The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-04-17
ALL ARE OPTIMISTS
INDUSTRIAL AND POLITICAL
PROBLEMS DISCUSSED BY
MEN WHO SHOULD KNOW.
OUTLOOK BRIGHT TO THEM
Commissioner Neill Opposing Compe
tition Said Association or Combi-
nation Was the Only Way
to Counterfeit 1t.

Pnllauelpnla, apr. 1l.-inuuSliidi,
sociological and political problems OF
the time were discussed at length here
Friday at the annual session of the
American Academy of Political and
Social Science by men prominent in
various walks of life. THE present
business situation and antitrust legis-
lation" was the topic for discussion
at the afternoon meeting. The speak
ers were Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labor;
Charles P. Neil, commissioner OF
labor, Washington, d. c.; William j.
Schieffelin, vice-president of the Ma
tional Association of Wholesale Drug
gists, New York. Isidor Straus and
George l.. Duval, New York.. and
Theodore Harburg of Baltimore.
All the speakers were optimistic as
to the financial and business outlook.
Mr.. Gompers said that if 80 bust
ness men were to go before a Just
Judge and give their opinions as to
the cause of the recent financial and
industrial disturbance, he was of the
opinion that they could not agree, but
he desired to make it plain that what
ever the cause, the working people
were not to blame.
Commissioner Neill said that the
Sherman law was trying to restore
absolute free and unrestrained compe-
tition but the government could never
bring back such condition. While
we are led to believe the consumer IS
the only honest person, Mr.. Neill said,
he was Just as selfish as the trust
magnate or the labor leader. When 1t
comes down to the effects of compe-
tition, the speaker pointed out that
every sweatshop was the legitimate
product of competition and the reduc-
ton of wages was also the result OF
competition. The association or COM
bination, he held, was the only in
telligent means of preventing destruc-
ton by competition.
The next speaker was Mr.. Straus,
who said in part:
while the last panic was probably
the severest that this country has eX-
perienced within the memory OF any
living man, we fortunately were not
confronted with one phase OF dis
trust which was the chief factor in
creating and prolonging the disaster
of 1898, namely, the question of our
standard. Then we were threatened
with going on to deprecated silver
basis. And yet the last crisis was
more acute, because the commerce of
the country had grown tremendously
therefore the amounts involved were
so immense that the fear of cur
rency famine produced such distrust
by frightening depositors from the
banks it plunged every center into such
a depth of despair that the sentimen
tai effects created the gravest fea'
ture of the panic.
In conclusion | cannot refrain from
adding, as a merchant of nearly hall
a century's experience, that the pessi
mist who desires to pose as a prophet
had better seek another country thar
ours. We undoubtedly have suffered
and are suffering from conditions
which seem to be inSeparable from a
young and vigorous nation. If bad
legislation could have definitely
checked our progress we surely
would not have arrived at our present
marvellous development. But as no
nan. or no human institution, is per
feet. both should be measured by the
balance struck after deducting the
vices from the virtues. and this bal
ance. l believe, justifies us in looking
at the future with cheerful resigna-
ton, in a hopeful, yes, optimistic
spirit
The annual address to the academy
by Judge Peter S. Grosscup of the
circuit court of appeals, Chicago, on
1.-THE Scope. The Limit, And The Duty
of The Government In Relation to Cor
porate Construction and Manage
ment." and the discussion of the pa
per by Herbert Knox Smith, commits
sioner of corporations, Washington.
D. c.. and James B. Dill, of the New
Jersey court of errors and appeals,
made up the program at the session
Friday night.