OCR Text |
Show NOT A GOOD DEFENSE. A circular has been received at thl3 office which Is a defense of the big corporations of the country, the prin-. cipal argument being an attempt V prove that the stockholders number In the aggregate hundreds of thousands, thous-ands, and, hence, the interests -of tto corporations aro those of the people, and the powerful companies cannot be injured without inflicting an injury upon tho American people. There is nothing convincing in this array of figures. The United States Steel Corporation may have 100,000 stockholders, the Pennsylvania railroad rail-road an equal number; tho Hill road 40.000, and so on through tho list, but to add these figures and offor the total as evidence of that number o! stockholders Is misleading. Theie may be not more than 100,000 stockholders stock-holders in all the cdmpanlos, for tho holders of stock in one company may he holders of stock in all companies. This line of argument in behalf of the big companies will fall flat. A better defense would be proof that the Interests of the corporations an! the people of the country have become so lnter-relatod by reason of the employment em-ployment the corporations afford, that unreasonable demands on corporations roust result alike in Injury to the big concerns and the people. |