Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-01

he nation or by the states. OF course
my event both the national government
md the several s,ate governments must
10 each it's part, and each can do GER
tain amount Lat the other cannot 40:
must be obtained by the representatives
Of the national and state governments
working heartily together within their rc.
thoroughgoing and satisfactory control can
in the end only be obtained by the action
of the national government. for almost
all the corporations of enormous wealth
that is, the corporations which 1t is cspe-
chilly desirable to control.are engaged In
Interstate commerce. and derive their pow.
er and their Importance not from that
portion of their business which is lntrn.
state. but from the Interstate business; It
Is not easy always to decide Just where
the line of demarcntion between the two
kinds of business falls. This line must
Much of the effort to secure adequate con
troll of the great corporations ny state
, action has been wise and effective, but
effort is made to accomplish by the action
of the state what can only be accom-
plshed by the action OF the nation, the
the end the law will probably he declared
unconstitutional. SO likewise in the ma
tional arena, we who believe In the meas,
not aided by the extremists who advocate
action so Violent that 1t woula either he
useless or else would cause more mischief
| than 1t would remedy.
In a recent letter from learned Judge
OF the supreme court OF one OF the Guh
| states. the writer speaks as follows:
In all matters pertaining to Interstate
commerce the authority of the national
government already exists and does not
have to he acquired, and the exercise Of
this existing authority can he In no sense
usurpation Of, or infringement upon. the
rights of the states. On the contrary, had
more attention In the past and applied
vigorous check TO corporate abuses, con
states would have had fewer real or I'M
nginery grievances and have had less cause
not only to attempt the exercise of the
authority reserved to the national govern.
ment. but to net without proper modera-
ton in matters peculiarly Within their own
provinces me national bt has
late day 1t can solve this problem, and the
sooner the national authority is exercised
the less ant are states to take action
which viii represent encrqachment upon
the national domain. There is field Of
operations for both powers, and plenty
alike for national and state governments
to do In order to protect both the people
and the public utilities The line Of de-
. marcation between federal and state au;
by the federal courts The fact that the
NJ national government has omitted to ex-
erclse the authority conferred upon 1t by
the interstate commerce clause OF the con-
stitution has made the states FESTIVE under
, what they deem corporate abuses, and In
i some cases has probably stimulated them
I. these abuses with the result that all
t measures which they passed; good, or bad,
G The necessary equitable and uniform reg
g ulation cannot be obtained by the sepa-
e rate action of the states, but only by the
q affirmative action of the national govern
ment'
This is nm appeal by a high state Judge,
l. ed, by conflicts over the matter of iuris-
II diction. and by the radical action advo-
S Gated by. honest people smarting from a
~ TAFT
re which injury the federal courts forbid the
n states to try to remedy, while the federal
1t government nevertheless refrains from
st vide remedy. 1t cnnnot, too strongly he
ii insisted that the defenders and apologists
ID of the great corporations. who have sought
is In the past and still seek to prevent ale-
1t qnate action by the federal government to
is control these great corporations, are not
is LAYING up q, day Of wrath for the great, cor.
NJ poratlons themselves The nation will not
10 tolerate an utter lack of control over very
If wealthy men Of enormous power in the
IS, Industrial. and therefore in the social.
So lives OF all our people, some of whom have
r. shown themselves cyncally and hrutnlly
"a Indifferent to the interests of the people;
ia and If the congress does not act, with
20 good tempered and sensible, but resolntG
", ". thoroughness. in cutting out the evils and
~, ~, In providing an effective supervision, the
~ result is certain to be action on the part
SSe o of the separate states. sometimes wise
% times unjust and damaging to the rail-
~ ~ roads or other corporations more often in
~ effective from every standpoint. becanst
~, ~ Tue federal courts declare 1t unconstitu
,,e tionnl.
nd months Of acute financial stress. Al, an,
al such time II Is a sad fact that entircl,
ms their own and everyone must feel TIL
m, keenest sympathy for the large, body Q
1T honest business men Of honest Investors
al a8eSf in NO Way responsb h Il such Tim
ry O. many men to feel gloomy and fright
ea ened nj the outlook: but there Is no just
b ba hcation for this feeling. There is no ms
,ur cess as ours. OF course we shall SUE
ig 1s coed. Ours is a, nation Of masterful er
,,d ero-. with a continent for its domain. an
'ih It feels within Its veins the thrill whic
H. comes to those who know that they po
nS sess the future: We are not cast dow
the con fsa Of hone Of e apf
't s The wrongs that exist are to be corrected
te I'd but they in no way Justify doubt as
all, MI. material prosperity Of the future or Of ii
ne re- loftv spiritual life which is to be hui
"te upon that prosperity as foundation.
I .Ia. mlsdeeds done In the present must be pc
'' ~ mitted to shroud from our eyes the glor
tbe GUS future of the nation; but because
tt t swerve from resolnte purpose to e,
n nai out wrongdoing and uphold what Is ri'tN
eed do not for a moment believe that :,
the nv ~ mi So " a. az M t
ria TO local and not world wide causes, AZ
,S s TO the actions of any particular ndivi
cen aa.. ;. 70 III. LII 49, ~ - 49, io,s a.
i'i ~ great wealth. who seek to shield thel
+bo selves from the effects of their own wron
= M NJ doing by ascribing its results to the q
III lions of those who have souaht to put
. | stop to the wrongdong But If 1t we
nrn true that to cut out rottenness from b
he body polite meant momentary check
rom an unhealthy seeming prosperity. shon
'' not for one moment hesitate to put t
r. knife to the corruption. On behalf of
,,.n, our people, on behalf no less Of the hone
.aat man of means than OF the honest nj
ON. who earns ench days livelihood by tn
in aay sweat OF nis prov. !. ~, - necessary
,are ties alike. in all walks of life in big thin
met and In little things; upon just and Z;
rnot dealing as between man and man. Tho
he who demand this are striving for the rig
cd In the spirit of Abraham Lincoln VIII
Yort he said:
H. IL