Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-05-17
C.W,PERkINS ON
Great TRUSTS
Favors National Control Accom-
panied by Publicity.
ONLY COURSE, SAYS BANKER.


Know What Giant Corporations Are
poins-Why He Contends State
Control 10 Impossible.
An argument for national control Of
our great corporations was made by
George W. Perkins Of ]. P. Morgan &
Co. at the Graduate School Of Admin
istrative Science at Harvard univer-
sity. in Cambridge, Mass, the other
day. Mr.. Perkins in his address re-
ferred to the talk that few evil mind
ed men had brought about conditions
which in the end would pauperize the
people. He admitted that there were
great evils. but went on:
IL ask you to think seriously whether
It has been so much the Vaccinations
Of wicked men that have brought US
where we are or the inventions and
discoveries of the age inventions
which in themselves have been acclaim
ed and applauded as great achieve.
ments. Were these inventions simply
to be laid away on a shelf or were they
to be put to practical use? Was the
long distance telephone to be a play.
thing or a practical instrument Of
commerce? Why applaud the inventor
and berste the user?
I'VE would have no large business
concerns and we would not be trou-
bled with some Of the business ques.
tons now engaging public attention II,
with one sweep Of the hand, the in
ventions and discoveries of the age
could be wiped out Of existence and we
put back into the condition under
which business had to be transacted
about half century ago.
"The attempt by humans to make
laws that will nullify conditions that
have come about through the conquest
Of the mysteries of nature will never
succeed. One might just as well at
tempt to legislate against lightning. If
this country does not want business
done with the instruments that invent
ors and discoveries have placed in the
hands Of business men, then eradicate
the causes, not the results. Begin by
electrocuting Edison and Aarconi; ap-
prehend the Wright brothers and put
them behind the bars.
GIarino Abuses In Business Methods.
''The people have witnessed abuses,
glazing abuses, In business methods.
They have suffered under many of
these for years and have found no
remedy. They have been told that
these abuses came about largely be-
cause Of the size to which certain bust
ness enterprises had grown. For want
of a better reason and for lack Of
real thought many have accepted that
one. How un-American to be afraid
of thing because it Is large! Who
has been afraid Of the United States
as it has grown from thirteen states
to forty-six? Who has wanted a law
our population because 1t is
the 100, 100000 mark?
1.-THE true American, he who thinks
deeply, logically, has no such fear or
belief. 1t isn't the size that he fears;
It is the methods followed. He fears
the management Of giant enterprise
that is secretive, that does not respect
public opinion, that does not realize
that when its shares are owned by
the public its managers are substan-
tally public servants. He fears the
methods Of the blind pool-that is all.
BE wants to know, and he has right
to know from disinterested third par
ties, what is being done by great
business enterprise in which his money
Is invested or which is handling CON-
modify that affects his daily life.
1.-THE officers Of great corporations
should realize that such concerns are
more nearly public institutions than
private property. I firmly believe that
substantial progress in this direction
8 being made. While the agitation Of
he last few years has been unfair and
in many instances, on the
,ther hand it has set business men |
linking has awakened the business
conscience and has brought new re- |
luzation of the fact that it Is as true
4 business as it is Of the individual
hat there is no permanent success I'M
ess it be based upon integrity Of char
cter.
How Trusts Would 30 Benefit.
LET those Of us who are in business
e fair with the people, and the people
viii be fair with us; let us see and
ccept the tendency Of the times; let
$ realize our responsibilities, and our
will be far easier Of solution.
( we believe that in our republic the
copies word is law, let us believe 1t
! all things, and If the people have
ecided that the time has come to take
hand in how business shall be con-
ucted is it not plain business sense \
} meet the question at least half way
lther than fight it all the way?
"Giant corporations would be not !