Goldsboro weekly argus., 1909-01-14
Hon. W. ". Kitchin Now
Governor of North Carolina
Continued from Second Page)

O-o
against it's prosecution. Many of the
wrongs committed by corporations
against our people are under circum-
stances which the State cannot con-
troll and cannot be wholly remed1ed
except by the Federal government.
Yet the State can do something Tor
the public and has duty to do TOT
her own interests. We should require
every foreign corporation to OBTAIN
license to do business in this state,
and should provide that such license
should be revoked when it is engaged
in violating our law, or is attempting
under the powers of monopoly to ex-
act from the industrial life OF the
State unreasonable profits with Wnlcn
to pay dividends upon fictitious val
ues or watered stock. Such license
should also be revocable when any
such corporation maintains an estab-
lished Office in this State for the trans
action of it's regular business or the
collection of it's revenues, enr1ch1ng
itself from our people under our laws
and by our comfy and yet fails to
submit to the jurisdiction OF our
Courts, as all our domestic corpora
tions are required to do. I am aware
of course of the criticism which may
be expected from such foreign cor
porations as desire to be let alone IN
their wrong doing, and OF the opposl-
ton which they will offer to our Ell
forts to compel them to conform to
the rule of justice and equity. The
State however owes her people the
high duty which a brave citizenship
should require to be performed. NO
corporation lacking confidence IN our
Courts should desire to enter our
midst to gather wealth from fields 1t
did not cultivate, and no corporation
having contempt for our sovereignty
should be permitted to reap golden
harvests where it did not SOW. We
have reached that stage OF Industrial
and material strength where II every
foreign corporation should unite In
withdrawing from our State, domes-
tic corporations obedient to the pub
lie will, respecting the peoples law,
will take the places, perform the func-
tions and render the services now by
such foreign corporations performed
and rendered. Our State has always
dealt and will continue to deal kindly
with corporations. Their Importance,
usefulness and necessity in developing
our natural resources are recognized
They have universal praise for their
part in the upbuilding of our State, IN
the increase of wealth, in the employ
ment of our people, and for the spirit
of progress which they exhibit and IN
spire. They have rights which are
and will re respected and encouraged.
Unjust burdens and wrongful re-
straints have not and will not be
placed upon them. They have special
privileges which individuals however
enterprising cannot have-privileges
which justify special burdens and re-
ouire a more careful supervision by
public authority than individuals.
Creatures Of the law they owe an
obeience to its mandates strtcter Ii
possible than individuals who created
the law. Without soul, conscience. or
physical body, exempt from remorse.
from fear of future punishment, and
from jails, It Is natural that they
should more easily than individuals
yield to temptations to violate the
laws in their effort to make monsy-
the great purpose of their existence
Net owing to the high character OF
men VINO control them, doubt not
that nine-tenths of our corporations
comply with the law and do absolute
1y honest business, and are therefore
entirely free from public complaint
These corporations like individuals
suffer the injury inflicted by men and
corporations that violate the law. The
law abiding corporation has the desire
to enforce the law against its law de
tying fellow, for no one can have Z
grealer business interest to prevent
corporations from violating the law
than the corporation that lives within
its bounds. The State believes II
justice evenhanded and universal and
it strives towards the attainment OF
universal right, regarding not wheth
er a corrupt man or a corrupt corpor
alton impedes its progress. AS 1t dis
eliminates between the man whC
obeys the law and the one who v1o
1ates it, so should it discriminate be
tween the corporation that obeys the
law and the one that violates it. The
legislature prescribes the law as Z
rule Of conduct commanding what is
right and prohibiting what is wrong
and in my opinion only the man OF
corporation that fears the right OF
follows wrong needs dread the wis
dom Of the people or the action o1
their legislatures. The man who by
foul means wi1fu1ly and needlessly
takes the life Of rival, under ou1
law forfeits his own. The corporate
monopoly that by foul means wilfully
and needlessly destroys his rival by
wrong doing for the purpose of exact
ing unjust profits from the public
should forfeit its existence. All the
power of the State in all of it's depart
ments should be exerted to destroy