The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-01-23


sincere congratulation. 1t ought to
make our task very much less diff
cult and embarrassing. Constructive
legislation. when successful is al
ways the embodiment of convincing
experience. Legislation is a business
of Interpretation, not OF Origination.
and it is now plain what the opinion
is TO which we must give effect IN
this matter. 1t is not recent nor has
~ opinion. 1t springs out OF the eX-
perience of a whole generation It
has classified itself by long contest.
and those who for a long time battled
with it and sought to change it are
now frankly and honorably yielding
to it and seeking to conform their
actions to it.
'The great business men who orig
mated and financed monopoly and
those who admired it in actual every
day transactions have year after
year, until now. either denied its ex-
istence or justified it as necessary
for the effective maintenance and de-
velopment of the vast business pro-
cesses of the country in the modern
circumstances of trade and manufac-
lures finance: but all the while opin-
ion has made head"ay against them.
At least the masters of business on
the great scale have begun to yield
their preference and purpose. per
haps their judgment also, in honora.
BILE surrender.
What we are proposing to do,
therefore, is not to interfere with
business as enlightened business men
prefer to do it, or in any sense to put
+ it under the ban. The antagonism
between business and government is
over. We are now about to give ex-
! preston to the best business judg-
ment of America, to what we know to
be the business conscience and honor
; OF the land. The government and
business men are ready to meet each
other half way in a common effort to
square business methods with both
public opinion and the law. That is
the strength of our position and the
sure prophecy oc what will ersue
when our reasonable work IS done.
When serious contest ends, when
men unite in opinion and purpose,
those who are to change their ways
of business, joining with those who
ask for the change, it is possible to
effect it in the way in which pru-
dent and thoughtful and patriotic
men would wish to see it brought
about, with as few, as slight, as easy
and simple business establishments
as possible, nothing essential disturb
ed, nothing torn up by the roots, no
parts rent asunder which can be left
| in wholesome combination Fortu-
nately. no measures of sweeping or
y.
be understood that our object is not
to unsettle business or anywhere Sc
! riously to break its established cours-
es athwart. On the contrary, we de-
sire the laws we are now about to
pass to be the bulwarks and safe.
guards of industry against the forces
that have disturbed it, What we
have to do can be done in a new spir-
it, in thoughtful moderation. without
revolution of any untoward kind.
I'VE are all agreed that private
monopoly is indefensible and intoler-
able and our program is founded
upon that conviction. 1t will be a
comprehensive, but not a radical pro-
gram, and these are its items, the
changes which opinion deliberately
sanctions, and for which business
waits:
1T waits with acquiescence for
laws which will effectually prohibit
and prevent such interlocking of the
personnel of the directorates of great
orporations-banks, railroads, indus
trial, commercial and public service
bOdies-as in effect result in making
those who borrow and those who lend
practically one and the same those
who sell and those who buy, but the
same persons trading with one an
other under different names and in
different combinations, and those who
affect to compete. in fact partners
and masters of some whole field of
business. Sufficient time should be
allowed in which to effect these
changes of organization without in
convenience or confusion.
Such prohibition will work more
than mara paUafjvo Good Nv oo-