The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-29

through an epoch of material development
far beyond any that has ever occurred
In the world before. In it's course certain
evils crept IN. Some prominent ana IN
fiuential members OF the community,
spurred by financial success, and In their
hurry for greater wealth, became unmlho-
ful OF the common rules or business nom
esty and fidelity and OF the limitations
irnnosed bv law upon their action. This
became known. The revelations or the
breaches OF trust, the disclosures as 10 re-
bates and discrimination by railways, the
accommodating evidence of the violation or
the ANTITRUST law by a number of COR
porations the over-issue or stocks ana
bonds on interstate railways for the un-
lawful enriching OF directors and Tor the
purpose OF concentrating control or rall-
ways in one management, all qulcKenen
the conscience of the people and brought
on a moral awak ening among them that
BODIED well for the future of the country
What Roosevelt Has Done.
The man who formulated the expression
of the popular con science and who led the
movement for practical reform was Theo-
dore Roosevelt he laid down the doc
trine that the rich violator OF the law
should be as amenable to restraint ana
punishment as the offender without
wealth and without influence, ana ne pro-
ceeded by recommending legislation anu
directing executive action, TO make tnat
principle good IN actual performance he
secured the passage of the so-called rate
bill, designed more effectively 10 RESTRAIN
excessive and fix reasonable rates ana 10
punish secret rebates and DETERMINATIONS
which had been general in the practice OF
the railroads and which had done much
TO enable unlawful trusts TO drive out OF
business their competitors II secureu
much closer supervision or railway trans
actions and brought within the operation
OF the same statute express companies,
sleeping car companies. fast freight ana
refrigerator lines terminal railroads ana
pipe lines, and forbade in future the COM
bination OF the transportation and snip
ping business under one control IN oruer
10 avoid undue discrimination.
President Roosevelt directed suits 20 pc
brought and prosecutions to be institute
ed under the antitrust law TO enforce
its provisions against the most powerful
of the Industrial corporations. lie pressed
20 massage the pure food law and the meat
inspection law in the interest or the
health Of the public. clean business ineth-
DDS and great ultimate benefit 70 the
trades themselves He recommended the
massage of a law which the Republican
convention has since specifically approved.
restricting the future issue or stocks ana
bonds by interstate railways TO such as
may be authorized by federal authority.
He demonstrated to the people by what
he said by what he recommended 10
congress and by what he did, the SIN
certify of his efforts to command respece
for the law. to secure equity OF all peIore
dangers OF a plutocrauc government To-
ward which we were fast tendlng. IN
this work Mr.. Roosevelt has had the sup
port and sympathy of the Repuphcan par
~ and his chief hope OF success IN the
present controversy must rest upon the
confidence which the people of the coun-
trr have in the sincerity of the party
declaration in its platform, that II In
tends to continue the policies
Necessary to Devise Some Means OF
Permanently Securing Progress
Made.
President Roosevelt has set high the
standard of business morality. The rail-
road rate bill was more useful possibly.
in the immediate moral effect of It's pas
sage than even in the legal effect of its
very useful provisions. From its enact
ment dates the voluntary abandonment OF
the practice of rebates and discrimlna-
tions by the railroads and the return by
their managers to obedience to law in
the fixing Of tariffs. The pure food and
meat inspection laws and the prosecu-
tions directed by the president under the
antitrust laws have had similar moral
effect in the general business community
and have made Ii now the common prac-
tice for the great Industrial corporations
to consult with the law with a view to
keeping within its provisions. II has also
had the effect of protecting ana encour-
aging small and competitive companies,
profitable GIsiness.
But we s,hould be blind 20 the ordinary
working of human nature. II we DO not
recognize that the moral STANDARDS set
by President Roosevelt will not continue
10 be observed by those whom cupidity
and desire for financial power may
tempt unless the requisite machinery Is
introduced into the law. which snail IN
its practical operation. maintain these
standards and secure the country against
n departure from them
Chief Function of Next Adminlstra-
ton to clinch What Has Been Done.
The chief functions OF the next admin
istration In my judgment. Is distinct
from and a progressive development
which has been performed by President
Roos evelt. The chief function of the next
administration Is to perfect the machin-
cry by which these standards may be
maintained, by which the laWbreaker may
he promptly restrained and punished. but
which shall operate with sufficient accur-
acv and and dispatch 10 interfere with
the great business as little as possible
Such machinery Is not now adequate IN
der the present rate bill and under all
ito amendments the burdens of the inter
state commerce commission in supervis-
ing and regulating the operation of the
railroads of this country have grown so
heavy that Il Is utterly impossible for
that tribunal to hear and dispose in any
reasonable time of the many complaints
queries
an executive, directing body and its func-
tions should be limited TO the quasi-ju-
dicial investigation of complaints by indi-
viduals and by a department of the gov
eminent charged with the executive bust
ness of SUPERVISING the operation of rail-
ways.
There should be a classification of that
very small percentage OF industrial cor
porations having power and opportunity TO
effect Illegal restraints of trades and mo-
nopolIes and legislation either inducing or
compelling them to subject themselves to
registry and to proper publicly regula-
tions and supervision OF the department
OF commerce and labor
Constructive Work of Next Admin
istration to Organize Subordinate
and Auxiliary Machinery to Main
tain Standards on One, Hand and
Not to Interfere With Business on
the Other.
The fled covered by the Industrial COM
hinations and by railroads is so very ex-
fergive that in the interests OF the public
and the interests of business concerned
cannot be properly subserved except by
REORGANIZATION OF bureaus in the depart
rnent of commerce and labor. of agr-icuI-
ture and tbs. development of Justice and