Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-04-04

that IL has grown to SuGn
that 1t has become aquasi- public utility
and that IL is no longer private ousl-
ness. The only solution, however, is
the national ownership Of the trusts.
Mr.. STANLEY. A. | understood the
gentleman hp speaks OF the trusts as a
milestone in industrial evolution.
Mr.. BERGER Yes, sir.
Mr.. STANLEY. In other words. the
GENERALIZATION Of tue immense wealth
and energy of the steel business, for
instance. in the hands of one man., and
the Capitalization Of the manufacture
OF wool in the hands of n man, and
the refining of sugar in the oil
one man
Mr.. BERGER. One concern.
Mr.. STANSLEY. | should say one
person, whether corporate or individual
that this will in a short time place
the body of the wealth OF this country
and the employment of all the LABOR In
this ountry in the hands OF a few per-
sons, whether corporate or lndlVluual'
and then the Government, as you say,
should fix the price of tue commodities
Of these great concerns, and 1t Will De
but a step from that until instead OF
allowing them the price fixed by the
Government to operate for the benenC
of a few individuals, they will be fore
ed to operate for the benefit of all menu
Mr.. BERGER. Yes, sir.
Mr.. STANLEY. And tnat will be
an easy step from the Government CON
troll as advocated BY Judge Gary to So
cialism as advocated by Yourself
Mr., Berger. That will bo a very nat
ural step.
Mr.. STANLEY. And an inevitable
one.
Mr.. BERGER. Nobody can regulate
another mans business. | would hate
TO regulate your property. Inc regu-
lation of other peoples property Is al
ways a dubious thing to undertake.
The trust, however. is willing to part
with some of its rights of ownership. III
| have a right to say how much you
shall get for your horse, | have a share
in th at horse. AS long as | decide for
how much you may sell your house, /
have a share in your house. AS long as
l can fix a price for a coat, l practically
share an ownership in that coat, Now
that the trust offers an opportunity OF
ownership to the Government, the o
eminent ought to accept.
COMPETITION IN BIG BUSINESS"
LAYED OUT.
Mr.. STANLEY. AS 1 understand
you, there is little difference between
the position you take and the position
taken, for instance, by the United
States Steel Corporation, IN this, that
competition is a bad thing?
Mr.. BERGER. 1t was not a bad
thing in its day, In big business" it
is play out; it does lot exist. 1t was a
good thing as long as economic condi-
tions required it.
Mr.. STANLEY. You spoke in your
address OF the evils of competition and
the bad effects OF it.
Mr.. BERGER. Yes, sir.
Mr.. STANLEY. And suppose that
these great industrial Institutions, like
the United States Steel Corporation, for
instance, belive in abolisbing competl-
ton and fixing the price by agreement
or by law, the only difference between
the trusts and the Socialists is that the
trusts believe i'll having the Govern
ment run their business for the benefit
Of the persons who own them and you
in having them run these great
Institutions for the benefit of all the
MIR. BERGER. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the
gentleman from Wisconsin has expired.
Mr.. FOWLER. | ask that his time
be extended.
Mr.. CANNON. I would like to ask
what are the idea sof the gentleman
rom Kentucky [Mr. STANLEY as to
Government ownership?
The CHAIRMAN. The time of the
gentleman from Wisconsin Mr., BIER
TER has expired.
Mr.. STANLEY. ask permission to
'eply to the gentleman from Illinois, if
can hear him.
Mr.. PAYNE. Mr.. Chairman, I yield
minutes more to the gentleman
rom Wisconsin Mr.. BERGERl
Mr.. CANNON. | wish to ask wheth-
II the gentleman from Kentucky is for
government ownership?
Mr.. STANLEY. The gentleman
Kentucky is essentially an indi-
He differs as widely from
Judge Gary as from the gentleman from
Mr.. [BERGER. am not a
l am not a Socialist; | am
Democrat. Applause on the Demo |
ratio side. And | believe in compe-
ition and the independence of the in
ividual.
Mr.. FOWLER. Mr.. Chairman
The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentle
ian from Wisconsin Mr.. BERGER
ield to the gentleman from Illinois
Mr.. FowLER]?
Mr.. BERGER. Yes; 1 yield to the
''wERE THERE N MULES KILLED"
Mr.. FOWLER. l understood the
to say in the course of his
hat the conditions had
to such an extent that the CAPT
alist Of today thought more of his
'ealth than he did of the laborer or the
of the laborer?
Mr.. BERGER. Yes; l said the aver
ge capitalist.
MI. FOWLER. l was at a coal mine
l my district last summer wherein
had been an explosion, and a man
as sent down to investigate the re-
alt. When he came back the .
ltendent asked him, as the first ques-
on, Were there any mules killed."
that what you mean by sizing up
lis situation?
Mr.. Berger. did not know of that
lcident; butI could recite a good many
lcidents of a similar nature.
E MUST ACCOMMODATES OUR POLITICAL
LIFE TO INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS.
Mr.. jackson. Will the gentleman
ield.
The Chairman. Does the gentleman
Wisconsin yield to the gentleman
from Kansas.