New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-22
trrom Tho Tribune Bureau. }

tFrom Tho Tribune Burcau.l
Washington, July 81
MR.. WICKERsHAM. PEDAGOGUE.-
Some one has said that the chief end oil
education is 10 make men think. or some
thing to that effect. If this be true ueorse
w. Wickcrsham is glitterin9 success 's
a pedaCoCue. Since the success OF Jana
dian reciprocity has become obvious tne
national LEGISLATORS have refused 10 lhlhA
Of ANYTHING except how 10 endure me meat
and the tedlousness of lnsurgent post-hioi-
TENS. But the suggestion OF the ATTORNEY
General that federal control OF prices i"'s"'
nrove both the logical and the lneNltaole
outcome of the efforts OF the government
IN nreveut monopoly has had an eNtraordl-
nary tonic effect on the faeged mentalltes
at the Capitol. and many men are actua'S
thinking good many more are talhlns
without thinking, but that ls or niue ino-
nent Whether or not Mr.. Wickershann
actually favors carrying federal control 10
that extreme is seriously questioned, put
whatever may be his personal VIEW MS
Duluth speech has had the effect both OF
arousing strong opposition to such pro-
sramme and Of bringing home 10 the more
thoughtful LEGISLATORS the tendency OF ma
tional legislation, at least as construed pF
recent judicial decisions ana Oh Ilouo' -
thought on economic problems. Were 1t
possible to cite. with names, the views eN-
pressed by certain statesmen. fepo'
thereof would. Of course, be douDiy Ih'ei-
esting, but the men whose views are i"oS'
worthy Of respect are most chary OF eN-
pressing them for publication, ana eSPe-
cially so when their discussions are la e'
" tentative and speculative. rather tIiah
conclusive Propounded by one OF less s'I'.
CERTIFY and ability, this suggestion "o"lu
doubtless have been promptly dlsfh'sseu
as tho veqary Of an unframed mind or the
nostr,,m of a demagogue. Coming from
statesman of unquestioned sincerity anu
ability. and propounded in all earnestheSS'
II Is admittedly startling and CANS Ior seri-
Gus consideration and analysis.
WHAT OF LABOR?-The first question
suggested by Mr.. Wickersham propoSi-
ton is whether he would carry federai Gun
troll to the point of fixing the prlce Oh
labor. and If not, how the line couiu ioe'
callv he drawn between fixing reaSohaoe
prica for the commodity produced ny pn-
vata ENTERPRISE and 50 essential consult
uent thereto as the labor which enters INTO
its production. And were the line drawn
short of fixing the price of labor entering
i,to tho production Of the commodity, II Is
asked. what would prevent the producer
whose selling price was hNed pE inc so'
eminent. from continuing 10 acquire ''e
profts he had previously enjoyed az the
result Of unrestrained monopoly through
such reduction Of wages as would insure
tho continuance OF the same or approx
mately the same, margin OF proht' vi
course. the natural answer to this question
is that the law of supply and demand aueh
nv the protective tariff, operates TO main
tain wages at their present level. But the
contention that wages are fixed by the law
=, sunnIv and demand is stoutly disputed
-, oil labor leaders, and there are Thought
ful statesmen who concede thal' IL MI
Underestimate assertion that these laws no
longer determine the prices OF COMMUNITIES
&c ia be accepted, II Will be dlnicull 10
escape the conclusion that the same Is truo
of the compensation Of labor. III Is, there-
fore the proba bility that federal deter
roipation of prices would inevitably be FOL
lowed hv federal determination or work
mems conversation which makes so start
ling the suggestion Of the Attorney zen
eraI For there is no escape from the 1act
thar. with the determination OF wages ana
the price of commodities by the govern
mept embodied in the economic system
socialism. by whatever name it might be
designated, would become an accomplished
fact.
THE ALTERNATINE.-As the hrst step
in an effort 10 avert an undesired END con-
sists Of an examination Of the factors
which are promoting that end, those VINO
ara giving serious consideration 10 Mr..
Understands suggestion are disposed TO
subject TO the most careful scrutiny the
conditions which are making for such eX-
tension Of governmental control as they
cannot but regard with apprehension, 1t
IS pointed out that the Attorney General
refers TO federal control of railway rates,
but il is urged by some that the necessity
for such control arises, not from the mere
size Of the railway industry, nor from the
power which follows the requirement under
a single management Of a vast extent OF
railway mileage, but from the fact that
any railway right Of way. be 1t great or
small. is in itself a monopoly. in that it
consists OF a special right granted by the