Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-31

ed. The way out lies not in attempt
ing to prevent such combinations. but
In completely controlling them In the
interest of the public welfare.
For that purpose the federal bureau
OF corporations is an agency OF the hrst
importance. Its power and therefore
its efficiency. as well as that OF the In
terstate commerce commission, should
be largely increased.
We have right to expect from the
bureau of corporations and from the
interstate commerce commission a
very high grade of public service. We
should be sure Of the proper conduct
of interstate railways and the proper
management Of interstate business as
we are now sure Of the conduct and
management Of the national banks.
and we should have as effective super
vision in one case as In the other.
The Hepburn act and the amend
ment to that act in the shape in which
it finally passed congress at the last
session represent a long step in adj
vance. and we must go vet further.
influence of Special interests.
There is a widespread belief among
our people that under the methods of
making tariffs which have hitherto OBJ
tanned the special interests are too In
fiuential. Probably this is true OF both
the big interests and the little inter
ests These methods have put pre-
MUM on selflshness, and naturally the
selfish big interests have got more
than the selfish small interests. The
duty Of congress is to provide meth
cd by which the interest Of the whole
people shall be all that receives con-
sideration.
To this end there must be an expert
tariff commission wholly removed from
the possibility of political pressure or
of improper business influence.
Such a commission can find out the
real difference between the cost OF
production, which is mainly the diff
ference of labor cost here and abroad
AS fast as its recommendation are
made I believe in revising one sched-
ule at a time. A general revision OF
the tariff almost inevitably leads to
log rolling and the subordination of
the general public interest to local and
special interests.
The absence of effective state and
especially national restraint upon I'M
fair money getting has tended to
create a small class Of enormously
wealthy and economically powerful
men whose chief object is to hold and
increase their power.
The prime need is to change the
conditions which enable these men to
accumulate power which it is not for
the general welfare that they should
hold or exercise.
We grudge no man a fortune which
represents his own power and sagacity
when exercised with entire regard to
the welfare Of his fellows. But the
fortune must be honorably obtained
and well used. 1t is not even enough
that it should have been gained with
out doing damage to the community.
We should permit it to be gained
only so long as the gaining represents
benefit to the community. This, /
know, implies a policy of a far more
active governmental interference with
social and economic conditions In this
country than we have yet had, but ]
think we have got to face the fact that
such an increase in governmental con-
troll is now necessary.
Money Fairly Earned.
No man should receive IA dollar un-
less that dollar has been fairly earned
Every dollar received should represent
a dollars worth OF service rendered.
The really big fortune. the swollen
fortune, by the mere fact Of its size
acquires qualities which differentiate
it in kind as well as in degree from
what is possessed by men of relative
~ small means.
Therefore 1 believe in a graduated
income tax on big fortunes and in an
other tax which is far more easily
collected and far more effective-a
graduated inheritance tax on big for
tunes, properly safeguarded against
evasion and increasing rapidly In
amount with the size of the estate.
The people Of the United States suf-