Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-17

the railroads. There is much OF nope
in that reversal of all its former poll
cies. 1t indicates that the members
Of the commission are not so abso-
lutely bound by precedent as not to
be willing to reverse themselves TO
save the railroads Of the country from
ruin.
This change of policy by the inter-
state commerce commission and the
opening of the new year might be
used as an oppOrtune time for all in
authority in Washington and in state
governments to be willing, If neCes-
sary, to reverse former policies and
to set forth the view that II is time
for the ten-year war upon business,
from which we have been suffering,
to cease. 1t should be proclaimed
everywhere that our condition is not
due to the European war. but eX-
listed to a large extent before the
war, and, disregardlng the mouth
ings of the ranters who live by con-
unual agitation, make broad and
sweeping proclamatiOns that the
whole power of the national and state
administrations will be concentrated
upon the upbuilding of business, and
that every effort will be made to CO.
operate with the business men of the
country in reviving our business in
terests and in restoring general pros
perity.
1t is within his power, by reason
of his position as the head of this
great nation, for President Wilson to
take the lead In work of almost
limitless potentialities for good by
calling the country back to the sanity
of thinking and acting and to an en-
thusiastic cooperation with the busl-
ness forces in leading this nation out
of the poverty of the present to that
broad prosperity to which we are
rightly entitled. Others would quickly
follow him.
We have looked with horror upon
Europes awful war, but we have had
ten-year war upon business which
should be stopped to the everlasting
gratitude of the people Of the country,
to the rescuing of hundreds of thous-
ands from the deepest poverty and
the direst suffering, and to the saw
Ing of thousands from death by
reason of poverty.
The only war we should now have
Is war upon the war against busi-
ness.
The administration and the domi-
nant party in Washington could lead
the forces of the nation into con-
structive upbuilding If they would in
most far-seeing business men of eV-
cry section and pledge them and to
the nation at large the utmost power
that is within them to restore pros
perity and stop the ceaseless death
dealing war upon business If this
should be done, 1t would have a tre-
mendous influence in changing for the
better the conditions now existing,
and in bringing the country back to
that prosperity ruling before this ten
year war, under which every man
who wanted employment could find
it; a prosperity which was burdening
the railroads with freight and steadily
increasing their earnings; which was
causing every wheel in every factory
of the land to be run at its fullest
speed; which was giving to the farm
ers or the south, as well as of the
west an abounding prosperity be-
cause of an eVer-increasing demand
for their products. Millions of peo.
pie would hail with delight such an
announcement. Hundreds of thous-
ands of men now walking the streets
vatnly seeking work and whose fam
lilies are in deepest poverty would
quickly find employment
No greater opportunity for advinc-
ing the welfare of all the people of
all sections has ever existed than that
which now faces the powers that be.
This opportunity is too great to be
considered in the light of party poll
tics, too overwhelming in importance
to be thought of as to its influence
upon this party or that, or this man
or that.
Here In this Heaven blessed land.
free from wars alarms, with a hun
dred million people occupying the
most richly endowed country on
earth, we are having less of business
prosperity. less of optimism, and
more of timidty and fear than have
existed for many years without any
justification for such an untoward
condition except our own dolngs.
The reason is within US. We are
paying the penalty for our own
blunders, our sins Of omission and
commission and our constant heckling
of every business interest in the
country through uneconOmic, unwise
and wholly useless legislation in ma
tionai and state affairs.
If the party in power wants to re-
store national prosperity let 1t lead
In constructive work by sweeping
away many Of the harassing restric-
tions of business for which 1t, as well
as the Republican party, Is respons-
ible. Under such a policy, with a
Willingness to admit mistakes and to
overcome them by reversal of some
OF the blunders committed in de-
the sugar industry and in
Turing others by free-trade tendencies,
there would quickly come prosperity
TO the cotton growers OF the south, to
the sugar producers OF Louisiana and
the west, to every factory in the land,
to the railroads and to every indus
trial and business interest OF our
country. The interstate commerce
commission has had the courage to
disregard precedents and to reverse
the whole policy of its existence. Are
the leaders in Washington and else
where willing to learn the lesson and
10 reverse some Of their own pet
theories, now knocked into q cooked
hat by the stern logic Of facts, and
save the country from poverty and
bring TO 1t abounding prosperity by
the lead OF the Interstate
commerce commission which. though
II did not go half far enough, at
least made a start on the right road?
Never before had any party n
greater opportunity for doing II work
Of Infinite value to the whole coun-
try IL 1t should rise to the occasion,
there would be a sudden change in
business conditions.
Now men are piteously begging for
work; then work would be seeking
men; then capital would hunt invest-