New-York tribune., 1910-09-01

We must drive the special interests out of
politics That is one of our tasks to-day
uce-fuil. fair and complete. Now, MIND
you. If there were any attempt by mob vio-
lence or in any other way TO plunder ana
work harm to the special interest, whatever
il NAV be that I most dislike. to the veal
thy man, whomSoeyer he may be. for whom
have the greatest contempt, / would fight
for him, and so would you, Il you are worth
your salt He should have justice. Every
! special interest is entitled 10 justice But
not one is entitled to vote in Congress, a
| voice the bench, or to representation IN
any public office. The Constitution guaran-
tees protection TO property, and we must
| make that promise good But II does not
| give the right OF suffrage TO any corpora
! ton.
Must Curb Corporations.
There can be 10 effective control of cor
porations while their political activity re-
| mains TO put an end TO II will be neither
| a short nor an easy task, but 1t can be
done
| We must have complete and effective pub
| licity of corporate affairs. so that the peo-
| pie may know beyond peradventure whether
| the corporations obey the law and whether
| their management entities them TO the CON-
rdence of the public 1t is necessary that
| laws should be passed to prohibit the use
| of corporate funds directly or indirectly for
! political purposes; IL is still more necessary
| that such laws should be thoroughly en-
| forced Corporate expenditures for politi-
cal purposes. and especially such expendi-
lures. by public service corporations. have
corruption in our political affairs.
III has become entirely clear that We must
nave government supervision of the cap
ltallzatlon not only Of public service cor
poralons; including particularly railways,
but OF all corporations doing an interstate
business. / do not wish to see the nation
forced into ownership OF the railways If 1t
can possibly be avoided and the only al
| ternative is thoroughgoing and effective
regulation, which shall be based on a full
knowIedge OF all the facts. including a
physical valuation of the property. This
physical valuation is not needed. at least
is very rarely needed. for fixing rates: but
1t is needed as the basis of honest cap
italiZation.
We have come to recognize that fran
| chlses should never be granted except for
limited time. and never without proper
provision for compensation to the public
It is my personal belief that the same kind
ana degree of control and supervision
vice corporations should be extended also
TO combinations which control necessaries
OF life such as meat. oil and COAL or which
deal in them on an important scale.
the directors, of corporations should be
held personally responsible when corpora
uons break the law.
Combinations Inevitable
Combinations in industry are the result
OF an imperative economic law wheich can
not be repealed by political legislation. The
effort at prohibiting all combination has
substantially failed The only way out lies
tons. but in completely controlling them in
the interest Of the public welfare. For that
purpose the Federal Bureau of Corpora
tions is an agency of the first Importance.
Its power. and therefore its efficiency, as
well as that Of the Interstate Commerce
GI,2mmIissi9n I, lI1ssi9 should be largely increased
Of interstate railways and the proper man
agement Of interstate business as we are
of the national banks ~
There is a Widespread belief among our
tariffs which have hitherto obtained the
special interests are too influential Prob
ably this is true of both the big interests
and the little interests. These methods
have put premium on selishness. and
naturally the selfish big interests have got
more than the selfish small interests.
The duty Of Congress is to provide a
method by which the interest Of the whole
people shall be all that receives considera-
tariff commission. wholly removed from
the possibility of political pressure or of
improper business influence. Such a com
tween cost of production. Which is mainly
the difference of labor cost here and
abroad As fast as its recommendations
at a time. A general revision of the tariff
almost inevitably leads to log rolling, and
the suhordination of the general public in
terest TO local and special interests.
The absence of effective state and espe-
ciaIy national. restraint upon unfair money
getting has tended to create a small class
powerful men. whose chief object is TO
hold and increase their power The prime
need is to change the conditions which en-
able these men to accumulate power which
1t Is not for the general welfare that they
should hold or exercise. We grudge no
man fortune which represents his own
power and sagacity, when exercised with
entire regard to the welfare Of his fell
lows. But the fortune must be honorably
enough that it should have been gained
without doing damage to the community.
We. should permit. It to be gained only
to the community. This. ! know, implies
policy of a far more active governmental
Interference with social and economic con-
dlt1Ons in this country than we have vet
had, but ] think we have got 10 face the
fact that such an increase in governmental
control Is now necessary
Favors an Income Tax
No man should receive a dollar unless
that dollar has been fairly earned Every
dollar received should represent a dollars
worth of service rendered. TIE really big
fortune. the swollen fortune by the mere
fact of its size acquires qualities which diff
ferentlate II in kind we'll as in degree
from what is possessed by men of rela-
lively small means. Therefore | believe in
graduated income tax on big fortunes
and in another tax which is far more easily
collected and far more effective a eradu-
ated Inheritance tax on big fortunes prop
erly safeguarded against evasion and IN
cTeasing rapidly in amount with the size
of the estate.
The people Of the United States suffer
from periodical financial panics to a degree
substantially unknown among the other ma
tions which approach US in financial
strength There is no reason why we should
suffer what they escape. 1t is of profound
Importance that our financial system should
be promptly investigated, and so thorough
ly and effectively revised as TO make It
certain that hereafter our currency will no
longer fail a critical times to meet our
needs.
1t is hardly necessary for me TO repeat
! believe efficient a
navy large enough to secure for us abroad
that respect which is the surest guarantee
OF peace Justice and fair dealing among
nations rest on principles identical with
those which control Justice and fair deal
ing among the individuals of which nations
are composed, with the vital exception that
each nation must do its own part in inter
national Dclice work. National friendships,
like those between men. must be founded
on respect as well as on liking, on for
bearance as well upon trust In all this
il IS peculiarly the duty Of the United
States 10 set a good example
have spoken elsewhere of the great task
which lies before the farmers Of the coun-
try 10 get for themselves and for their
better farming. bat also those Of better bus
mess methods and better conditions of life
on the farm The burden of this great task
will fall az il should, mainly upon the great
am glad il will. for l believe they are well
able TO handle II.
In particular. there are strong reasons
WHY the Gepa rtmentS Of agriculture Of the
various states the United States Depart
men. Of Agriculture and the agricultural
coIlee~s and experiment stations should ex-
tend their work TO cover all phases of life
on the farm. instead of limiting themselves
as they have far too often limited them
selves in the past solely to the question
,o+ia Of