The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-05-09

practical ideals" Is more tnau an
apparent contradiction OF terIns-it is
the real thing that the world demands.
The practical ideal is the ideal IN It's
everyday form that has the power to
uplift because II is firmly braced on
the ground.
Altru:sfic democracy is not mean
inSiess phrase The Declaration OF
independence begins with aitruism IN
the appeal il makes for the pursuit OF
happiness Democracy in Its essence
means equality of opportunity; its
function is TO build up 10 the n:SneF
plane, not to cut down TO dead lever.
And in our constitution. the declared
purpose to promote the general wei
fare is a guarantee that This nation
takes no narrow view OF business
questions such as those now before
the American people. 1t is in human
welfare that ethics and economies mo
common ground.
The Human Factor.
Too much stress can not be placed
upon the human factor in these PROD
lens. The. student of politics does
we'll to think less Of artificial meas
ureS of value, to talk less of none
metallic or bfmetallfc standards and
10 realize that the human standard IS
the real measure. Reduced 10 low
est terms, property. whether! real or
nersonal. gold or silver. prairie land
or skyscraper. derives its value from
what mans labor has put into II or
can take out OF it.
A working minority OF American
citizens have come to realize that UNI
regulated private monopoly and good
citizenship are antagonisttc terms
And. now that popular clamor Is Civ
20 thought
other side OF the monopoly question
is receiving the consideration it de-
serves, there is a widespread recoE-
milton of. the common interdependence
OF big business and the general pub
lie On the one side the people are
realizing that there has come the
promise OF some regulation that will
in large part prevent monopolistic
GENERALIZATION, the people are inter
ested in getting their share OF the
returns which can come only with
operation at a profit. On the other
hand, the managers OF the large cor
porations, who are really the trustees
of the investing public, are begin
mig 10 see that a certain financial Sc
curity goes with public confidence.
The public can not be left out of the
resking and that well remembered at
titude toward the public SO tersely ex-
pressed thirty years ago by pion-
eer In railroad affairs does not pay
dividends today.
Inherently Cooperative.
To whom. then, belongs the reward
of efficiency? I find simple answer
to that question in the opinions OF the
higher courts. in the decisions Of pub
lie utility commissions, and in re-
cent or pending legislation Indus
trial enterprises as conducted by cor
porattons are inherently cooperative.
Owner. workman and consumer are
in reality partners, and as such de-
serve to share in the profits. The
public can demand low prices only
vided for capital and fair wages for
labor This basal principle of profit
sharing among all three partners
seems to me the corner stone among
the practical ideals of the present
day.
The trouble with 100 many of the
business men Of the day and especial
ly with those who come to Washing
ron to oppose new legislation, is their
near-sightedness. They can not see
country wide public opinion and do
not appreciate the obvious fact that
the financial centers are not also the
centerS Cd NATIONAL thought Inc re-
suit OF this, as expressed it N con-
versation last winter with New York
gentleman who was largely interested
in water power employment. is that
the business interests oppose some
thing at one Congress which two
later they would accept; but the next
Congress is already considering
more advanced legislative propose
ton. We are all more or less pro-
Sressive. I told him, but the opposi-
ton has been just one lap behind.