The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1912-09-27
GOVERNOR WILSON
TRAVELS IN A CIRCLE
On the Trust PrObIem-he'S Neither
Coming in or Going Out


tant thus far Of his campaign for any
statement of what is his own pro-
gramme with respect to the trusts. In
fact, he practically acknowledged that
he has none. All that Governor Will
son definitely recommends is that the
people should flock to their school
houses for debate among themselves. !"
He would have public opinion organ
lied, he says. But in behalf of what
doctrine or proposal he does not say.
His prescription is merely for more
talk" He is seemingly possessed OF
sublime faith that if the people will
but counsel together long enough the
truth will be revealed unto them. 1t
is a grand conception-this one of
each one of US sitting in his nearest
school house wrangling to pass the
time with his neighbor and patiently
waiting for instructions from on high.
But though Governor Wilson has
no remedy to suggest except the one
of an assemblage for conversation, he
is quite sure that the Bull Moose rem
edy won't do. He draws back in hor-
ror from what he says is a plan for gov
eminent by a board of experts. !"
God Forbid" he piously exclaims,
that in a democratic country we
should resign the task of governing
ourselves and give the government
over to experts" Every patriotic
spine must shiver at the thought. To
be governed by bosses may be bad,
but by experts would be much worse.
But when the spine gets over shiv-
ering the thought comes back that
forty-eight states, each acting sepa-
rately, are not competent to establish
that unified control over interstate
corporations that the public is more
and more believing must be exercised.
1t is easy to say and establish that ma
tional control means dangerous CEN
tralization. But the alternative is no
control, for obviously forty-eight states,
Topping separately will not be able to
provide it. Other nations are able to
centralize authority and to escape afro
ply and tyranny. 1t is possible the
United States may. Local self-gov-
eminent is a glorious principle. Long
may it wave! But may it not try to do
the things that local authority is unfit
to perform ? The states are unfit to
supervise corporations that are national
in their scope. All know this who
have studied the problem, and all adj
nit it except few hardshells who
follow the words rather than the spirit
of Jefferson.
II there is and must be national con-
troll it seems that it will be more elias
tic and there will be less danger Of un-
wise interferences if the details of the
control are left to administrative boards.
Mandatory laws passed by congress,
with no machinery for administration,
are likely to go either too far or not
far enough. The world over it is the
practice of mankind to lodge admins
trative discretion with special agents
supposed to be specially equipped for
the tasks confded to them. Governor
Wilson, one may be sure, cannot wish
his sheer against government experts
to be taken too literally, for in mana
ging the affair of New Jersey he has
urged the setting up of commissions.
If it does not imply tyranny for New
Jersey to have state commissions deal
ing with New Jersey matters it does
not imply tyranny to have national
commissions dealing with national mat
tiers.
The public had high expectations Of
Governor Wilson. 1t has looked for
ward with confidence to the receipt OF
beneficial instructions from man OF
his power Of thought and expression.
He does not do himself justice by
merely counselling US to confer fur
ther and by pointing the beauties Of
local self-government and the dangers
of centralized self-government. Nor does
he do himself justice by vaguely saying,
echoing Brandeis, that there should be
regulation of competition instead Of
monopoly" Regulation Of monopoly
and regulation Of competition would
probably come practically to the same