The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-09

who denounce both the power OF the ran,
ROADS and the exercise OF the te1erai
power which alone can really cont. % tIe
Iaiiroads- Those who believe III etisS'e. ~
I.auondl control. on the other MANI w
not IN the least object 10 combinations;
90 not in the least object to concentration
IN business administration. on the co '
trdry, they favor both with the al I'M
portant proyiso that there shall DC SUCH
puphcity about their workings anu su.n
shoToughgoine control over theH ds 70
insure their being in the interest anu n.y.
against the interest of the general pun
lic- We do not object to the cODcentra-
slon OF wealth and administration; out we
40 Deileve in the distribution OF the wealth.
~ m pioilts 10 the real owners. ana IN secuI
lhs 10 the public the full bene1N ol the
concentrated administration. We oeIeVe
.ndt with concentration in administrator
,iefe can come both the advantage OF
ialser ownership and of a more equitaoie
distribution of profits and at the same
Tune a better service to the common
wealth We believe that the administra-
.ion should be for the benefit OF the
many; and that greed and rascality' prac,
ticed on large scale. should be punished
scale.
Problem Difficult.
We do not for moment believe that the
problem will be solved by any short and
easy method. The solution will come only
ny pressing various concurrent remedies.
some OF these remedies must lie outside
the domain OF all government Some must
lie OUTSIDE the domain of the federal gov
eminent But there is legislation Whlcn
the federal government alone can enact
ana which is absolutely vital in order to
secure the attainment of our purpose
Many laws are needed There should be
regulation by the national government OF
ine great interstate corporations, includ-
ing a simple method of account keeping,
publicity, supervision of the issue of Sc
curlues. abolition OF rebates and OF spe-
There should
ume franchises for all corporations en-
gagged in public business; including the
Corporations which get power from water
rights There should be national as well
as state guardianship Of mines and for !
ests The labor legislation hereinafter re-
ierred to should concurrently be enacted
into law.
More Power Asked.
To accomplish this. means ofNcourss a !
certain increase in the use of-not the |
creation of-power, by the central gov |
eminent The power already exists: il |
does not have to be created: the only |
question is whether it shall be used or
lett ldle-and meanwhile the corporations !
over which the power ought TO be eXer- |
clsed VIII not remain idle. Let those who /
OBJECT TO this increase in the use of the /
only power available. the national power, |
be frank. and admit openly that they pro- |
pose to abandon any effort to control the !
great business corporations and to exer- |
else supervision over the accumulation !
and distribution of wealth: for such su- !
perVision and control can only come |
through this particular kind OF increase |
OF power. We no more believe in that |
empiricism which demands absolutely I'M |
restrained individualism than we do in /
that empiricism which clamors for dead |
ening socialism which would destroy all |
individual initiative and would ruin the |
country with completeness that not even |
an unrestrained individualism itself could
achieve. The danger to American de- |
~ IN q
centration of administrative power in re-
sponslble and accountable hands. 1t lies |
IN having the power insufficiently concen-
trated, so that no one can be held respon-
slble to the people for its use. Concen-
trated power is palpable, visible respon-
sible. easily reached. quickly held to ac-
count Power scattered through 4
y many administrators. many legiSla- + |
= tors, many men who work behind and \
through legislators and administra- \
tors, is impaipable, is unseen. is ir- y
responsible cannot be reached. can 4 |
4 not be held to account Democracy + Il
is in peril wherever the administra- 4 4
+ ton of political power is scattered \ i
among variety of men who work in \
secret, whose very names are I'M y
known to the common people II is i II
= not in peril from any man who de- + !
r rives authority from the people. who \ 4
y exercises it in sight of the people, i L
= and who is from time TO time com ,
= PEELED to give an account of its ex- T.
y ercise TO the people
Labor.
There are many matters affecting Ia
Dor and the status of the wageworkers
TO which | should like to draw YOUR at
tention. but an exhaustive discussion, of
the problem in all its aspects is not nuw
necessary This administration is nearing
It's end; and, moreover. under Ouf form of
government the solution of The problem
depends upon the action of thu states rs
much as upon the acton of the nation. |
Nevertheless. there are certain considera-
tons which l wish to :et before you be-
cause l hope that cur people will more
and more keep them in mind. bind and
ignorant resistance To every effort for tie