Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-28
Justice to All Corporations

JuStlcc 10 All Corporations
THIS country is experiencing revulsion OF
feeling toward great corporations. Only
few years ago they were the objects Of
revengeful clamor as general as it was insen
safe. Every legislative assault on their pros
perity, every judicial inquiry into their
methods of doing business. was accompanied
by public howlings and eXecra lions and de-
mands for the application OF lynch law
Time has changed all that, and there ap-
pears to be danger now that the pendulum
will swing in the opposite direction-a result
that would be as unfortunate for the corpora
tions, although they may not believe it, as
1t would be for the public. corporation
that receives undue favors, at the expense
of the public interest is moderately sure to
pay for these favors in the end-and to pay
with usury. The sort Of government pro-
rided under the amiable Hanna, whereby
high finance, in consideration Of campaign
contributions. was licensed practically to fol-
low the dictates of its own will, had its after
math in the insurance Investigations and in
the long train OF railroad scandals. Reputa-
tons were destroyed fortunes crumbled
paper prosperity vanished when the necessary
light Of publicity was directed against the
false prosperity that Hannaism had erected
No human law nor governmental policy can
change the natural law, which declares it i'm
possible TO make something out of nothing
The favored fnancers of the Hanna regime
did not get their profits out Of the air but
out Of the pockets of investors. They
thrived. but some persons who could i'll afford
il paid the bill
There will be no return in this country to
those conditions, let opponents of corporate
regulation thunder they will The Inter
state Commerce Commission has committed
errors. II is likely, and so have the State COM
missions that WELD similar powers within
the borders of the separate Commonwealths
but nothing they have ever done has APP
preached in baneful influence the unregulated
activities of massed wealth.
me pubic has not forgotten. nor will it
forget The scandal and tragedy of the in
surance inquiries. of New Haven and Rock
Island. and their kith and kim linger yet I'm
the public memory. II is inconceivable that
the advantages gained will ever be sur
rendered. The political party that should
put into its platform plank declaring for
the abolition of corporate regulation would
sign its own death warrant.
What the corporations have a right to en-
pect is equal and exact Justice With less
they cannot discharge their function nor
profit their shareholders: with more they are
certain to yield TO some OF the old tempta-
lions and perpetrate some of the old abuses
me choice is not between regulation and the
absence of regulation, but, Oscar Under
wood said Il little while ago i'm New York
between regulation and government owner
ship. II the railroads, telegraph and tele-
phone companies and great industrial cor
poratons are Wise they will recognize this
fact and bend their energies 10 curing reeu-
lation's evils and supplying its defects rather
than seek to destroy it.
The whole country is in the mood now for
this reform In the whole body of citizen
ship only a few demagogues favor the on
preston OF any corporation. The people
have walked up to the fact that a BANKRUPT
railroad is public liability, for which every
man OF substance must help to settle Presi-
dent Wilson merely expresses the common
view and the common will when he saws that
no honest business, large or small has req
son TO apprehend the improper interference
OF the government.
OF course, that is good politics as well as
good morality and good sense Unless this
country Is we'll on the road TO prosperity by
the time Of the next election, the Democratic
party is bound 10 feel the effects Rightly
or wrongly, Justly or unjusty. it is the habit
OF a democracy TO hold the ruling party re-
sponsible for business depression Political
cXpediency combines with personal honor and
minstration to help and encourage every
worthy enterprise
Tha, is what The administration will do
Those who want justice will get IT, but those
who want more and have the efrontery TO
ask more will meet with the refusal they
deserve and the singing rebuke Mr. Wilson
well knows how to impose. He stands for
( justice, and he means that his country and
4 his countrymen shall have it. but as the
4 New York World says, he can neither he
/ bought nor bullied