Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-08-09

SeHdIo1 SullllillllS mas introduced {
| resolution in the senate which if acted
upon favorably will be Of far more i'm
portance than the revision of any par
ticular tariff schedule.
He proposes to have investigated tho
subject Of the trend OF our industrial
life. Among the questions to be con-
sidered are these: Has competition
ceased to be an effective factor in our
industrial affairs Can it be relied up
on in future to prevent monopoly and
insure square deal? If competition
far has its operation ben set aside by
com bination and how may the gov
crnment best proceed 10 restore it to
It's former prestige as an efficient
agent for holding avarice and greed
in check among the people? If compe-
ton is dead. how shall the government
proceed 10 administer the estate which
it has Left Shall the government fix
prices which Industrial concerns may
charge for their product as it fixes
rates that may be charged for trans
portationo Shall we embark upon the
government ownership of large public
utilities and even large industrial con-
Germs or will it be possible TO suffi
GENTLY regulate them and leave them
in the hands of private individuals"
These are momentous questions.
They are freught with much import
ance. No civilization in any previous
ase Of the world ever confronted such
problems. The government needs a
wise policy. The government must be
unselfsh: it must act for the common
good. To do this. information mus,
be available. a commission which
would give these problems careful
study and make q report like that OF
Horace Mann on the subject Of edu-
cation would render humanity a noble
service.
Senator Cum Minis STILL adheres to
the notion that competition may still
be made an effective agency in our in
dustrial life He would prohibit COM
bination in restraint of trade. He would
strengthen the Sherman antitrust law
and would also restrict the amount Of
capital that might be employed in any
ore branch of business.
But the i'm porIant consideration a.
this time is TO know which policy the
iyY "a
Wickershan1. Perkins. and others have
suggested government price fixing
This is new suggestion. 1t is looked
upon with suspicion The government
is now regulating interstate commerce.
The president is relying upon this au-
rhority 10 prevent monopoly and abuse
Of natural resources in Alaska This
is largely an experiment, even in inter
state commerce and it is wholly I'M
tried as regulator in big business
Another suggestion in this connec-
ton is that OF income and inheritance
taxes. There is growing belief tina.
overgrown fortunes should be dissipa
ed on the death Of their accumula Tor
There are plenty OF people who think
that with the exception Of small sums
all property should revert 20 the state
on the death of the owner to be ad-
rninistered for the conmorweal
Possibly no commission could fur
nish sure guide for the future thru
the industrial maze of mystery which
surrounds US. But it is evident that we
are up to some serious problems in
the matter OF syndicated capital with
monopolistic control of whole depart
ments Of our industrial fabric. The
government must intervene. 1t is in
portant to know how and Where and
when this intervention should occur
Cummins in his resolution. has touch
ed vital subject 1t is one about
which political lines have not yet been
drawn