The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-08
Congress May Really Want Bush
ness Help.

A friendly commentator on our
discussion of the reasons why bust
ness men have not FASTENED 10 present
testimony at the Congressional hear
ings on trust legislation suggests that
while the reasons may be excellent
they should not control business atti-
tudes. He argues that business will
not do its part il it does not proffer
assistance tn Congress in framing new
laws for the regulation Of interstate
commerce. even IL business counsels are
little needed by the lawmakers.
There is something IN this. 1t does
not become American merchants. manu-
facturers aud bankers to allow lcgis-
lation in the business field To 20 by
default II they can contribute any eff
fort toward the prevention OF unwise
enactment. The whole programme of
new business law which is pending in
Congress is full Of menace for Ameri-
can corporate enterprise. If business
experience and opinion are placed at
the service Of Congress in respect to
this programme the responsibility for
legislating against the lines Of practi-
cal experience will dcvolye wholly on
Congress. The fact that experience
has been allowed to weigh 81 little in
the legislation Of the past year will
not absolve the business community
laws that are unsound II competent
representatives Of corporate interests
refuse to participate in the councils Of
Congress for fear that their views will
liz condemned.
Something Of the notion which has
animated the new lawinaking so far
and has discouraged the expression Of
business opinion appears In n state
ment credited to Senator OWEN In re-
lation to his bill for penetrating a
violent abuse Of Federal power over
the mails In order to compel incorporn-
tlon Of the stock exchanges and facill.
tate their regulation by the Govern
ment. The Senator from Oklahoma IL
quoted as saying: I'VE are willing to
listen to any one who has any sugges-
can be perfected.~
This Is precisely the attitude that
has dominated too much recent legisla-
ton. Senator OWEN does not ask for
competent advice Oh the subject of law
making affecting the stock exchanges.
which would include consideration of
its desirability and feasibility. All
that he offers is to entertain proposals
along and within the lines of measure
that is already framed.
1t was exactly the same kind Of
limitation that proved 81 discouraging
to the sincere attempts Of business men
and tlnanciers in 1913 to help Con-
gress In the task of revising the tariff,
providing for an income tax and es-
tablishing n new banking and currency
system. When they approached Wash
tngton they found that they had to deal
with political ideas already definitely
fixed and the scope OF reasonable alter
alton In projected measures contracted
to narrow compass indeed.
At the same time ii hegins to aplpar
that the ideas Of Congress In reference
to trust legislation are not nearly 81
definite and fixed ns they were In re-
spect to the tariff and income tax and
currency bills, To put II buntly, Con-
gress seems 10 he tlounderng around
in the morasscs of It's new Legislative
undertakings. and there IL warrant for
Il business belief that Congressional
leaders are genuinely DESTROYS of bust
ness assistance In the consideration Of
the problem which politics has posed
how to assert further governmental su