The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-06

necessary to the small man. is criminal
under the present law. He says:
With the alternative before the bust
ness men of cooperation or failure, we
may be sure that they will cooperate.
since the law is violated by practically
every group of men engaged in trade
from one end of the country to the
other, they do not feel that in combin-
ing they are doing a moral wrong. The
selection of the individual or corpora
ton for prosecution depends upon the
arbitrary choice of the attorney general
perhaps somewhat influenced by the
odlum which attaches to some of the
Vlolators of the law. They all take
the1r chance, hoping that the blow viii
ran elsewhere. With general violation
ano sporadic enforcement of an inn
pract1cable law, We cannot hone that
our people will gain respect for it.
In conclusion, there is presented as
the solution of the difficulties of the
present industrial situation, concentra-
ton, cooperation, and control. Through
concentration We may have the eco
nom1c advantages coming from nagni-
tude or operations Through co-oDer-
alton We may limit the wastes of the
competitive system. Through control
by commission we may secure freedom
Tor fair competition, elimination Of
unfair practices, conservation of our
natural resources, fair wages, good So
c1al conditions and reasonable prices.
industry in order to secure efficiency
are a world wide movement. The
United States cannot resist it. If we
isolate ourselves and insist upon the
subdivision of industry below the high
est economic efficiency, and do not al
low cooperation, We shall be defeated
in the worlds markets. We cannot
adopt an economic system less eff
ficient than our great competitors,
Germany England, France and Aus
tria. Either we must modify our
present obsolete laws regarding con-
centration and cooperation so as to
conform with the world movement, or
else fall behind in the race for the
worlds markets. Concentration and
cooperation are conditions impera-
lively essential for Industrial advance;
but If we allow concentration and CO.
operation there must be control in or
der to protect the people, and ade-
Quate control is only possible through
the administrative commission. Hence
concentration, cooperation and con-
troll are the key words for Scient1hc
solution of the mighty Industrial PROB
lem which now confrontS this nation.
In his main thesis President Van HiSe
is unquestionably right The Democrat
ic platform offers nothing in the way
of remedy for present Industrial con
ditions except, first, the enforcement
of the antitrust law in a fashlon
which. if words mean anything, means
bringing business to standst1ll; ano,
second, the insistence upon an archaic
of the states rights doc.
trine in thus dealing with interstate
commerce-an insistence which, in the
first place, is the most fragrant posi-
BILE violation of the constitution to
which the members of the Baltimore
convention assert their devotion, ana
which, in the next place, nullifies and
makes an empty pretense of their first
statement. The proposals of the plat
form are so conflicting and SO absurd
that it is hard to imagine how any
attempt could be made in good faith to
carry them out: but, if such attempt
were sincerely made, it could only pro-
duce industrial chaos. Were such on
attempt made, every man who acts hon
estly would have something to fear,
and yet no great adroit criminal abe
to command the advice of the best
lawyers would have mucn
to fear
What is needed is action directly the
reverse of that thus confusedly inGica
ted We progressives stand for the
rights of the people. When these rights
can best be secured by insistence upon
states rights, then we are for states
rights; when they can best be secured
by insistence upon national rights,
then we are for national rights. In
terstate commerce can be effectively
controlled only by the nation. The
states cannot control it under the con-
ton by giving them control oe it would
amount to a dissolution OF the govern
rent. The worst of the big trusts have
a lwoys endeavored to keep alive the
feeling in favor of having the states
and not the nation, at
tempt to do this work because they
know that in the long run such effort
would be ineffective. There is no surer
yay to prevent all successful effort to
deal with the trusts than to insist |
hat they be dealt with by the states |
-ather than by the nation, or to Gre |
tie a conflict between the states ard |
he nation on the subject. The we'll |
meaning ignorant man who advances |
,uch a. proposition does as much dam |
lge as If he were hired by the trusts |
themselves, for he is playing the game |
If every big crooked corporation in |
he country. The only effective way /
n which to regulate the trusts is
through the exercise of the collective
power of our people as whole through
he governmental agencies established
" the constitution for this very pur-
,ose Grave injustice is done by the
congress when it fails to give the ua-
ional government complete power III
his matter; and still graver injustice
" the federal courts when they en-
eavor in any way to pare down tie
light of the people collectively to act
n this matter as they deem wise: |
UGH COH0OSl hOSS AtoCAA l0IlQ u CAUSE
he creation of a twilight zone in which
either the nation nor the states have
over. Fortunately, the federal courts
ave more and more of recent years
ended to adopt the true doctrine, which
that all these matters are to be set
led by the people thmselves, and that
he conscience of the people, and not
he preferences of any servants of tie
eople, is to be the standard in deciding
that action shall be taken by the peo-
lie. AS Lincoln phrased it: The
question) of national power and state
lights as a principle is no other thai:
he principle of generality and locality.
Whatever concerns the whole should he
onhded to the Whole-to the general