The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-15
The Administration and
Big Business

The people Of this country didn't want Thomas
IF Ryan to name their president for them and
they certainly didn't want his money to do it,,
but they have great respect for his business judg
ment and his Judgment OF men. Consequently
when he syas that President Wilson'S handling
of the currency measure was the greatest
achievement Of any president since Lincoln.
when he says that President Wilson's handling
his faith by having his bank announce its in
s1nton of joining the federal reserve organi-
cation. people generally will pay good deal
of attention 10 what he has to say.
No friend of the administration who IS also
la friend of the people need feel disturbed at
the praise of the president coming from men
like Ryan and Rockefeller and Hill and Speyer.
The danger to this administration doesn't lie
in any possibility of its betraying the interests
I.,f the people through surrender to Big business
or Wall Street Not only does the presidents
temperament make that prospect most exceed
ingIy remote but he has further safeguarded
his cause by choosing for his official and per-
Esonal associates men of like temper with him
self. Instead of having in the presidency now
La good-natured man surrounded by individuals
who know what they want, we have there a
SAxeenly Intelligent man surrounded by persons
lwho know what the people want. Under these
circumstances there is chance of the peo-
iplc's suffering through lack of radical
faction.
The danger, so far as there is any, lies in
tho other direction. AS a writer whom one
will suspect Of conservative tendencies remarks
in the current issue of Golfers Weekly "thc
United States has passed though what is prac-
tcally a political and economic revolution dur
ing the ten years just past, and 1t may very
well be that this is good time to pause and
rest" Beginning with the passage of the law
giving the interstate commerce commission au-
thority over railroad rates. a fierce assault has
been made upon the big business interests OF
the country, assault absolutely justifiable
and necessary, yet one which has brought as
all battles do injury to some innocent parties.
The elimination of this campaign has come
within a year in the passage Of the tariff and
currency bills. 1t has been eoincident with "A
period of trouble in banking circles the world
over, due to general causes, In this situation
there has been some ground for fear~-not so
much as Wall Street wond have you believe.
yet more than ant-Wall Street would admit
that the patient might die under the operation.
There has been some reason to believe that a
too rigorous program of legislation might throw
Jan business into the position of the railroads
which. the general opinion faporing in-
creased rates signifies may have been regulated
a little too severely and nsympathetically."
1t is for this reason that glad To read
statements from like Ryan and Rookie
Teller indorsing the presidents Big
Business has been mserabiy conducted in
the past that the only attitude right-thnking
man could toward it has been one OF
hostility y ri that should not be the normal
attitude of such men--they should rather ap-
proaeh 1t in spirit of helpful cooperation
Perhaps when the antitrust legislation has
been perfected--the last great task OF the Will
son administration with which Big Business is
primarily commemorative time will come when
one express an opinion favorable to the
big corporations without losing the &aod apasa-
of fIiE HEtgfbUrE and hts own seIf-respecf
Tho celebrity with which many of them are
voluntarily getting within the spirit as wen NJ
the Letter the LAM lt<ts<
that this Will come about Baltimore SUM-