Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-02
OHIO STATE DINNER
Harmon and Foraker the
Principal Speakers.
OTHER NOTED MEN THERE
Gen. John J. McCook Acted as
POSTMASTER.
TRIBUTE TO STATES PROGRESS
Senior Senator From Ohio on the
Crusade Against Wrongdoers.
Serious Situation.
TRIBUTE TO STATES PROGRESS

hundred sons Of the Buckeye state, resi-
dents of New York city, attended the
twenty-second annual banquet OF the ONO
Society of New York tonight in the grand
ba llroom of the Waldorf-Astoria. and lis
tened to addresses by several Of Ohio
most distinguished sons. The speakers
were United States Senator Joseph b.
Foraker, lie Roy D. Thoman. president OF
the Ohio Society of Chicago; Mr.. Judson
Harmon of Cincinnati, John D. Archbold.
vice president of the Standard Oil Com
pany and Judge Ebert H. Gary. chair
man Of the United States Steel Corpora
ton. Vice President Archbold and Chair
man Gary were present as the representa-
tives of two of the largest industries
operating in Ohio, to whose views on in
dustrial and political conditions much I'M
portance was attached in view of their
commanding position in the commercial
world: while the political utterances OF
Senator Foraker and Judge Harmon were
anticipated with profound interest be-
cause of their prominence in the ap-
preaching presidential contest.
Hughes Not Present.
The speakers were seated at the end or
the ballroom, handsomely decorated for
the occasion, at a table presided over by
Toastmaster John J. McCook. president
of the society, while floral decorations
made especially attractive the small Ia
bles at which the main company of diners
was seated. Gov. Charles +. Hughes OF
New York, who was to have been present
to respond to the toast The Empire
State was unable to attend, sending a
letter of regret.
Judge Harmon was the first speaker.
Mr.. Foraker's Address.
Senator Foraker said in part:
The sentiment Of the evening, "Ohio in
industry and commerce Is the equivalent
of the United States in industry and
commerce. Therefore. l regard myself
as licensed to speak Of industrial con-
ditions of the whole country. Just now
it is not satisfactory. Until three months
ago there had not been a day for ten
not And IT, Most of this time there was
more work than there were laborers to
perform it.
Last August prominent manufacturer
of Cincinnati announced that the crying
need of the city was 10000 more wage
workers than could be found. What he
said of Cincinnati might have been said
OF any other large city In the land. 1t
is different now. few days ago an
officer of one of the mercantile agencies
that day, according to their reports, more
than 10000 idle men In Cincinnati.
We have been reading in the news
papers for the last week how. in num-
Der OF large cities, great numbers of the
unemployed have been calling in bodies
upon mayors to make known their want
of employment and to solicit work and
help.
The statement was made in the news
papers a few days ago that there are
today approximately 10000 freight cars
and 5000 locomotives standing idle, rep
resenting an investment of more than
S4OO.OOO.COO. and that there are more than
10000 unemployed trainmen, discharged
train crews of the idle equipment
A Serious Situation.
This is a serious situation. and re-
sponsibility should not be lightly as
signed. Yet we should know the cause
II We would find remedy. Doubtless
there were many causes that contributed
in some degree. for example, OVERHEAD
ing. overexDansion of credit. overcapi-
of new organizations, high
prices of stocks, of labor and of ma
terials.
All these had share. but the chiefest
of the causes may be summed up in the
one word Undertaking" -chiefest because
it was the fruitful, precipitating, first
cause of all the mischief that followed
For more than three years now there
has been perfect saturnalia Of that kind
Of literature
Magazine. articles. newspaper items
court proceedings, official Investigations
speeches in and out of Congress. and
even official reports and dOcuments have
literally abounded with most viruleat
attacks on most Of the great business
enterprises of the country. Railroads
have all been subjected to the assaults
For some of the criticisms there were.
just grounds, but, even In such cases,
there were gross eXaggerations OF sucn
inflammatory character as to lead to gen.
eral discussion and to arouse an almost
universal distrust Of business methods.
with corresponding determination TO
smash everything that seemed to be UNI
duly prosperous.
Crusade Against Wrongdoers.
In this way regular crusade was
started against not only the wrongdoers.
but the innocent also. OF course, nobody
50 intended. but that does not change
the fact. The ban of suspicion rested
on all. and success was no longer an evil
dence of integrity. Skill capacity and en-
ergy. but only sign Of some kind OF
crookedness which must be unearthed
and punished.
The disease was infectious. 1t spread
to Congress and to all the state legisla-
lures. Rate bills. antitrust bills and
all kinds of regulative measures, filled
with unreasonable restrictions and re-
quirements. penalties and punishments
were poured into the legislative hoppers.
Most OF the proposed measures persisted
on the way to enactment but the mere
and the discussion of them
in the newspapers added to the demand
for something TO be done and helped to
make what was done worse than it other
wise would have been. In Washington
and in state capitols statute after. statute
was ground out snd put into operation
cial government inspectors and agents
was increased to an army of more than
3.OOO men. who were sent in every. direc-
ton TO turn on the light" and delve and
probe for facts on which to base indict-
ments and prosecution.
The Department of Justice called for
help. and it was generously supplied in
the form of special counsel and large APP
preparations to pay for their services
Attorneys general and prosecuting at
torneys of the different states, imbued
with the spirit of the times. set their re-
spective pieces of machinery in motion
The Voice of the President.
1t finally came to the point where it
seemed as though the chief purpose OF
every publication was to fan the fame
and OF every legislative body to devise
new methods to restrain. and of every
prosecutor to arrest, fine and imprson
somebody.
In the midst Of all. and over all. was
heard the voice of the President. Con-
ceding that he meant we'll, his denuncia-
tons of predatory wealth, of swollen for
tunes. of the crlminally successful and of
the bad corporations were of such de-
clamatory and frightening character that
they not only increased the general dis
iSFa tan, h,,S I,oI,,