The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-25
ADDRESS OF VAN HISE
Continued From Page -Four.

dependent. In that case. it would, be.
agreed by all that there should be
as close ~interlocking as possible in the
use of the necessary facilities and oc
the force. ,,. e.
Indeed the Postmaster General a
fortnight since transmitted to COM
greBs the report OF a. departmental
committee, consisting of the First ASH
sistant Postmaster General, the Chief
Clerk Of the department, and the SUI
perintendent of the Division Of Salaa
ries and Allowances upon the proposal
to make the telephone and the teie~
graph business a public monopoly.
That committee recommended that
the government acquire the telephone
and telegraphs OF the country in order
that they might be operated as a
unit in connection with the mails. This
thus recognizes the numer-
Gus economies obtainahle by tho Joint
operation OF tho telephone and tele-
graph.
Why then should the Bell Telephone
Company and the Western Union
Company cease to p
and thus become less efficient?
will the public be benefited
by the separation OF the two compan-
les? Have he rates been lowered by
the telephone n telegraph compan-
les, in consequence Of the separation?
Are they likely to be lowered in the
future because OF this separation? II
Is to be remembered in this connec-
ton that 1t was after tho alliance OF
the two companies that the lower
rates involved in the night and day
letters we're introduced under the
Joint management. Further the work
Of the telephone and telegraph are
public utilities n under the control
OF the interstate and state commerce
commissions; therefore. il the increaS-
ed economy which in the future would
result from their cooperation, permits
excessive earnings at existing rates,
the commissions on behalf of the pub
lie should reduce tho rates 10 reason
able amounts. Also if the rates
charged at the present time by the
are unreasonable, his matter should
be investigated by the Interstate Com
merce Commission and the companies
ordered TO put in force reasonable
rates precisely as has been done
with the express companies. This,
clearly not separation, is the direction
or progress for the operation Of the
telephone and telegraph, if the com-
mittee Of the Post Office Department
is sound In it's recommendations that
all telephone and telegraph compan-
les Of the country be acquired by the
government.
In the above statements concerning
the dissolution OF public utilities, # is
not meant to imply that all CONSOLE
dated companies have been we'll man.
aged. This assertion could be no
more made than that the separate
parts Of the consolidated companies
before their union were always well
managed. But upon the whole there
can scarcely be doubt that the great
railroad systems, illustrated by the
Pennsylvania. New York Central, the
Baltimore and Ohio, the Northwestern,
the Burlington, etc, everyone Of which
has been built up by the consolidation
OF independent companies, have been
far more efficiently managed and to
the greater satisfaction of the country
than were the several small indepen~
dent elements which composed each of
them.
When glee is expressed at the disin-
tegration of a great corporation, which
is not a monopoly, we should have a
satisfactory answer to the question.
Where does the public come in ?" be-
fore we join in the mirth. If the pub
lie has gained nothing in price reduc-
ton for standard articles or for SER
vice by the destruction of the great
UNNIA ~ 4LNL AAoFS pSS1k
wiser to take steps to see that their
profits were made reasonable. to see
hat the great advantages which come
from their magnitude, efficiency and
cooperation should be shared in large
measure by the public?
The Forces Producing Cooperation
What are the forces which have
produced combination and cooperation
despite the laws, state and national?
The former Attorney General Of the
States, Mr.. Wickersham, said
If we can only break up each Of the
great combinations into six, or eight,
or ten parts. these different parts viii
compete; that the tendency to COM.
petition under such circumstances is
Gut / tell you, gentlemen,
the tendency for cooperation in this
twentieth century is so much strong
err than the tendency for competition,
that we shall never restore the latter
in the old sense. There will be COM
petition between different classes OF
goods; there will be competition be-
tween the great mail order house
and the village grocer: there will be
competition in service (and I am just
as anxious as anyone to have trade
regulated by competition as far as
p~ossible); but, as a matter Of fact,
CoIlpSIlIlOu udS pLohSH uO"H HOpt-
lessly in this country adequately to
quality; and we all know 1t. why,
gentlemen, it is the theory regarding
competition that it will regulate
prices and quality, that it will give
US reasonable prices and superior
quality. That Is a beautiful theorysg
but If this theory has ever corra-
sponded to the facts in the past (and
this ! doubt, we may be sure that
in the future it will never again do
SO. .r.-
We have recognized the failure OF
to eel quality by the
establishment OF the pure food laws.
Why should we have pure food laws
IL competition will give us good quail
ity? II articles we're fraudulently
sold SO important to the general well
as foods, there was a remedy in
the courts. II I were. sold a thing
as pure strained honey, that was
wholly innocent Of having any rela-
ton whatever with a bee. I had a
in law; / had been fraudu-
lently dealt with. Why didn't ] take
why. The loss was SO small that 1t
was impracticable for me as an I'M
dividual to thus obtain redress.
The public, finally recognizing the
fact that competition was wholly in
adequate to secure pure food, ma
tional and state pure food laws were
enacted and special officers were
upon whom was imposed
the duty Of protecting the public up
administrative officers, we succeed,
ed In getting pure food, or a $
able proportion of pur food, at least
and never until then.
Now why 10 it that competition 40
regulate prices has broken DOWN. Be-,
cause Of the simply enormous advant.