Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-01-31

Sci uPuious craft coulu suggest and
command of almost unlimited money
secure
Snow Anger and Terror.
The extreme violence of the as
sault upon our policy continued in
these speeches, editorials, articles.
advertisements and pamphlets and
the enormous sums of money ex-
pended in these various ways give
fairly accurate measure of the an
ger and terror which our actions
have caused the corrupt men of vast
wealth to feel in the very marrow of
their beings.
Much Is said in these attacks up
on the policy of the present admin
istration about the rights of limo
cent stockholders" That stock
holder Is not innocent who voluntar-
lily purchases stock In corporation,
whose method and management he
knows to be corrupt. and stockhold-
ers are bound to try to secure hon.
est management, or else stopped
from complaining about the proceed
ings the government finds necessary
in order that the 0cerporation obey
tn laew. Corporations have come in
our business world to remain for all
time. Corporate methods are the
most satisfactory for business IN
many cases.
Capital invested in corporations
must be as free from wrongful at
tack as that invested by individuals
and the state should do everything TO
foster and protect invested corporate
capital and encourage the public In
giving to II support and confidence.
Nothing will do as much to achieve
this desirable result as proper super
vision and reasonable control over
stock and bond issues, so that over
capitalization will be prevented and
the people may know when they buy
n share OF stock or bond that the
name OF the state upon which Il
stands is a guaranty that there IS q
value behind &C. and reasonable safe
ty I'm its purchase.
Attack Only the Corrupt.
We attack only the corrupt men
of wealth. who find in the purchased
politician the most efficient instru-
ment OF corruption and the purchased
newspaper the most efficient defend
er OF corruption. Our main quarrel
Is not with these agents and repre-
sentatives OF the Interests" They
derive their chief power from sinister
offenders who stand behind them.
They are but puppets who move as
the strings are pulled. II is not the
puppets. but the strong, cunning
men and the mighty forces working
for evil behind and through the
puppets. with whom we have 10 deal,
The keynote OF all these attacks
upon the effort 20 secure honesty In
BUSINESS and in politics is well ex-
pressed Sn brazen protests against
every effort at moral regeneration In
the business world on the ground
that II Is unusual. unwarranted ana
unlniurious. and that business panic
Is the necessary penalty for such ef-
fort TO secure business honesty.
The morality of such plan is pre-
cisely as great as II made on both OF
tae men caught in a gambling estab-
IHshment when that gambling estab-
lishment Is raided by the police. II
such work means anything, they
mean that those whose sentiments
ltaey represent stand against the ef-
fort 10 bring about a moral regener-
alton OF business, which will prevent
a repetition of insurance, banking
and street railroad scandals In New
York, a repetition OF the Chicago &
Alton deal. a repetition of the combi-
nation between certain professional
politicians, certain labor leaders and
certain big finanoers from the dis
grace of which San Francisco has
Just been rescued; a repetition OF the
successful effort by the Standard Oil
Company people 10 crush out every
competition. TO overawe the common
carriers. and 10 establish a monopoly
which permits men OF such principles
and such sentiments to ayow any act
on them with impunity. The same
outcry Is made against the depart
ment OF justice for prosecuting the
heads OF colossal corporations that
have been made against the men
who In San Francisco. have prosecut-
cd with impartial severity. the wrong