Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-10-28
CAUSE AND EFFECT.
Galveston Tribune.)

Individual business men. as . rule. keep
in close touch with the trend Of popular
opinion. They have found il good business
10 acquaint themselves with the dominant
topics of discussion on the streets and IN
the homes. and much Of their commercial
success has come 10 them because of their
close mountaineering with their fellows
and their ability 10 Justly weigh those
matters that press upon the public mind
for favorable consideration. But the
anomaly of il all j. that when . lot Of
business men form themselves into an or
ganization for the transaction Of some
sort of business. they overlook the fact
that the public Is still Interested IN all
matters affecting it~ veal or woe. whether
handled BY the individual or a corporation.
and too often they pay no heed to popular
sentiment. the result being a spirit Of ami
mostly j. aroused more harmful to the
progress Of the corporation than would
be the keen competition of a rival in the
same line Of cudeavor.
Time and again has Il been pointed ont
that most of the public antasonism shown
the railroads is traceable To the Indifferent
attitude Of the corporations toward the
people. and this. too. IN face Of the fact
that the people hold the whip handle and
in every trial of strength between the two
the people have usually come ont on top.
IL would appear that the conclusion IN
dicates that either the corporations are
- tl... .I.....l..4 H. .u,
son of q charter granted w the people.
superior 10 the power that created them.
or that the men at the head of these con-
Germs are not business men.
Frank A. Nanderlip. president 81 the
National City bank Of New York. has. in
common with a large number of other bust
ness men. observed this illogical condition
and places his finger on the cause "lf you
ere nhelecting to inform the people frankly
and honestly" says he. "if You are failing
to give the public data by which il can
reach sound conclusions. vou are neglect
irg one OF the most important parts of
your business" Nor was this addressed
alond to the transportation corporations,
II i intended for I'll concerns whore capt.
talists nave Joined interests and proceeded
10 do business under = code of their own
making. Every chartered concern i a child
of the people and the people have 4 right
TO know what their children are doing.
1t will he vain for the railroad com
panieS Ia cry ont against alleged unjust
laws and oppressive rulings by interstate
and state commissions. These bodies were
called into existence by the needs Of the
hour: il was found that some method must
be provided for asccrtaining the true con-
dition of railroad finances. rate making.
concessions and kindred matters. and from
this necessity was born the various com
missions that make the life Of the railroad
magnate one long nightmare. The people
do not want the commission: they prefer
the saving Of that expense. inst a. they
would prefer To save the cost of the po-
lieemen if they were assured OF the good
conduct of the layle~~ly inclined.
Banker Vaihierhp Says further: "The
restrictive regulations n practiced by the
interstate commerce commission has we'll
nigh brought the railroads Of the country
to the brink Of disaster" He does not say
SO in that many words. but his intimation
is clear that the refusal of certain cor
porationS To live within reasonable limits
j. largely responsible for the creation Of
this and other regulative bodies. True. II
may be that the railroads are being treated
like thoughtleSs children IN the corrective
remedies applied. but the necessity for a
corrective provoked the use of the remedy.
clumsy as it may be-. Publicity might have
been used in explanation Of why one cor
poration found it necessary to make 4
higher rate of freight or another increased
the price Of an article, and an honest