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The Commoner
VOL. 14, NO. 7
li
The Menace of Bigness
Wliilo tho daily papers arc trying to locate the
blamo for tho failuro of II. B. Claflin & Com
pany, tho public should not overlook ono cause
which has not yet been sufficiently considered.
There is in bigness itself a menace to both the
company and tho public. It is quite natural that
tho managers of a business, encouraged by suc
cobb, should yield to tho temptation to increase
and increaso until retribution follows tho break
ing of economic laws. 'The human being after
passing through a period of infancy and youth
reaches maturity; from that time on there is no
moro real growth and additional weight is apt
to bring its penalties.
With tho fictitious person called a corporation
thoro is, unfortunately, no period of maturity
when growth ceases. It is apt to continue to
grow and grow unless those in control are wise
enough to restrain tho desire for unlimited ex
pansion. In tho caso of the Claflin company the name
of a groat business man was capitalized and
those who used it doparted from the methods
which brought success to the "man who made
tho namo known 'throughout tho nation. When
tho Claflin company bocame a member of an or
ganization that roachod out into many communi
ties and engaged in different kinds of business,
it created now conditions which no man or group
of men can long control.
Claflin built up a groat business because he at
tended to it. It was his own business; it stirred
every fiber of his being and commanded all tho
energy ho possessed. It is not strango that ho
achieved success; ho followed tho pathway
"which loads to success. His riso was only a repe
tition of what others havo done, working along
tho samo linos, but thoro was no such dominant
brain in tho new organization and Claflin him
self could not havo ropeated his success had ho
attempted what the now organization undertook.
No mind can comprehend tho dotails necessary
to such a business as tho nowjy.laflin company
endeavored to conduct. The head of a big con
corn must act through others and depend upon
them. Employees could not have the deep in
terest In tho success of the business of others
that Claflin had in a business that was his own.
Tho man who works for another cannot put Into
tho business the enthusiasm which the owner
feels, no matter how sincerely ho may try. It is
like the difference between the man who tills
his own land and the tenant who tills the land
of another. In the transmission of authority
there is a leak at every joint, and when a busi
ness gets so big that the orders from above must
pass through several employees before the lowest
man is reached, loss of efficiency is inevitable.
But there is another menace in bigness a
menace to the business world at large and to
each community in which the company is repre
sented. The firm with branches scattered
throughout the land may in the beginning use
its tremendous power to break down and drive
out competition, but in the long run the business
that is identified with the community and man
aged with a view to that community's interest
will have an advantage that no branch concern
can have. Then, too, the firm with branches may
sacrifice one branch to help another, regardless
of tho effect of the change on any community.
Moreover, tho failure of a big concern with
many branches shocks the entire country, where
as the failure of a business firm in one com
munity does not usually affect other communi
ties. If, instead of a large number of houses be
longing to one organization, there had been the
same number, each independent, the failure of
one or even a number, would not have produced
anything like the disturbance that comes with
the fall of a great concern that has injected its
activities into numerous trade centers. It is well
for business men and statesmen to consider
whether business expansion should be encour
aged when it sacrifices the interests of the public
to tho ambitions of a few. W. J. BRYAN.
A TRIBUTE TO ADLAI E. STEVENSON
By Rev. Edgar DeWitt Jones, of Bloomington,
Illinois, at public funeral for Mr. Stevenson,
Juno 15, 1914.
For moro than two decades Bloomington, Illi
nois, has been known the nation over as the
homo of Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson. Because of
him moro than any other man the name of the
city we love has gone the world around. Verily
it is true that "none of us liveth to himself and
nono dioth to himself." In the life and death of
Mr. Stovonson his fame and glory are shared
with tho nation ho served, the state he honored,
and especially the city where his home has been
for half a contury.
Mr. Stevenson's public career was long,
varied and distinguished. Congressman, assist
ant postmaster general, vice-president of the
"United States, member of the monetary commis
sion to England, France and Germany, nominee
of his party for vice-president in 1900, and in
1908 candidato for governor of Illinois in what
"was perhaps the most extraordinary campaign of
his entire career such in barest outline was our
first citizen's lifo in tho nation.
Singularly strong and praisoworthy were cer
tain qualities in Mr. Stevenson's life as a public
man. First, and foremost, is the fact that
throughout the period characterized by cam
paigns of personalities and incriminations and
marred sometimes by methods now discredited
Mr. Stevenson kept his hear pure. Through forty
years of public service arid a score of stressful
campaigns ho bore his escutcheon unspotted to
tho end.
Mr. Stevenson was a party man but not a
partisan. In a day when prejudice and rancor
were rife and party spirit ran riot Mr. Stevenson
preserved that fine large charity which "vaunteth
not itsolf" and "thinketh no evil." Hero at
homo in tho midst of campaigns of widespread
interest and elections fraught with intense ex
citement ho was never known to engage in con
troversy or arguments with his fellow-townsmen
who differed from him politically. Moreover he
numbered among his closest friends many men
of political views other than his own. This of
itself is an extraordinary tribute to a nature
which was largo and generous and possessing a
perfect genius for friendship.
Mr. Stevenson's friends in public life included
tho most distinguished leadei s of tho last thirty
or forty years. Congressmen, senators, justices
of the supreme court, cabinet officers, presidents
with them he mingled at once alike, honoring
and being honored. Fortunately these rich and
varied experiences are in a measure treasured
up for us and for those who shall come after us,
in his fascinating book "Something of Men I
Have Known"- a volume that will be read with
interest and profit by thousands yet to be.
Bloomington was justly proud of her first
citizen and delighted to do him honor No
notable event in this city was complete without
Mr. Stevenson's presence and participation.- How
often his voice has been heard at great gather
ings, in conventions, at banquet boards, and in
memorial meetings, The plain, comfortable
homestead on Franklin Park Square has been
our city's golden milestone, where all our main
traveled streets converged. When our friends
came from afar their visits were consummated
when they had called upon our first citizen. How
wide the doors, how generous the hospitality of
l me . HttW unfallins the courtesy of that
genial host! How courtly his manner! All in
all we shall not look upon his like again.
Whether at home or abroad Mr, Stevenson
was a democratic soul, plain, simple and the
most approachable of men.
"Greatest, yet with least pretence,
Foremost hearted of his time,
Rich in saving common sense,
And, as tho greatest always are,
In his simplicity sublime."
And now he is gone! Bloomington can never
bo again just what it was when Mr. Stevenson
was alive The old homestead on the park
square will be eloquent in its loneliness. We
shall miss the courtly figure from our streets
and seek in vain the outstretched hand of greet
ing But nothing, thank God! can deprive us
of hin memory. ' vu us
Today loving friends and neighbors will lav
our chief citizen to rest by the side of the wife
of his youth and not far from that illustrious
group of his old time friends who have gone
?n bQS!,n'David Dav,s and Matthew ScoTt
Isaac Phillips and General McNulta, Lawrence
Weldon and Robert Williams, and in the Tyearl
to come what the tomb of Clay is to Leximrton
what the shrine of Jefferson is to MontlSS! so'
shall tho grave of Stevenson be to Bloomington.
DEMOCRACY IN BANKING
In another part of this issue of The Commoner
will bo found an extraordinary speech on "De
mocracy in Banking" by Honorable John Skelton
Williams, comptroller of tho currency. It was
delivered before the annual convention of the
North Carolina bankers in the house of repre
sentatives at tho capitol, Raleigh, on May 13th
last. It deserves reading every word of it. It
will give the readers of The Commoner an under
standing of the point from which the reserve
board will look at the new currency system. As
comptroller, Mr. Williams will have a largo part
in the management of the central reserve banks
which supervise and regulate the entire system.
Mr. Williams' arraignment of the old system of
finance,, for which the new system is substituted,
will be read with grateful appreciation by those
who have for twenty years been engaged in fight
ing the money power. What a change has taken
place! When the struggle began every man who
dared to criticize the despotism of Wall street
was denounced as a demagogue and a disturber
of the peace, but today investigation ana" revela
tions have made the American people acquainted
with the methods employed by the members of
the little group who ruled the financial world.
Mr. Williams, since making this speech, has had
becasion to learn of the radical "change taking
place in public sentiment. One of the most
prominent financiers of the west wrote to him
saying that if he read Mr. Williams' speech a
year or two ago he would have said: "Poor
Williams, what a demagogue he is," but that ho
himself has become convinced of the soundness
of the position taken by Mr. Williams. All of
the financiers who were not in the pool will soon
be thanking the president and congress for the
relief the new law has brought their voices
will be added to the chorus that is already rising
from the mass of the people who see in the new
declaration of independence emancipation from
the invisible government that has been preying
upon them. The country is fortunate in having
in so influential a position a' man like John
Skelton Williams, who knows the methods that
have been employed and has the courage to rep
resent the people instead of the special interests.
W. J- BRYAN.
A broad, decent and honorable settlement is
the comment made by James T. DuBois upon the
pending treaty with Columbia. Mr. DuBois held
an important office under Roosevelt and was
Taft's minister to Colombia. It is to be pre
sumed that he knows better what he is talking
about than those critics who have assailed this
as a surrender to blackmailers and an apology
for something the United States is proud of hav
ing done.
The adoption of the president's trust program,
which will be completed during the next few
weeks, will add "one more powerful reason why
the democratic party should be retained in con
trol of the house. It will complete the trinity
of great reforms promised hy the democratic
party, and will enable democratic campaign
orators to make the most effective appeal to the
people for a continuance of public trust.
The Pennsylvania primary election gave a
good hint as to how far the reform of the re
publican party from the inside has progressed.
Penrose was nominated for United States sen
ator again. The fact that he polled over four
times as many votes as the progressive candidato
for the same Office is another interesting political
phenomenon that the wise boys have not yet
been able to satisfactorily explain.
W I KNEW
If I knew the box where the smiles were kept
No matter how large the key
Or strong the bolt, I would try so hard
Twould open, I know, for me.
Then, over the land and the sea, broadcast,
I'd scatter the smiles to play,
So that careworn people might hold them fast
For many and many a day.
If I knew a box that was large enough
To hold all the frowns I meet,
I would like to gather them every one,
From nursery, school and street;
Then, folding and holding, I'd pack them in,
And, turning the monster key,
I'd hire a giant to drop the box
To the depths of the deep, deep sea.
Unknown.
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