Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-09
CONTINUED from First Page.)


over them. One Of the chief features
OF this control should be SECURING en-
tire publicity in all matters which
the public has right to know. and
urthermCre, the power. not by judic-
ial but by executive action. to pre-
vent or put stop to every form OF
improper favorrism or other wrong
doing.
The railways of the country should
b" put completely under the Inter-
state Commerce Commission and re-
moved flom the domain Of the anti
trust law. The power of the Gem
mission should be made 'horough&o-
ing, so that it could exercise com
plete supervision and control over
the issue CT securities as we'll as
over the raising and lowering OF rates.
As regards rates. at least this power
should be summary. The power to
investigate the financial operations
and accounts of the railways mas
been on" OF the most valuable features
in recent legislation. Power 10 make
combinations and traffic agreements
should be explicitly conferred upon
the railroads. The permission of the
Commission being first gained AMI
the combination or agreement being
published in all its details.
Telegraph and telephone companies
cneaoed in interstate business should
j.. PIT under the jurisdiction Of tn"
Interstate Commerce Commission.
War Against Misconduct.
1t is very earnestly to be wished
that Cur people, through their re-
prrSentatives SHOULD act in this mat
ter. 1t is hard to say whether most
damage to the country at large would
come from entire failure on the part
Of the pvbiic to supervise and control
the actions OF the great corporations.
or from the exercise of the necessary
gDvernme power in way which
would do Justice and wrong TO IN" cor.
noratiUnS. Both the preachers of an
unrestricted individualiSm, and, the
preachers of an oppression when
would DENY to able men Of business
the just reward Of their initiative and
business sagaciry. are advocating
policies that would be fraught with
the sravest harm to the whole coun-
try. To permit every lawle's capital
list. every law-defying corporation. to
take any action ne matter how iniqui-
touS in the effort to secure an i'm
Lroper profit AMI to build UP privilege
would H. ruinOuS to the Republics anu
would mark the abandonment Of tn"
effort TO secure in the industrial
world the spirit OF democratic fair
dealing On the other hand, to at
tack these wrongs in that spirit or
Gamagoey which can see wrong only
when committed by the man OF
l,L n "a
presence of wrongs committed
against men of property or by men
OF no property. is exactly as evil as
corruptly to defend the wronsdoins
Of men of wealth. The war We wage
must be waged against misconduct,
against wrongdoing wherever it is
found: and we must stand heartily
for the rights Of every decent man.
whether he be Il man of great wealth
Or a man who earns his livelihood
as waSe-worker or a tiller of the
sell
1t is to the interest of all of us that
there should be premium put upon
individual initiative and lndlvldual
capacity, and an ample reward for the
great directing intelligence alone com
retent to manage the great business
operation of today. 1t is we'll to keep
in mind that exactly as the anarchist
is the worst enemy Of liberty and
the reacti0nary the worst enemy OF
order so the men who defend the
rights of property have most fear
from the wrongdoers of great wealth.
and the men who are champlOnlnS
popular rights have most to fear from
the demagogueS who in the name OF
popular right would do wrong to and
Cypress honest business men. honest
men of wealth: for the success OF
either type of ongdoer necessarily
invites a violent reaction against the
cause the wrongdoer nominally up
holds. In point of danger TO the Ma
ton there is nothing to choose be-
tween on the one hand the corruption
list. The brbe-giver. the tribe taker,
The man who employs his great talent
to swindle his feilOw-citizens on
large scale. and. on the ether hand.
the preacher of class hatred. the man
who. whether from ignorance or from
Willingness TO sacrifice his country to
his ambition. persuades wellmeaning
hut wrcDgheaded men TO try to de
strOy the Instruments upon which
orr prosperity mainly rests.
"OId Doctrine" Of States Right.
The opposition to Government con
tro! of these great corporations makes
its most effective effOrt in the shape
Of an appeal 10 the old doctrine OF
states rights. OF course there are
many sincere men who now believe
in unrestricted individualism in bust
ness. just as there were formerly
many sincere men who believed in
slavery-that is. in the unrestricted
right of an individual TO own anoth-
er individual These men dc not
\ nv Themselves have great weight. how
ever The effective fight against ade-
ouate Government control and sur"r-
vision q. individual. and especially OF
corporate wealth engaged in inter