The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-01-16
Let Publications Tell
Who Control Them.

Neither The Journal nor any other
publication guided by men whose
minds even border on Intelligence
wiz take a stand in opposition to the
corporations that have done such a
vast work in advancing the CONNER
cial Importance of the United States.
Not to the corporations, per Sc. For
in themselves, when conducted fairly
and squareEy. their operators con-
tent with reasonable power and profit.
they are public blessings without any
sinister or dangerous influence.
But il is the nature of men to love
more than their share of the world 5
possessions and of the influential indie
pendence which accompanies wealth
And for that reason the owners Of
corporations, blind to their own best
interests in the long run, are forever
gTasping out after more, more, more,
until the people grow fairly sick of
tneiI righteousness. Give them an
inch and they try to snatch not a
yard, but a thousand miles, and seem
much aggVieyed at the slightest public
exhibition of disgust or the least inter
ference by the people.
The past decade has developed in
this country a strong protest against
the high handed proceedings of these
trusts or corporations. The people
have become genuinely alarmed by
the strong part they play in our po-
Iitical and moral life. There has
| been a demand upon governments, To-
cal, state and national, to expose their
me thods and curtail their power.
| There has, in consequence, been very
/ complete exposure and no little ben
| efcent legislation intended to control
them, It is unnecessary TO say, how
ever, that the objects of this atten-
/ ton seem to look upon it as an intru-
siOE on tleir vested rights and are as
/ busy as a hive of bees in their machiu-
atiOnS TO neutTaIiZe these efforts and
/ to continue at their same old game
the tossing of a coin with the I'M
Outstanding that heads l win and
tails. you lose"
No class of men are more sensitive
! than these corpOratiOnists TO the crit
ioism of the public press; for no other
class so thoroughly recognizes the III
| fuence of the thousands of newspa-
pers and magazines published through
| on, the union. These busy messen-
gers to every household in the land
form public opinion, and he would in
deed be a Iuckiess wight and that
| trust an ill-starred institution that
might receive the condemnation of
the whole aggregation. Think a mo-
ment what the effect would be-utter
| humiliation.
knowing then and fearing the pow
eT of the press, the great corporations
are now seeking to get control of as
many publications as possible They
have already secured many, they will
| infallibly secure more. They have
the money to do it, and they know
| in their scheming hearts that in no
better way could they invest a large
portion of their capital than in pur-
| chasing newspapers which will sing
| abroad their praises and counteract
/ tho lessons taught by others run on a
higher plane, independently and with
tno interests of the whole people as
| their inspiration.
The Journal, therefore, most un-
equivocalIy favors the plan which has
been suggested that all publications
shall be compelled by law to publish
prominently a complete list of their
stockholders, and bondhoIders in
| every edition. 1t is but right that
those who read should understand un-
der whose auspices news is spread and
facts are stated. 1t is but just that
law should step in 10 save the public
from being misIed, as has too often
been the case, by hypoeritical and
humbugging literature.
There viii be a world of opposition
to this plan. Every sort of specious
aTgJ ment will be raised to discredit
its justice and a strong arm will be
used to turn aside the needed legis
lation. Nevertheless, it is right. II
should be done 1t is in the interest
of the people. 1t will safeguard the
ignorant and keep the wise more
fully in touch with every move de
signed to increase corporate power at