The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-02-08


with lawbreaking corporations, law.
breaking men Of wealth, he must expect
TO feel the weight of public opinion,
aud this is but right, for except in ex-
treme cases this Is the only way in
which he can be reached az all No
servant Of the people has right 20 ex.
peet 70 be free from just and hor st
criticism.
Must Keep U) Fight.
The opponents Of the measures we
champion oingie out now one and now
another measure for especial attack and
speak as il the movement in which we
are engaged was purely economic. IL
has large economic side, but il is fund
amentally an ethical movement. IL is
not movement TO be completed in one
year, or two or three years; IL is a move
ment which must be persevered in until
the spirit which lies behind IL sinks
deep into the heart and the conscience
of the whole people. IL is always inn
portant 10 choose the right means 20
achieve our purpose, but IL is even more
important 60 keep this purpose clearly
before us aad this purpose is 70 secure
national honesty in business and in
politics. We do not subscribe 10 the
cynical belief that dishonesty and IN.
fair dealing are essential TO business
success, and are 10 be condoned when
the success is moderate and applauded
when the success is great. The meth.
DDS by which the Standard Oil people
and those engaged In the other combina.
tions Of which I have spoken. above
have achieved great fortunes can only
be justified by the advocacy of sys-
TEN of morality which would also just.
ify every form Of eriminality on the
part Of labor union, and every form
of violence, corruption and fraud, from
murder 10 bribery and ballot.box stuff
ing, in politics.
We are trying 10 secure equality OF
opportunity for all; and the struggle Of
honesty is the same whether il is made
on behalf Of one set Of men or Of an
other. In the interest Of the small set.
tiers and landowners, and against the
embittered opposition Of wealthy own.
ers Of huge wandering foeks Of sheep,
or Of corporations desiring 90 rob the
people Of coal and timber, we strive 20
put an end 10 the theft of public land
in the west. When we do this and pro.
test against the action Of all men,
whether in public life Of private life,
who either take part in or refuse 20
try 10 stop such theft, we are really en-.
gagged Ia the same policy as when we en-
dcavor to put stop 10 rebates or TO
prevent the upgrowth Of uncontrolled
rnonopolics. Our effort is simply 20 en-.
force the principles Of common honesty
and common sense lt would indeed be
i'll for the country should there be any
halt in our work.
mo Backward Step
''rhe extraordinary growth Of mod
orn industralsm has rendered the com.
mon law, which grew up under and was
adapted 10 deal with totally different
conditions, in many respects inadequate
10 deal with the new conditions. These
new conditions make IL necessary 20
shackle cunning as in the past we have
shackled force. The vast individual
and corporate fortunes, tho vast com
binations of capital, which have marked
the development OF our industrial sys
TEN, create new conditions, and neces.
state change from the old attitude
Of tho state and the nation toward the
rules regulating the acquisition and un.
trammeled business use OF property, in
order both that property may be ade.
quatcly protected, and that at the same
time those who hold IL may be pre-
vented from wrongdoing.
The second and third courses are 20
have tho regulation undertaken either
by the nation or by the states. OF
course, in any event both the national
government and the several state gov
ernmcnts must do each It's part, and
each can do a certain amount that the
other can not do. while the only really
satisfactory results must be obtained
BY tho representatives Of the national
and state governments working heartily
together within their respective spheres
Need Federal Action.
But in my Judgment thoroughgong
and satisfactory control can ia the end
only Be obtained By the action ~ tho
national government, for almost all the
corporations Of enormous wealth-thht
u.s. tho corporations which II s especial.
iy desirable to control are engaged IN
interstate commerce. and derive their
power and their Importance not from
That portion of thor business which rs
interstate, but from tho Interstate bust.
ness. No Is not easy always 90 decide
just whore the line 81 dcmarcation be-
tween the two kinds ~ business falls
This line must ultimately be drawn by
the federal courts Much of the effort
20 secure adequate control Of the great
corporations by state action has been
wise and effective, but much 81 Il has
been neither; for when the effort u
mado 10 accomplish by the action Of the
state what can only be accomplished by
tho action Of the nation, the result can
only be disappointment, aud In the end
the law will probably be declared un.
constitutional So likewise in the ma
tional arena, we who believe IN the
measures herein advocated are hamp.
cred and not aided by the extremists
who advocate action 40 violent that II
would either be useless or else would
cause moro mischief than IL would rem
edy.
In recent letter from learned
Judge Of the Supreme Court Of one OF
the gulf states the writer speaks as FOL.
n.