The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-03-16
OUR MAIN PROBLEM.

y
The problem. or rather the main
problem. before the Taft admins
tration. is To establish the relations
of the government to the large COM
binations of capital. on a permanent
basis and one that is satisfactory
from the Taft administration, is 10
establish the relations of the prop
critics. The way has been blazed by
the last administration. and we have
had two years of serious considera-
ton of the details of such settle
ment. while the investigations by the
various departments have placed at
the disposal of this administration
much knowledge and information not
before available.
1t is generally admitted that COM
bnations are a logical outcome of
the industrial conditions of our day,
and many believe they have been and
are essential To the proper develop
ment of our resources, the building
of needed avenues for traffic. and en-
larged demands for manufactured
products. II seems clear that indivi-
duals as suchconld not have accom-
plished what has been accomplished
in the past twenty years, and if il be
admitted that the future is TO make
equally large demands for increased
facilities and output, il is clear also
that the number of corporations must.
increase and that those now in exist
ence must he enlarged. The idea of
destroying great corporations has
been finally abandoned. but not the
idea of preventing monopolies hav-
ing the power To demand exorbitant
prices for commodities directly or in
directly consumed by the public. We
have adopted the principles of social
ism To the extent of recognizing the
need of cooperation of all through
government ownership.
We wish TO preserve the advantage
of combinations such as the economy
of production made possible and the
ability to do large things, but TO so
regulate such combinations that the
welfare of the people shall not be
jeopardized by them. We wish also
TO preserve the advantages of private
initiative and personal ambition, but
also To so regulate them so that
while the individual may he allowed
full play for his abilities. he shall
not enerouch on the rights of others
or Cypress his fellows These are
comparatively new fields of govern
ment effort. showing clearly, that
while socialism has not succeeded
altogether, il has TO the extent of
vastly increasing the functions of
government. and made II play a
large part in theindustrial affairs of
the nation. These new conditions
we have met ny the adoption of the
principles of regulation of prices by
commissions representing the gov
ernnment. that is. the people. and
there We should call a halt. except
for what legislation may be needed
TO round out the policies and secure
their execution in manner that will
afford MS sound basis for judging
their efficiency.
There are capitalists who will con-
tinue to claim that what is theirs Is
theirs. and thar thepublic has no in
terest in their property. These are
the men who may properly be called
reactionaries but they are in the
minority. There rs the soeialistie
element that would level all men,
ana take from tile man ul super III
ability and diligence a just reward
for his more intelligent and indus
trious efforts. but these form a min
ority of wage earners. The vast
majority OF capitalists recognize the
necessity and justice of fair laws for
the regulation OF wealth. especially
when the form of combinations or
corporations and the vast majority
of wage earners recognize that, while
all men are equal before the law,
they are not in either metal or ply
steal ability and that as men SOW so
should they reap. This body OF
reasonable. fair and patriotic men
comprising the great majority of the
American people. will support the eff
forts of those In authority so long
as they work along the lines of wise,
intelligent and patriotic endeavor 10
solve our problems. VI Is sale to
assume that the TAFT administration
will deserve this support, and herein
lies our best guarantee of prosperity
i'm thefuture.