Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-01-13
ANDREW CARNEGIE
FOR l. S. CONTROL
Asks c'emeHcy Of Stanley Committee
fcT millionaire WHO Violated
Law Through Ignorance.

Washington, jan. 12.-Andrew Car
Begie, resuming his testimony before
the stanley steel investigating com
mittee of the house, led of by deserib
Ing, with abundant humor and touch
of pride, some Of the operations OF the
Carnegie Steel company. and how he
had walked all around his competi
tors in the days when he was actively
engaged In business.
Part of the time he talked to the
committee: again when he had some
thing particularly good to relate. he
turned about In his chair and faced
the large audience.
Nobody could doubt as the old iron
master proceeded that In his prime
he was mighty hard competitor.
Mr.. Carnegie reiterated his tariff
views. He declared that the steel in
dustry needed no protective tariff and
that congress need have no fear tina
foreign steel would flood the Ameri-
can market
Men," he said, have been able to
sit down and agree to fix prices and
maintain them"
{ do you believe that situation today
destroys competition" he was asked.
Certainly"
THAT men IN these corporations
meet somewhere today to fix and
maintain prices?"
Il think that is obvious
Mr. Carnegie was asked whether he
agreed with views he expressed two
years ago, urging government control
OF corporations and the regulation OF
prices.
II still adhere to them." he answer
ed. II believe the government should
regulate maximum prices"
Don't you think it an unfortunate
condition."
Il think the time has arrived when
that Is necessary. and point to the
interstate commerce commission,
which has brought order. peace and
justice out of chaos In the railroad
business"
Mr.. Carnegie declared that he never
had any idea that the American peo
such trusts as have grown up in this
country, without government regula.
tion.
Pleads For Millionaires.
The ironmaster declared he did not
know the Sherman law interfered with
his company engaging in pools. He
said he would not punish milionaires.
as examples to other millionaires, be-
cause they had done something in ig
norance of the law. THAT would be
vindictive," he said.
You plead eloquently for the men
who have violated, innocently, the law
of competition" said Mr.. Stanley, the
chairman You say that your com
pany was violating laws and you never
knew 1t. Don't you believe that If the
law were enforced and some men, who
had brought misery and chaos to the
people, were incarcerated, then that
Incarceration would bring to the minds
of you millionaires the Nervousness Of
those offenses?"
1T is true that ignorance of the law
10 NJ CANuott itpiitu ilt
but the man who breaks laws limo
Gently is to be given consideration Il
he erred, not against his principle, but
committed an error or crime innocent.
ly, II makes all the difference between
a rogue and an honest man"
But you say il is wrong to in.er
fere with the law of competition? You
used stronger language than l in de
scribing the effects of such interfer
ence."
''ln the days of competition II was
struggle for the survival Of the fittest
Men were proud to think that they
could do as their neighbors did. agree
with your views, but remember such
men as Samuel FELTON, and Duncan
Kennedy These men distributed rails
among the companies. If they knew
they had violated the law they would
have stopped. To punish such men vim
dictively is wrong"
mot vindictively." suggested Mr.
Stanley. Rather punish them as an
atonement."
my view Of atonement is that sins
have been forgiven" replied Mr.. Car
negie.
Judge Reid, Carnegie's personal
counsel, broke in, saying: Judge Gary
is the man who put a stop to the steel
pools as early as 1894"
"And instituted Gary dinners?" said
Mr.. Stanley.
Here Representative Beall took ur
the questioning.
IF this is the case, why does not
some philanthronist establish night
schools for millionaires? he asked.
"Ah, this is a violent supposition;
why not say Sunday SCHOOL," replied
Mt. Carreaie
he a0Ged never sat in a pool