第67章

SuchaCommissionwouldhavecompletepowertoexamineintoeverybigcorporationengagedorproposingtoengageinbusinessbetweentheStates。Itwouldhavethepowertodiscriminatesharplybetweencorporationsthataredoingwellandthosethataredoingill；andthedistinctionbetweenthosewhodowellandthosewhodoillwouldbedefinedintermssoclearandunmistakablethatnoonecouldmisapprehendthem。Whereacompanyisfoundseekingitsprofitsthroughservingthecommunitybystimulatingproduction，loweringprices，orimprovingservice，whilescrupulouslyrespectingtherightsofothers(includingitsrivals，itsemployees，itscustomers，andthegeneralpublic)，andstrictlyobeyingthelaw，thennomatterhowlargeitscapital，orhowgreatthevolumeofitsbusinessitwouldbeencouragedtostillmoreabundantproduction，orbetterservice，bythefullestprotectionthattheGovernmentcouldaffordit。Ontheotherhand，ifacorporationwerefoundseekingprofitthroughinjuryoroppressionofthecommunity，byrestrictingproductionthroughtrickordevice，byplotorconspiracyagainstcompetitors，orbyoppressionofwage-workers，andthenextortinghighpricesforthecommodityithadmadeartificiallyscarce，itwouldbepreventedfromorganizingifitsnefariouspurposecouldbediscoveredintime，orpursuedandsuppressedbyallthepowerofGovernmentwheneverfoundinactualoperation。Suchacommission，withthepowerIadvocate，wouldputastoptoabusesofbigcorporationsandsmallcorporationsalike；itwoulddrawthelineonconductandnotonsize；itwoulddestroymonopoly，andmakethebiggestbusinessmaninthecountryconformsquarelytotheprincipleslaiddownbytheAmericanpeople，whileatthesametimegivingfairplaytothelittlemanandcertaintyofknowledgeastowhatwaswrongandwhatwasrightbothtobigmanandlittleman。

AlthoughunderthedecisionofthecourtstheNationalGovernmenthadpowerovertherailways，Ifound，whenIbecamePresident，thatthispowerwaseithernotexercisedatallorexercisedwithutterinefficiency。Thelawagainstrebateswasadeadletter。Alltheunscrupulousrailwaymenhadbeenallowedtoviolateitwithimpunity；

andbecauseofthis，aswasinevitable，thescrupulousanddecentrailwaymenhadbeenforcedtoviolateitthemselves，underpenaltyofbeingbeatenbytheirlessscrupulousrivals。Itwasnotthefaultofthesedecentrailwaymen。ItwasthefaultoftheGovernment。

Thankstoafirst-classrailwayman，PaulMortonoftheSantaFe，sonofMr。Cleveland’sSecretaryofAgriculture，Iwasablecompletelytostopthepractice。Mr。MortonvolunteeredtoaidtheGovernmentinabolishingrebates。Hefranklystatedthathe，likeeveryoneelse，hadbeenguiltyinthematter；butheinsistedthatheutteredthesentimentsofthedecentrailwaymenofthecountrywhenhesaidthathehopedthepracticewouldbestopped，andthatifIwouldreallystopit，andnotmerelymakebelievetostopit，hewouldgivethetestimonywhichwouldputintothehandsoftheGovernmentthepowertoputacompletechecktothepractice。Accordinglyhetestified，andontheinformationwhichhegaveuswewereabletotakesuchactionthroughtheInter-StateCommerceCommissionandtheDepartmentofJustice，supplementedbythenecessaryadditionallegislation，thattheevilwasabsolutelyeradicated。Hethusrendered，ofhisownaccord，athisownpersonalrisk，andfrompurelydisinterestedmotives，aninvaluableservicetothepeople，aservicewhichnoothermanwhowasabletorenderwaswillingtorender。Asanimmediatesequel，theworld-oldalliancebetweenBlifilandBlackGeorgewasimmediatelyrevivedagainstPaulMorton。IngivingrebateshehaddoneonlywhateveryhonestrailwaymaninthecountryhadbeenobligedtodobecauseofthefailureoftheGovernmenttoenforcetheprohibitionasregardsdishonestrailwaymen。Butunlikehisfellowshehadthenshownthecourageandsenseofobligationtothepublicwhichmadehimcomeforwardandwithoutevasionorconcealmentstatewhathehaddone，inorderthatwemightsuccessfullyputanendtothepractice；

andputanendtothepracticewedid，andwediditbecauseofthecourageandpatriotismhehadshown。Theunscrupulousrailwaymen，whosedishonestpracticesweretherebyputastopto，andtheunscrupulousdemagogueswhowereeitherundertheinfluenceofthesemenordesirousofgainingcreditwiththoughtlessandignorantpeoplenomatterwhowashurt，joinedinvindictiveclamoragainstMr。

Morton。Theyactuallywishedmetoprosecutehim，althoughsuchprosecutionwouldhave