The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-07
Epigrams From The Speeches of
 Judge Baldwin

I feel a good deal of apprehension at the extension of the field of legis- lation of the Federal government in the direction of state corporations The present corporation tax law, President Taft is reported to have said. is a useful step in the direction of submitting all state business cor portaions to federal control.
 What a tremendous power this would lodge in the general govern ment! Remember, the prosperity of Connecticut depends on having and kept going. to furnish steady employment for our workingmen and keep the wheels of business moving. Remember that we ta them, and a good deal of the revenue of every town comes from its private corpora tions.
 Now comes the Federal government and taxes them also.' Thus far this tax is very small, but where will 1t grow to? The tariff laws began with duties of five or ten per cent, un- der Hamilton. Where are they now? At point where they are so high as practically to prevent any foreign articles of daily use.
 But this new Federal law imposing new taxes calls for new appointments of inspectors. and deputies. to assess and collect the tax.
 During the last two years 25,000 new Federal offices have been created for such men to fill.
 Can we always trust these Federal inspectors to exercise their powers reasonably and honestly?
 They may make great deal of an- nOyance to our manufacturers. There Ill oD1y ,oi1
 The leaders of the Republican par ty have drawn and put into Congress bill, with, 1t is said, President Tafts approval, which authorizes the United States to incorporate manufacturing concerns which intend to engage Gas all manufacturing concerns do) in In- ter-State Commerce. They can be sued in the Federal courts. The Uni- ted States Commissioner of Corpora tions can wind them up, if they fall into an unsound condition. The State, in which it is located, has no power of inspection over it.
 Let us suppose that such cor poration is managed contrary to law.
 Such misuse of State franchise could be promptly punished by the courts. But this new creation can only be controlled in the first 1n- stance from Washington, and by the one-man power of the COmmlssioner of Corporations. With hundreds or thousafnds of such corporations un- der his supervision, he must act in the main by agents, and on 1nforma- ton received from them. He must and inspection. Can it be expected that they will always use them wise ly, or honestly?
 Here is an inspector or special agent" sent from Washington to Texas to inspect a factory or cotton l~1 irI, Aa fhn Aof of Congress. Dressed in little brief authority he comes with the powers of a Judge; but without those assurances of fair and open hear ing that attend judicial proceed ure. He reached the conclusion, after a day or two, that the concern is in an unsound condition and announces that he shall telegraph the commis- sioner to appoint receiver, and shall nominate a certain person to receive the pointment,-perhaps a business rival. What temptation there would be to the managers of the corporation to put a thousand dollar bill into his hands and implore him to let them alone! What a temptation there would be to him to take it.
 How enormously such an incorpora- tion law would increase the preroga- tives now more than royal, of the President of the United States.
  special favor at Washington, they would find many to press their cause. and to press it as the cause of the people.
 When the United States Steel Com pany were planning to absorb the Ten nessee Coal & Iron Company, it is commonly said, and believed, that they went directly to the head of the gov ernment, and got from the President of the United States an assurance that they should not be prosecuted for it, under the Sherman act. They repre- scented to him that this merger was necessary to keep Wall street from a panic. It may have been; but is it desirable to multiply conditions which impa a Federal officer to show special grace and favor to some great corpor- ate organiza tion. simply because it is great and can control the course of finance by the prompt use of some of the millions it has at command?
 CURTIS HEARING CONTINUED.
 By consent of counsel the con- tinued hearing before Judge Nobbs relative to the restoration of Julia