Arizona republican., 1911-05-06

| troll of our life through the vast privi-
leges of corporations which use the
wealth of masses of men to sustain
their enterprise 1t is in connection
with this danger that il is necessary
to do some of our clearest and frank
est thinking. II is a fundamental mis-
take to speak of the privileges of these
great corporations as if they fell within
the class of private right and of pri
vate property. Those who administer
the affairs of great joint stock COM
panies are really administering the
property of communities, the property
OF the whole mass and miscellany Of
men who have bought the stock or the
bonds that sustain the enterprise. The
stocks and the bonds are constantly
changing hands. There is no fixed
partnership. Moreover. managers of
such corporations are the trustees of
moneys which they themselves never
accumulated. but which have been
drawn together out of private savings
here, there and everywhere.
What is necessary in order to rectify
the whole mass OF business of this
kind is that those who control il
should entirely change their point of
view. They are trustees. not masters.
of private property, not only because
their power is derived from multi
tude of men. but also because in its
investments il affects a multitude of
men. II determines the development
or decay of communities. 1t is the
means OF lifting or depressing the life
OF the whole country. They must re-
gard themselves as representatives of
a public power. There can be no rea-
sonable jealousy of public regulation
in such matters. because the cpportu-
mites of all men are affected Their
property is everywhere touched. their
savings are everywhere absorbed. their
employment is everywhere determined,
by these great agencies. What we need.
therefore. is to come to common view
which viii not bring antagonisms. but
accommodation. The programs of par
ties must now be programs of cnlight
eminent and readjustment. not revolu-
tionary. but restorative. The processes
of change are lar0~ly processes OF
thought but unhappily they cannot be
without becoming political
processes also. and that is TIE deep
Of public men. What we
need. therefore. in our politics is an
instant alignment of all men free and
willing to think and to act without fear
upon their thought.
This is just as much a constructive
age in politics. therefore. as was the
great age in which our federal gov
eminent was set up. and the man who
does not awake to the opportunity. the
man who does not sacrifice private and
exceptional interests in order To serve
the common and public interest. is de
clining to take part in the business of
a heroic age. ! am sorry for the man
who is so blind that he does not see
the opportunity. and / am happy in the
that in this era smen OF
and of principle will see their
of immortal service.
| am not one OF those who wish To
break connections Of the past. nor am
| one OF those who wish change for
the mere sake of variety. The only
men who do that are the men who
want TO forget something. the men who
filled yesterday with something they
would rather not recall today. Change
is not interesting unless Il is construc
tive. and il is an age Of construction
that must put fire into the blood of
any man worthy of the name.