The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-09-29

xiaged n which haze rot had his heart
ffSt AID most fect " yTfnf ztiiy and sup
port snf flk poliei6s for which stand
are MS policies, ~ much As mine
II s rot i,osslbtc n the space OF fhla
letter 10 diselhu ali the many and inn-
nlteiy varied tiiiea Tons cf moment With
which III. Taft - presieeut would have
20 deal let him Dc judged M what he
has himself done and ny what tlie admin,
tstrefton IL which he has played so con.
splcnosssa part has done. But tosllirs.
trate Just what his attitude, Is lei mi
touch on tvo r1atters now prominent Il
the public mind.
AR Taft eHn be trusted TO exact jastIct
from the raiiroaeS for the very reason
that he can be trusted 10 Do justice 10 tibf
rallro1dg The railroads are The chief IN
strufnenta Of Interstate cnsameree In the
country. ana thew can neither be held te
proper accountability on the one hane
nor given proper protection on the otsle,
save by the affirmative action Of The fed
eral government. The law as laid doEr
by the federal courts Clearly shows fra
the states have, not and cannot devise
laws adequate TO r1eet the problems cnas
ed by the great growth of the railroad
doing an Interstate commerce business
for more than four fths or the bugsneks
Of the railroads Is interstate. and tindei
the constitution OF the United States only
the federal government can exercise con-
troll thereover. 1t IS absolutely necessary
that this control should be affirmative and
thoroughgoing.
All interstate business carried on BY tho
great corporations should In the fnteres,
of the whole people DO far more eloseIy
supervised than at present by the national
government, but this Is especially true OF
fhA f1rNuA0 "a
save by the exercise OF powers granted
them on behalf Of the people and which
therefore. should be held to peculiar &C
countahllity 10 the people. II Is IN the IN.
terest of the people that they should not
be permitted TO do injustice, and Il IL no
less to the interest OF the people that they
should not suffer injustice. Their prime
purpose is TO carry the commodities OF the
farmers and the business men. They could
not be built save for the money contrib
uted to them by their shareholders. They
could not be run at all save for tho money
paid out in wages to the railroad employ
ees, and. finally. they could not be run ji-
diciously or probably to any one were Il
not for the employment by them Of some
masterful guiding intelligence. whether OF
one man or of a group of men. There are
therefore several sets OF Interests to be
considered. Each must receive proper con-
bAdcEdtlOus ana WIlen any one or them
selhshly demands exclusive consideration
the demand must be refused. Along GER
tain lines all OF these groups have the
same interests , It Is tos the interest OF
shipper, farmer. wageworker. business
man.. honest shareholder npd honest man
ager alike that there should be economy.
honesty. intelligence and fair treatment OF
all. 10 put m effective stop to stock wa
tering would be q benefit to everybody
except the swindlers who profit by stock
watering. It would benefit the honest
shareholder because honest investments
would not be brought into competition
with mere paper. 1t would benefit the
wageworkcr because when the money
earned does not have to go to paying in
terest on watered capital more of Il Is
left out OF which to pay wages. 1t would
benefit the shipper because, when only
honest stockholders have to be paid inter-
est, rates need not be improperly raised.
1t would benefit the pubic because there
would be ample money with which to give
efficient service. Similarly the prevention
of favoritism as among shippers does no
damage to any one who is honest and con-
fers great good upon the smaller business
man and tho farmer. whom It relieves OF
oppression.
Again. such supervision of accounts and
management us will prevent crookedness
and oppression works good. directly or In
directly. TO all honest people. Therefore
everything that can be done along all
these lines should be done. and no mans
legitimate jp.2rest would therehy be hurt.