The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-21

JUST ana proper. COn6t1fu-
tiOn-makers should make it clear be-
yond shadow of doubt that the people
in their legislative capacity have the
power to enact into Law any measure
they deem necessary for the better
ment of social and Industrial condi-
tons The wisdom OF framing any
particular law of this kind is a proper
subject Of debate; but the power OF
the people to enact the law should not
be subject TO debate. To hold the
contrary view is to be false to the
cause Of the people, to the cause Of
American democracy.
Aim Of Good Government.
The ends Of good govern
ment IN our democracy are to secure
by genuine popular rule q high aver
age of moral and material well-belng
among our citizens. It has been well
said that in the past we have paid
attention only to the accumulation OF
prosperity, and that from henceforth
we must pay equal attention to the
proper distribution of prosperity. This
is true. The only prosperity worth
having Is that which affects the mass
of the people. I hold it to be our
small producer, the ordinary consum-
er, shall get their fair share OF the
benefit of business prosperity. But it
either is or ought to be evident to
every one that business has to pros
per before anybody can get any bene-
fit from 1t. Therefore I hold that he
IS the rel progressive, that he Is the
genuine champion of the people. who
endsavors to shape the policy alike OF
the nation and of the several states
so as to encourage legitimate and
honest business at the same time that
he wars against all crookedness and
injustice and unfairness and tyranny
in the business world (for Of course
we can only get business put on
basis of permanent prosperity when
the element Of injustice liz taken out
of it, This is the reason why I have
for so many years insisted, as regards
our national government, that 1t is
both futile and mischievous to en-
deavor to correct the evils Of big bus
mess by an attempt to restore bust
ness conditions as they were In the
Middle of the last century, before rail-
ways and telegTaphs had rendered
larger business organizations both In
evitable and desirable
What is needed Is, first. the recog-
milton that modern business conditions
have come to stay, in SO far at feast
as these conditions mean that business
must be done in larger units, and then
the cool-headed and resolute deter
Rination to introduce an effective
method of regulating big corporations
so as to help legitimate business as an
incident to thoroughly ind completely
safeguarding the interests Of the peO-
pie as a whole. We are a business
people The tillers Of the soil. the
wage-workers, the business men
these are the three big and vitality Inn
portant divisions of our population
The welfare of each division is vitality
necessary to the welfare of the people
as a whole. The great mass of bust
ness is either small or Of moderate
size The middle-sized business men
form an element of strength which is
of literally incalculable value to the
nation. Taken as a class, they are
our best citizens. They have
not been seekers after enormous for
tunes; they have been moderately and
Justly prosperous, by reason of dealing
fairly with their customers, eompeti-
tors, and employees. The average bus
mess man of this type is, as q rule, a
leading citizen of his community, fore
most In everything that tells for it's
betterment, a man whom his neighbors
look up to and respect; he is In no
sense dangerous to his community,
just because he is an integral part OF
his community, bone of it's bone and
flesh Of its flesh. His life hbers are
intertwined with the life hbers Of his
fellow citizens. Yet nowadays many
men OF this kind, when they come to
make necessary trade agreements
with one another, find themselves in
danger of becoming unwilling trans
gressors of the law, and are at a loss
to know what the law forbids and
what It permits. This is all wrong.
There should be a fixed governmental
policy, e policy which shall clearly de-
fine and punish wrong-doing. and shall
give in advance full information to any
man as to just what he can and Just
what he cannot legally and properly
do.
Control Of "5ls Business"
So much for the small business man
and the middle-sized business man.
Now for big business. It is imoera-
tive to exercise over big business a
coRtrol and supervision which Is uR-
necessary as regards small business.
All business must be conducted under
the law. and all business men. big or
little. must act justly. But a wicked
big interest is necessarily more dan
gerous to the community than
wicked little interest Big business
In the past has been responsible for
much Of the special privilege which
must be unsparingly cut out Of our