New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-02


inlaa,,,dNC,ombinati6ns Of capital in in
! dustrial business, generally brought to-
| gethey for the ostensible and commend
| able purpose of reducing the costs OF
| Production and distribution. have too
Otter had the real purpose of suppress
ing competition, controlling prices and
maintaining monopoly.
Overcoming Corporate Abuse.
Every one who is frank must admit
that great progress has been made in
fighting these evils. thteen years ago
! the rights of the people to our natural
resources were freely disregarded. The
natural resources of the nation are now
| In the wav of being conserved for the
people who are the ultimate owners Of
! such resources and ought to remain so.
| Fiftaen wears ago one OF the common
est forms OF corporate abuse was the
management Of our railways IN 'he IN
terest of favored individuals by secret
rebates That day has passed. Our
new railway act goes much further and
| greatly increases the powers OF duties
of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
! The discretion of the commissioners. not
within judicial control by appear, Is now
very wide and they have In their hands
for the veal or woe Of general business
power that sometimes makes one trem-
BILE The personnel of the commission
becomes. therefore, as Important as that
of orr highest courts. The RESPONSE
hility of the Executive in the appoint
emf of the commissioners Is heavy
one trend or bias Of mind on the
mart of a member is dangerous. The
iudiciaI ouality of each should be fine.
! We have said to the railways and
| their stockholders. We cannot trust to
competition. and we cannot trust TO you
the fixing of proper rates. Having
created a tribunal with power to settle
what rates are just, IT should be borne
! in mind that the public welfare and the
whole business interest OF the country
NAV be injured quite as much by injus-
| t;ce TO the railways as the result of an
unwise cIamor for low rates as by the
| imposition of extortionate rates. 1t is
not without significance in this connec-
| ton that employees and wage earners Of
railways are to-day associating them
selves together for the purpose of using
| their influence to prevent injustice to
their employers by oppressive legisla-
ton or oppressive regulation under the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
Results of Roosevelt Crusade.
Fifteen years ago the general control
of legislatures by corporate influence
and corruption was far greater than 1t
is to-day. The crusade initiated by Mr..
Roosevelt and carried on during his term
of office has resulted, first, In arousing
the entire community to the necessity
for reform. and, second, in inducing
many corporation managers to abandon
methods that were questionable and to
leave politics to other hands.
It was impossible to arouse the peo-
pie to a Just indignation at corrupt cor
porate control through machine and boss
rule without having such a movement
acquire an impetus that carries II to ex-
IRENE views. and the electorate is now
searching for a reform procedure under
which bosses cannot live, machines can
never control and corruption can never
exert influence. Hence we have move
ments to eliminate the middleman In
politics, and to give popular sentiment a
more immediate effect in government
than perhaps would have been thought
wise by our fathers.
The existence of such popular
impulse ought to rejoice every patrlo1
with the hope that II will be turned 10
a useful and permanent betterrnent OF
our politics. But however eHecIiFe
these suggested changes may prove AT
first. | venture to say that no great per-
manent good can come from them alone
unless they are accompanied by a
change in the individual voter and his
awakening to the necessity for constant
WatchfulnesS and effort on MS part 10
prevent the old evils from appearing III
new guise.
Every one will now admit that the
Sherman antitrust law, passed twenty
wears ago, and since subjected to great
deal Of judicial construction, is effective
Coz. tho nurpose of breaking up combi-
nations that result in the suppression OF
comnetition and the establishment OF
monopolies- A.,
There are pending two cases IN the
Supreme Court. which, 1t is hoped. WIZ
throw still greater light on the suoJecI,
making even clearer than they are to-uaS
Tho lines between legitimate and ilIeglu-
mate business. 1t has peen tt,ouslit tiIa I
those decisions. if adverse to the corpora
tionr would greatly disturb financial
centres. would halt general business ana
wo,ld bring on financial disaster. L do
not share these fears
Advantages of Federal incorporation.
have proposed to Congress In this
connection a federal Incorporation act,
which might be taken advantage or by
the largest corporations. II would give,
and il ought to give, no immunity from
the antitrust law. But II would nave
this advantage: II would give the gov
eminent the benefit of direct supervision
of these powerful corporations ana IL
would afford to these corporations ample
within the state borders
If gives me the greatest satisfaction
TO say that in spite of all the rumors OF
possible business stagnation our basic
prosperity is assured for the coming
wear. in that the great volume of crops
now being harvested in value will ex-
coed the products of our fields at any
period in the past. Our corn crop. our
cotton crop and our oats crop will equal
approximately S3.Oo0,OOO0OO. and the
significance of this fact in its bearing on
the business Of next year can hardly be
overStated.
The millionaire, the great manufaCt-
urer and the capitalist seem to derive
more benefit, measured in dollars and
cents from prosperity than do the indi-
chant. clerk and professional man. But
in actual human comfort and happi-
ness prosperity is vastly more i'm
portant to the wage Garner than TO the
wealthy.
Hence it is legitimate office of those
charged with governmental responsible
ity to do what they can TO prevent the
spreading of fears which will drive cap
ital to its boarding place and prevent
the investments necessary to carry on
the widely expanded business OF this
country from which our people derive
their livelihood Business men now
view with favor rather than with alarm
a strict enforcement of law.
Extending Civil Service Reform.
There are other directions in which
governmental progress can be made.
The extension of the merit system has
ON the whole greatly improved Condi-