The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-08-05

with elements dangerous to the well
fore of the naticn: for by recognizing
class distinctions and arranging in
dividuals by classes in their attitude
toward the general government. they
are destroying the mutually of inter-
est among citizens, as one might dig
mortar from between the bricks that
compose a house. This is our COM
mon country, and we are all one peo-
pie.
The recognition of property rights
and the holding of them sacred is re-
lated to the doctrine of equality. and
is one o. the prime attributes of free
dom. 1t gives stability to the gov
eminent. through the community of
interest thus begotten, and strength
ems foreign confidence in our institu-
tons. This subject enters into nearly
every issue in a general election, and
every theory We call quasi-socialistic
Is one that threatens property.
The favorite scheme of agitators Is
to draw a line between capital and
labor: and, yet in the last analysis
they must place in the ranks of capt.
talists every man, who owns property
with a market value, whether he
earns his living by manual toll. or by
commercial pursuits. Every legisla-
tive, executive or judicial act that af-
fects the property OF one man affects
the property of another in an equal
and like degree. and YOU cannot de-
stroy the wealth of one man through
general legislation without injurious
~ affecting the wealth of every other
man.
One of the problems llat has
been conspicuous throughout the ma
tiohal administration now on It's last
year, has been how 10 check the
rapacity of powerful commercial in
terests, called for ease Of designation
predatory wealth" without leopard
izing property rights
Men moved by passion. would an
initiate the value of property in the
hands of the trusts" regardless Of
the fact that they Ike Samson might
pull down the roof upon the Phillis-
tines, but 10 do so they would first
have to topple over upon themselves
the pillars. which support the struct-
ure of our social organization. After
all, we must look to these matters in
a sane manner. il does not concern
us that one man has more money
than ansther We see that condition
all around us. Ii does not concern us
how much money any one man has.
as long as the manner in which he Is
acquiring it does not trespass upon
the right of others, injure society or
contravene public policy.
II is not the fact that the merged
stocks have such huge market value,
to which we object; but to the fact
that the stock Is watered and the pub
lie duped and swindled by its manipu-
,ation. Our aim should be the pre-
vention of further manipulation On
that character, not the destruction Of
the value of that stock sold at a profit
by the manipulators and now in the
hands of innocent holders.
Where corporations have contra
vened the law and restitution Is pos
sible. II should be compelled: but
where property has become confused
and rights are vested, discriminating
efforts to injure their holdings could
result in nothing but disaster. Oui
efforts must not be directed against
wealth or the accumulation of wealth I:
but against its use to impair the EN-
cheney OF government, to impede the
commercial development of the coun-
try and to restrict freedom of enter
prise.
We must not look upon these great
combinations as abnormal creations
and their organizers as unnatural be-
lngs. The trusts are typical products
of the times, and their heads, great
business men. Our most powerful
commercial institutions got their
start in day Of vigorous competition
They were built up by men of the
rugged American type. and they are
examples in way OF the law OF the
survival of the fittest. While we de-
pore the ruthiessness of the Standard
Oh company and the meat combine
we acknowledge that their success
was dependent more on the curtail-
ment of waste. than Oh the predatory
Instinct OF their founders and promot-
ers and no doubt the earliest merger
was the accomplishment of a re-
.sourceful man, who was confronted
by the alternative OF ruin or lawless-
ness. The rest is history.
Nor must we condemn all forms Of
mutually I'm modern enterprises; for
cooperation Is the watchword Of the
times. Itshas superseded the ante
quated wasteful extravagant, cut
throat policy, and is but the emula-