The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-20
HIS LAST INTERVIEW Paul Morton Discusses lndivid-
 ual and Corporate Rights RIGHTS OF MEN PARAMOUNT
 TO RIGHTS OF PROPERTY
Corporations Essential to Well fare of Country = Considers Great Industrial Combinations
 the Battleships of Commerce
 Believed in Cooperation Between Capital and Labor
Especial from United Press.)

\0PCSAdl 4AOAIA CAALCd | OSSsP
 New York. Jan. 2o-Hfs last inter-
 view on public questions was given by
 the late Paul Morton. to the United
 Press. shortly before his sudden death
 It was in answer to statement made
 to the United Press by Governor Hiram Johnson. of California. to the effect that, individual rights were to be given precedence over corporate rights in that State. MT. Morton was asked whether it was possible for both individual and corporate rights to be properly protected without injury to each other. His statement follows:
 Copyright. 1911. by the United Press.)
 By the late Paul Morton.)
 I would be sorry to think that there was not some fair platform on which might stand with equality. There is not any question but every patriotic citizen considers the rights of men paramount to the rights of property, but that does not justify the public in ignoring the latter. My observa- or any other corporation or any indi- vidual secures a franchise or anything else in the way of a special privilege and which was unfair to the public, or succeeded in any way in having laws construed that unreasonably fa- vored said property or individual, sooner or later these special privileges them away. the corporations or indi- vidual who had enjoyed them general ly paid pretty good interest for their use.
 have always believed that the railroads should not engage in politics. should keep out of politics. and I think 1t is just as fair that the poli- ticians should leave the railroads alone and when say leave them alone. T mean not to bait them or use them as a means to get into office. It is very difficult for the railroads to re- frain from politics if the politicians attack them. think railroads should be regulated but believe they are entitled to the same fai. treatment that individuals are. believe that the railroads mean to accord every body fair treatment in return.
 The railroads of the United States are owned. largely by the frugal peo- pie of the. country. the people who are economical and who invest their savings either directly or through the savings banks. and trust companies or by purchasing life insurance. The life insurance companies of the United States are said to own nearly one eighth of all the railroad bonds issued by American railroads. and this by it. self scatters the ownership of railroads to an extent that is very little under stood by people generally.
 Corporations are just as essential to the welfare of this country as are freight cars. They are merely agen- cies through which the commerce of the country is being transacted and, as have said before, I consider great Industrial combinations the battleships of commerce with which we are to capture the business of the world. markets are most essential to our manufacturers and in order to reach them there must be the utmost cooperation between capital and la bor and the government itself should do everything it reasonably can to pro- mote harmonious relations.
 I think that corporate practice has been very much improved during the last five years and that things that once were thought to be right are not now tolerated. am of the opinion that, out of all the agitation which we have had in the last five years. much good has resulted. and yet be- lieve if we had less agitation and less legislation for "a while we would be better off I have always believed that intelligent combination and cen- tralzation are much preferable to un- restricted competition. I think it. is better for labor. better for capital, and better for the nation. But all combi- nations. whether of capital or of labor, should be reasonable and should have service always in view