The Washington times., 1920-09-09
Why Regulation of Private
Ownership Inevitably Fails
By JOSEPH G. CANNON.
Former Speaker of the House of Representative e

COlVer gOeS-there reason. reason lies Cne
cause of the failure of public regulation OF railroads
Chairman Colver of the Federal Trade Commission has
notified the President that he does not want reappont
the position which he has rarely distinguished
himself and which he has helped to make the Federal
Trade Commission of those unusual public commissions
that has actually dared to face powerful private punder
bund and uphold the public interests.
But history is repeating itself The very courage and
integrity with which Mr. Colver has done his duty make
it impossible for him to continue in office Mr.. Cover
signs because he knows that in all probability he will not
be allowed continue the public service he has gaant
rendered The story of the quiet campaign against
Mr. Cover precisely the story of the fate OF every man
who renders the character of public service The
general public either does not know much about the service
knowing about forgets it, knowing about it and
remembering it, does not know the danger to which the
public servant is exposed by his fahfuness does
know how to protect him from the dangers.
The big predatory interests against which such servant
defends the public proceed to attack him in devious and
teless ways by campaign contributions to members Of
Congress- by contributions to the general party campaign
fund.- and by hundred methods undiscosed to the
public Operating with strings behind the scenes, they
up their pawns in Congress- in the political conven
ons and in the newspapers and everywhere against the
public champion.
BE finds himself beset all sides He confronts move
ments to investigate him preposterous charges set
foot in Congress order to give newspapers chance to
publish widely the charges and to suppress his replies
The champions of the predatory interests get of its
pawns upon the resolutions committee of national
the great parC1eS, DOCn OF Cnem
obtain declaration in the party platform against the
undaunted public his commission they pledge
the candidate to reappont him they pledge enough
Senators to oppose his confirmation.
They do all these things and many things to
make his life miserable and uncertain until wearying of
public service he resigns kicked legsated out of
office.
This is the why the regulation of power
full private interests by public bodies has been absolute
teetota inevitable failure in this country and must always
be.
So it has be understood in the public service
that those whs expect to enjoy long life regulating
body be careful to offend those whom they
regulate for the public has short memory and the private
interests have a very long memory
This is of the that Bismarck the greatest
statesman Of his day, gave for rejecting private
regulation in Germany. He knew that the lion and the
lamb could lie down together except with the lamb
inside the on He said that public regulation would be
failure and that private management of the railroads with
out regulation would be failure and would be
altogether intolerable that there nothing left but
public ownership and operation which Germany adopted
with such wonderful results in the advancement of the
power and prosperity Of Germany, as we all know.
very considerable body of the would be regulators of
railroads already privately express their belief that
regulation is failure and that the day is when it
must be abandoned for downright public ownership More
the public spirited of bankers recognize that
it is inevitable and in private conversation express the hope
that it will come soon