The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-08-31

possible value both TO himself and 4
the commonwealth.
Practical equality OF opportunity fol
all citizens when we achieve II will
have two great results. First. every
man win have fair chance 10 make
OF himself all that in him lies. 20 reach
the highest point to which his capaci
ties. unassisted by special privilege OF
his own and unhampered by the spe
cial privileges of others. can car
~ him and TO get for himself
and bis family substantially what he
has earned; second. equality OF OPP
pOrtunlty means that the common
wealth win get from every citizen tho
highest service OF which he is capa.
bic No man who carries the burden
OF the special privileges OF another can
give 20 the commonwealth that serv.
ice 70 which Il Is fairly entitled.
stand for the square deal But
when | say that am for the square
deal mean not merely that | stand
for fair play under the present rules
OF the game, but that I stand for hav-
ing those rules changed so as to work
for a more substantial equality OF OPP
portunity and OF reward for equally
good service.
This means that our governments.
national and state. must be freed from
the sinister influence or control OF spe.
cial interests. Exactly as the special
interests OF cotton and slavery threat
ened our political integrity before the
civil war. so now the great special
business interests too often control aud
corrupt the men and methods OF gov
eminent for their own profit.
We must drive the special interests
out OF politics That Is one OF our
tasks today. Every special interest IL
entitled 20 justice-full. fair and com
plete-but not ore Is entitled to a vote
In congress. voice on the bench or
TO representation In any public Of
Gee. The constitution guarantees pro-
lection 10 property. and we must make
that promise good But II does not
give the right Of Suffrage TO any cor
pOration.
Control Commercial Forces.
The true friend OF property. the true
conservative. Is he who insists that
property shah be the servant and not
the master OF the commonwealth no
insists that the creature OF mans max
ing shan be the servant and not the
master Of the man who made II. The
citizens OF the United States must ef-
fectlvely control the mighty CONNER
cial forces which they have them
selves called into being.
There can be no effective control Of
corporations while their political actlv-
iiy remains. To put an end TO IL will
be neither a short nor an easy task.
but Il can be done.
We must have complete and effective
publicity of corporate affairs. so that
the people may know beyond perad.
venture whether the corporations obey
the law and whether their manage
mcnt entities them 20 the confidence
Of the public IL IS necessary that
laws should be passed 90 prohibit the
Use OF corporate funds directly or In
directly for political purposes. IL Is
still more necessary that such laws
should be thoroughly enforced.
Corporate expenditures for political
purposes and especially such expendi-
ures by public service corporations
have supplied one OF the principal
'ourccs Of corruption In our political
lffalrs.
II has become entirely clear that
We must have government supervision
OF the capitalization not only OF pub
lie service corporations. including par.
tlcularly railways, but OF all corpora
lions doing an Interstate business.
DO not wish TO see the nation forced
into ownership OF the railways II Il
can possibly be avoided. and the only
Is acknowledging aud ef.
fcctiye regulation which shall be based
on a full knowledge OF all the facts.
Including 4 physical valuation OF the
property.
This physical valuation Is not need.
"a or az least is very rarely needed
FOR fixing rates. but Il is needed as the
basis OF honest capitalization.
We have come TO recognize that fran
'hlses should never be granted except |
Tor limited time aud never without |
proper provision for compensation 20 I
he public. Il Is my personal belief !
hat the same kind and degree OF con
rol and supervision which should be |
Exercised over public service corpora
Ions should be extended also to com !
,inations which control necessaries of /
lie. such as meat. oil and coal. or
which deal IN them on an important |
icale.
! believe that the officers and espe
Tally the directors of corporations |
hould be held personally responsible
When any corporation breaks the law
Combinations In industry are the re-
ult OF an imperative economic law
which cannot be repealed by political
eglslatlon. The effort at prohibiting
II combination has substantially fail
d. The WY out lies not I'm attempt
1g 20 prevent such combinations. but
D completely controlling them in the
interest OF the public welfare
For that purpose the federal bureau
( corporations is an agency OF the first
Importance. Its power and therefore
s efficiency. as well as that OF the in.
,rstate commerce commission, should
n laroalv fncroacad