Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-01-22


business conscience and honor N the
land. The government and business mrn
are ready to meet each other half way
in a common effort to square business
methods with both public opinion and tho
law. The best informed men of the bust
ness world condemn the methods and
processes and consequences OF monopoly
a. we condemn them; and the instructive
Judgment of the vast majority of busl-
ness men everywhere goes with them.
" q shall now be their Spokesman. That
Is the strength Of our position and the
sure prophecy of what will ensue when
our reasonable work Is done.
when serious contest ends, when men
unite in opinion and purpose, those Who
IRE to change their wavs OF business
| joning with those who ask for the
change, it Is possible to effect it In the
way in which prudent and thoughtful and
patriotic men would wish to see 1t brought
a bout, with as few, as slight. as easy
and simple business rcadiustmcniS as
possible i'm the circumstances, nothing es-
sential disturbed, nothing torn up hv the
roots, no parts rent asunder which can be
left in wholesome combination. Fortu-
nately, no measures Of sweeping or novel
change are necessary. II will be under
stood that our object Is not to unsettle
business or anywhere seriously to break
its established courses athwart. On the
contrary, We desire the laws we are now
about to pass to be the bulwarks and safe
guards OF industry gainst the forces that
have disturbed it, what we have to do
can he done In a new spirit, in thought
ful moderation. without revolution of any
untovard kind.
MONOPOLY INDISPENSABLE.
We are all agreed that private
monopoly is indetensible and intoler-
( able, and our program is founded upon
that conviction. 1t will be comprc-
hensive. but not radical or unaccept-
able program and these are it's items
the changes which opinion delberate-
ly sanctions and for which business
waits:
TT waits with acquiescence, in the
first place, for laws which will effect
ually prohibit and prevent such inter
locking9 of the personnel OF the di
rectorates of great OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
and railroa1 is, industrial. commercial
and public service bodies--as in Of
! feet result to making those who Dor
| row and those who lend practically
one and the same. those who sell and
those who. buy but the same persons
! trading with one another under diff
! ferent names and In different combina-
! lions. and those who affect to compete.
in fact partners and masters OF some
whole field Of business Sufficient
time should be allowed, OF course. in
/ W 70 Of Ii,. 81
sanization without incon' enience or
! confusion
Such a prohibition will work much
more than a mere negative good by cor
recting the serious evils which have
! arisen because, for example, the men
who have been the directing spirits OF
the great investment banks have usurped
the place which belongs to independent
industrial management working in its own
behalf. It will bring new men, new ener>
gies, a new spirit OF initiative, new
| blood into the management Of our great
business enterprises. It will open the field
of industrial development and origina ton
| to scores OF men who have been obliged
to serve when their abilities entitled them
to direct. 1t will immensely heartcn the
young men coming on and will greatly
enrich the business activities OF the whole
country.
GREAT HARM DONE
'In the second place. business men a.
well as those who direct public affair.
now recognize with painful clearness. the
great harm and injustice which has beer
done to many, il not all. OF the great rail
road systems of the country by the wa
in which they have been financed anC
their own distinctive interests sub
ordinated to the interests OF the mel
who financed them and OF other bushes
enterprises which those men wished +,
promote. The country is ready, therefore
to accept, and accept with relief as vel
as approval, a law which vll confer upol
the interstate commerce commission tn
power to superintend and regulate tn
financial operations by which the rail
roads are henceforth to be supplied witt
the money they need for the proper de
velopment to meet the rapidly CROWN
, requirements Of the country for increase
and improved facilities OF transportation
. We cannot postpone action in this matte
without leaving the railroads exposed I
, many serious handicaps and hazards a n
the prosperity Of the railroads and IN
prosperity Of the country are inseparah
connected. Upon this question those VIII
are chiefly responsible FOR n. actua
management and operation OF the rail-
roads have spoken very plainly ARD YER
, earnestly, with purpose We ought to b
quick to accept, II will be one step and
very important one, toward the n.ce.sar
separation OF the business OF productio
from the business of transportation
DEFINE ANTITRUST Law.
The business Of the country await
also, has long awaited and has .urfere
because It could not obtain, further an
more explicit legislative definition OF tn
: policy and meanig OF the existing ant
rust law. Nothing hampers bushes
like uncertainty Nothing daunts or dis
courages 1t like the necessity to tax
chances, to run the risk OF falling unde
the condemnation Of the law before
can make sure just what the law /
Surely we are sufficiently familiar Wit
the actual processes and methods
monopoly and Of the many hurtful +,
u straints OF trade to make definition pc!
sihle, at any rate up 10 the limits
what experience has disclosed The.
practices, being now abundantly di
closed, can be explicitly and item by ito,
4 forbidden by statute in such terms
: will practically eliminate uncertain
y the law itself and the penalty beir
:. made equally plain,
And the business men OF the COUNT
,, desire something more than that Il
nf tn, -