The sun., 1919-01-31
CORPORATION BATTING.
The Good Sometimes Suffer for the
Sins Of the Others.

To THE EDITOR OF THE suN---Sir: what
is the real reason for the growing
prejudice against corporations as such ?
They are made the target of Socialists,
politicians and legislators, as II they
possessed something inherently evil and
reeded the application of the old war
horse police power" at every turn.
This Is apparently queer world. For
example. we tax a so horsepower auto
mobile moro than one of IL horsepower
and pass laws which make II I'M
possible TO use the difference in horse
power without breaking the speed laws.
We create laws OF succession permit
ting property to be transferred by will
and then make laws which discourage
people from dying In q community where
a number of curmudgeons could be safely
spared by taxing the succession.
We create a constitutional barrier that
private property shall not be taken for
public use without just compensation.
the business Of the compensation to
creatures OF its own making. being given
the right OF occupancy while Appeal Is
being had from a claim Of unjust
compensation.
We create small courts for the hear
ing OF cases where there should be the
greatest call for Justice and fairness and
then select Judges who are not always
the best lawyers or the fairest men.
We elect IL President to enforce the
laws and find him endowed, under color
OF law. with the making OF laws as well
as their enforcement. just as we elect
Cons essmen to make laws and md them
seeking to shirk responsibility and what
not
Evidently corporations are legitimate
food for the puhllc's criticism, that IL. that
part which liz not Interested in some cor
porat!on. OF course, there are some bad
ones and very fiagranuy bad ones. which
are IN the public eye but there are
myriads OF corporations which were
made so as to enable one with brains to
unite with one having money. 80 as to
avoid unlimited personal liability and at
the same time create a real addition to
the business life,
In New Jersey several years ago they
had nm epidemic OF reform. as II was
called. and legislatsd corporations into
a narrow groove. with tho result that
New Jersey is be~ailing Its loss OF rev.
enue. ard the people are being made to
pay for state rpads out OF their property
taxes, roads that over so per cent OF
the taxpayers will never SEQ or Use.
or course. II Is possible to And n legal
basis for all these attacks on corpora
tons but the institutions against which
the attacks are principally made are able
to withstand them. while tho poor by
standing corporations set shot 10 pieces.
Just as the ordinary golf player Is the
main support OF a golf club, so Is the
ordinary corporation the support Of good
business, and there should be an end 10
these attacks. Time was when It was
only necessary to publish notice Of ON
abuse to stop II. but We have grown
used to abuses until We seem to relish
them that Is, We seem TO have grown
abnormal, Ike the white trash" of the
South.
We once spoke by invitation before
a gathering Of Socialists, one of whom SO
brrated corporations that We said We
would organize one FOR him for nothing
Il he cared for II. Imagine our cha grin
when several years afterwnrd We were
asked by that particular Socialist to keep
the promise.
We may. and We suppose sorne do.
pray that the Lord will help the small
corporations. but can we not hate the
press lend a hand In that good work?
A. p. BAcHMAN.
NEW YonK. January 80.