The daily sentinel., 1910-02-10
CORPORATION CONTROL IS MORAL
ISSUE.
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ness. Those directing our great cor
porations have deliberately national
lzed them in size and scope; they can
not now be heard to object to CEN
tralized control which they them
selves have made necessary. They
have made their business truly gov
ernmental in their effect on the peo-
pie. They can not now deny that
the government is concerned therein.
As guardian of the nations well
fare, the government must see to 1t
that the ordinary standards of right
and fairness, which restrain our in
dividual citizens, shall also be ap-
piled to our great modern businesses.
1t must make sure that the business
machinery Of the country shall be
preserved from such misuse as would
ultimately destroy it.
Conditions confront us which ere
now determining the country's future.
A significant process of evolution is
going on within our commercial or
ganization. Two types of corporate
managers are struggling for its con-
troll. The one Qike most business
men) bases his success upon increas-
ing the efficiency of his organization;
he acquires and holds his business by
giving better service or lower prices.
The public thus shares the benefits
his efficiency. He builds up our
Industrial strength.
The other succeeds. not by his own
merit, but by crippling the efficiency
NJ corr netitors: bv railway rebates,
by unfair competition, by commercial
oppression, by public rights mouop-
olized for private gain; not by Civ
ing better service, but by unfairly
preventing others from giving any
service. If this process continues, 1t
will surrender the control of our COM
meTcial forces TO the commercial pi-
rate, to the injury of the nation and
the unfair ruin of individuals
Through the bureau of corpora
tions, the federal government has
deliberately taken the side of the fair
user of our commercial forces. The
instrument of the bureau in its work
hns been efficient publicity" II has
relied on the moral sense of the AM
erican people. and its compelling
| force when concentrated intelligently
ON business wrong. II has reported
| to the country, clearly, and accurate
\ ly, the operations of great industries.
| buoiutbS IdtlS anu Ahtll Iituiiiub
have been set forth in such brief and
plain shape as to be available through
the press for the average citizen. 1t
/ has thus evoked that intelligent pub
| lie opinion that will protect honest
business and condemn unfair prac-
| tices.
1t has been pioneer work on vast
| subject, but the results have shown
| what can be done and how to do 1t.
A great awakening has taken place
! in recent years as to our business
methods. The bureau does not assert
that it has done anything more than
aid In this process. But it does con-
tend that the principles which it has
used are the same ones which have
brought about this advance and will
continue 1t. The bureau has proved
by results thar its methods are fit foI
broad application. Under the public
condemnation thus made possible by
facts plainly stated, great corporate
abuses have been abandoned. a
sweeping system of railroad rate dis
ordinations has been voluntarily
Cancelled by the railroads involved
and numerous forms of commercial
oppression have diminished. Corpor-
ate managers themselves are frankly
advocating more open accounting.
One by one the great silent corpora
tions are seeking public confidence
by adopting new policy of publicity.
The situation is thus ready for q