent Il,
on the ground that any such euolt
win unsettle business II Is they
who by their acts batc unsettled
business, aud the very men raising
this cry spcnd hundreds OF thousands
ol dollars in securing hy npcech cdi.
tnrial book. or pamphlet. the defense
hY mlsstatomontg oi what they have
drlc aud set whom public servants
correct their misBiatements 10y tell
iug the truth they declalm against
them for breaking silence, lost val
nca he deprccated They have hurt
hpnest business mon, honest working
mon honest farmers and now they
claim against ihe truth being told.
riaxsn Protests Of the Guilty
Iio Feynoto Of an these aitacka
upon the effort 10 secure honesty ~
business and ia politics is well eKa
pressed in hrazen protests against
any effort for the moud regeneration
oi HE business world on the ground
that IL Is unnatural unWarrantcd
and injurious. aud That business pan
ic rs the necessary penalty for such
effort 10 secure business honestly.
The morality Of such a plea rs pre-
cisely as great aa II made on behalf
OF tic men caught in gambling ea.
tablislnent when that gambling ea.
tabhshment Is raidcd by the police
II such words mean anything they
mean that those whose sentiments
they represent stand against the ei,
fort 10 bring about a moral rcgeuera-
tion of business which viii pre- ent
"a repetition oi the Insurance bank
ms and street railroad scandals la
New York repetition OF the Chica,
go and Alton deal. a repetition OF
the combination hetween certain
professional politicians certain pro
iessional labor leaders, and certain
bis Hnanciers from the disgrace Of
which SAN Francisco has Just heen
rescued, a repetition Ot the success
lul t00rt by the Standard on people
te crash uut every competitor tD
oNeraWe the common carriers aud t0
establish a monopoly which treats
me public with a contempt which the
public deserves SO long as it permits
men ol such principles and such sen
umenis 90 ayow and act on them
With impunity The Outan4 against
stopping dlsnonest practices among
Wronedpefa Who happen 10 be- Weai.
thy is precisely similar 90 the outcry
raised against every effort for clean
hnfss and decency IN city govern
meni because, lorso0th lt viii 'huu
husiness The same outcrN Is made
agaiust the department OF justice fof
prosecuting the heads Of colossal cor
porafiuns that has been Made against