The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-02-03

must recognize the fact that indus
trial concentration is already largely
accom- phshed, in spite of general sta
tutory prohibition. The aim of new
legislation should be to regulate, ra-
ther than to prohibit combination. 1t
is an obvious absuTdity to attempt
to do both at the same time, and pro-
Inhibition has practically failed. Our
present law, forhdding all com bina-
ton, therefore needs adaptation to the
actual facts. If we are to do anythin e
effective with the corporation question
We must make an advance on our
present Legislation. The practical OBJ
ject is to see that business opportu-
nifty and the highways of commerce
are kept equally open to all; to pre-
vent fraud special privilege and un-
fair competition. To do this, we must
recognize concentration, supervise it.,
and regulate it. Above all, we must
have system of efficient publicity.
This is the strongest means for our
purpose. Efficient publicity means
that sort of publicity which reaches
the average citizen under every day
conditions. A permanent Office, after
collecting material, must also Summar
iZe it for the public, in brief, clear
and reliable conclusion, showing i'm
portant permanent corporate tenden-
cieS.
THE control by the federal govern
ment (of corporations) should be
broadened into general constructive
system based on tested principles of
supervision, publicity, and co-opera-
ton. The details of such a system in
it's main features should ibe as fol-
lows:
1T should be operated by the feder-
al government.
'It should provide for a system of
regular reports from the large inter-
state corporations.
''Such government office should
have access at all reasonable times to
the records and accounts of such cor
porations.
THAT office should publish concise
ly the important facts disclosed. 1t
should safeguard from publication all
business secrets.
Corporations complying with these
requirements should be given the ad-
vantage of a definite federal regis
tration.
"The system should, if possible, be
voluntary.
FINALLY, supervision must be admi-
nistrative. No other method has the
necessary f1eNibility.
1--WE must have a system of super
vision which provides a working basis
for conference and cooperation and
which does not rely merely on crimi-
nal procedure and opposition. There
is not only "a change in the attitude
of business leaders. There DIS also an
aroused and Intelligent demand from
the public for fair business methods
and for equal commercial opportunity
for all. The future of the nation must
depend largely upon the stability of
its business machinery. That ma
chinery cannot be permanent or sue
cessful unless it operates openly and
JUSTLY. II must place and keep in con-
troll of our great commercial forces
men who have risen there solely by
superior industrial efficiency. 1t must
protect such men from the competi-
tion of those who get power by unfair
and illegal methods and privileges,
practices that rely peculiarly on Sec
recy. To do this THE government must
have such supervision and control of
that corporate machinery as will main
tain in business the fundam entail Am
erican ideal of equal opportunity to
ALL