The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-01-20
BUSINESS MESSAGE BY
WILSON ADVOCATES NO
RADICAL CHANGE
CONTINUED From Page l.,
HaNc Justtficd Plan

iStence or justified 1t as necessary for
the effecting maintenance and de-
velopnlent Of the vast business pro.
cesses ot the country in the modern
circumstances OF trade and nlanufac-
ture n finance, but all the while
opinion has made head against them.
The average business man is convince
ed that the ways of liberty are also
the ways OF peace and the ways Of
success as We'll. and at last the mas.
ters Of business on tho great scale
have begun to yield their preference
and purpose, perhaps their judgment
also. in honorable surrender.
therefore. is, happily not to hamper
or interfere with business as cnlisht-
ened business men prefer to do it, or
in any sense to put 1t under the ban.
The antaEonism between business and
government is over We arc now
about to give expression to the best
business judgment of America, to
what to know to be the business con.
v%enience and honor of the land. The
government or business men are ready
to assist each other half way in a
common effort to square business
methods with both public opinion and
the law. The best informed men Of
the business would condemn the
methods and precednco and consc-
quence of monopoly as we condemn
them; and the Instructive Judgment
IF the vast majority of business man
everywhere o with them. We shall
now be their spokesman.
When serious contests ends when
men unite in opinion and purpose.
those who are to change their WAYS Of
business joining with those who ask
the change, it is possible tn effect il
in the way in which prudent and
thoughtful and patriotic men would
wish to see it brought about, with as
few, as slight. as easy and simple
business readjustinent as possible In
the circumstances, nothing essential
disturbed. nothing torn up by the
roots, no parts rent asunder, which
can be left i'm wholesale combination.
No Novel or Sweeping Changes.
Fortunately, no measures of sweep
ing or novel change are necessary. 1t
will be understood that our purpose
Is not to unsettle business. or any
where TO seriously break its cstab-
lished courses athwart.
On the contrary. we desire the laws
We are now about to pass to he the
as against the forces that have dis
turbed it. What we nave to do must
be done in a now spirit, in thoughtful
moderation, without revolution IF any
untoward kind.
Private Monopoly In%dcfensible.
We are all agreed that private
monopoly Is i~ndefensible and intolcr-
able" n program is founded up
on that contention. 1t will be a COM
%prel,ensive but nota radical III unac-
ceptable program 'and these are its
items, for. which business waits:
It waits with acquicscense. in the
first place, for laws which will effec-
lively prohibit and prevent such In
t%erlocking of the personnel of the di-
rectorates of great corporations,
banks and railroads, industrial, CONF
mercial and public service corpora
tions, as in effect with result in max
ing those who borrow and those VINO
lend practically one and the same,
those who sell and those who buy. but
the same persons trading with n an
other under different names and in
different combinations, and those who
affect to compete il fact. partners anu
masters Of some whole field OF busl-
ness. Sufficient time should be al
lowed of course. in which to effect
these changes Of organization, without
%inconvience or confusion.
Will Correct Evil.
such a prohibition will work much
more than q mere negative good by
correcting the serious evils which
have arisen because, for example, the
men who have been the directing spir-
its Of the great Investment banks
have usurped the place which belongs
to independent Industrial manage
ment working in its own behalf. Ii
will bring new men, new, energies. q
new spirit of Initiative. new blood
into the management Of IL great
business enterprises. 1t will open the
field of industrial development and
origination to scores of men who have
been obliged to serve when their ahili:
ties entitled them TO direct. 1t will
immensely hearten the young men
coming on and will greatly enrich the
business activities OF the whole coun-
try.
Finance Plan hurts Railroads.
"In the second place, business men
as we'll as those who direct public af-
fairs now recognize, and recognize
with painful clearnoss, the great harm
and injustice which has been done to
systems of the country by the way in
which they have been financed and
their own distinctive interests subor-
dinated to the interests of tho men
who financed them and of other bust
ness enterprises which these men
wished to promote. The country is
ready. therefore. TO accept, and accept
with relief as we'll as approval. a law
which will confer upon the interstate
commerce commission the power to
superintendent n regulate the imam
cial operations by which the railroads
are henceforth to be. supplied with
the money they need for their proper
development to meet the rapidly
growing requirements of h country
for increased and improved facilities
of transportation. We cannot post
pone action in this matter without
leaving the railroads exposed to man.
serious handicaps and hazards; and
the prosperity OF the railroads md the
prosperity of the country are in
separately connected. Upon this ques-
ton those who arc chiefly responsible
alton Of the railroads have spoken
very plainly and very. earnestly, with
q purpose we ought to be quick to ac-
cept. It will be one step, and a very
important one, toward the necessary
separation of the business of produce
ton from the business of t%ransporta-
ton.
Businees Has Suffered.
1.-THE business OF the country awaits
also, has long awaited. and has SUI
fered because 1t could not obtain, fur
Their and more explicit legislative de-
flnition Of the policy and meaning of
the existing antitrust Law. Nothing
hampers business like uncertainty.
Nothing daunts or discourages it like
the necessity to take chances. to run
the risk Of falling under the con-
make u r Just what the law is. Sure
~ we are sufficiently familiar with
the actual processes and methods Of
monopoly and Of the many hurtful
restraints of trade to make definition
possible. at any rate up to the limits