The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-01-20

Punish individuals.
eInasmuch as our object and the
spirit ofaeur action In these matters
IS to meet business half way in its
processes of self correction and dis
rurb its legitimate course as little as
possible we ought to see to 1t, and the
judgment OF practical and sagactous
men Of affairs everywhere would ap-
plaud us IL we did see to It, that PEN
alties and punishment should fall not
upon business ITSELF to its confusion
and interruption, but upon the ind3vid-
.uals who use the instFumentaltttes OF
business to do things " hieh Public
policy and sound business practice.
condemn. Every act of business Is
done at the command or upon the IN.
iniative of some objectionable person
or group of persons There should be
held individually responsible and the
punishment should fan upon them
not upon the business organization OF
which they make Illegal use. II
should be one of the main offsets OF
our legislation to dfEest such persons
of their corporate cloak and deal with
them as with those who do not repre-
sent their corporations, but merely
by deliberate intention break the law
Business men the country through
would, am sure applaud II We
were to take effectual steps to see
that che officers and directors of great
business bodies were prevented from
bringing them and the business OF the
country into disrepute and danger
"Other questions remain which VIII
need very thoughtful and practical
treatment Enterprises, in these mod
ern days Of great Individual fortunes,
are oPten-tiInes interlocked, not by
being under the control of the same
directors, but by the fact that the
greater part Of their corporate STOCK
is owned by single person or group
of persons who are In some way in
timately related in interest. We are
agreed, take it, that holding COM
panies should be prohibited, but what /
Of the controlling ownership OF tndi-l
or actually cooperative groups
of individuals? Shall the private. own
ars Of capital stock be suffered to be
in effect holding compan-
les? We do not wish suppose, 70
forbid the purchase OF stocks py any
person who pleases to buy them IN
such quantities as he can anord' or
in any way arbitrarily TO limit; the
,ala If stocks to bona fftfe purchasers.
Shall we require the owner of stock.
when their voting power in several
companies which ought to be indie
pendent of one another would cos
stitute actual control to make cleo
ION in which of them they will exer-
,ise their right to vote This question
venture for your consideration
Redress for Individuals.
~There is another matter IN Wnicl
imperative considerations OF 1ustce
md fair play suggest thoughtful rem
adial action. Not only do many OF
The combinations affected or sougnt
n he affected in the Industrial world
work an injustice upon the pupllc IN
general; they also. directly and ser
ousIy injure the individuals VINO are
inf mt Of business in one unfair way
,r another by the many dtslodglng anu
forces OF combination
hope that we shah agree IN glVlns
private individuals who claim to nave
been injured by these. processes Ins
-ieh+ to found their suits for redress
mon the facts and judgments proved
and entered in suits by the govern
nent where the government has upon
its own Initiative sued the coInbina-
IONS conplained of and won its suits
and that the statute OF limitations
shall he suffered to run against such
Iitigants only from the date OF the
conclusion of the governments actloIlt
It is not fair that the private flttlgan1
should be Obliged to set up ana es-
taDiiSh again the ldGlS W1A4Sh 1-AS - l
eminent has proved. He cannot anord.
he has not the power to make use OF
such processes OF inquiry as the gov
eminent has command of .i1us sntalt
infil7idual justice be done while the
processes of business are reettfted and
squared with the general conscience
al have laid the case before YOU
no doubt as it lies in your own MIND
as it lies in the thought of the coun-
try. What must every candid man
saw of the suggestions l have laid be-
fore you. of the plain obligations OF
which / have reminded you? That
these are new things for which the
country is not prepared? no. but that
tfey are old things, now familiar. and
must OF course be undertaken u We
are to square our laws with the
thought and desire OF the country on-
It'd these things are done conscien-
t;ous business men the country over
will be unsatisfied. They are IN these
things our mentors and co!Ieagues. J
We are now about to write the addi.
tional articles of our constitution OF
peace, the peace that If honor and
freedom and prosperity.