408 THE QUESTIONS OF THE DAY. 



people themselves, and supported under the protection of laws 

 enacted by the people. It is a ridiculous situation and should 

 end. The way to stop it is to shut off the source of supply. 

 The guerrilla politicians are entirely mercenary and will not 

 fight a moment after their pay is stopped. 



The laws — state and national— should provide that, in 

 return for the protection of the corporation laws, the accounts 

 and proceedings of all corporations possessing capital or trans- 

 acting business above some fixed amount, should be absolutely 

 public — no detail whatever being excluded from the public 

 gaze, and to assure it, a representative of the public should 

 audit all accounts and attend all meetings of directors. It will 

 be objected by Trusts that this is exposing their business to 

 their competitors. This is true, and exactly what is desired. 

 Their competitors will be the most certain of all men to dis- 

 cover and trace out improper acts. The public can rest in 

 comparative security when knowing that competitors are on 

 the watch. If money is given to men who "do politics" we 

 wish to know who gets it and exactly what he gives for it. 

 A proper voucher would tell the stor^^ That should be the 

 price demanded by the public for the certificate of incorpora- 

 tion which enables the corporation to do business. If its 

 members do not like it they need not pay the price. Nobody 

 compels them to form great corporations. The world will get 

 on if they are not formed. It is desirable that they should be 

 formed if they can be absolutel}^ controlled. Otherwise not. 

 Under proper conditions they would be instruments of great 

 value. Under present conditions they are a menace to societ3^ 



Of course there would be additional legislation for the 

 prevention of specific evils as discovered. It is not necessary 

 to go into that here. Its character is obvious. The prerequi- 

 site to any successful legislation is a complete and absolute 

 knowledge of facts. This can only be obtained by the method 

 pointed out. When that step has been taken tlie next will 

 become apparent. My object at this time is to concentrate 

 attention on the one vital point. 



If some unbelieving reader imagines that what is here said 

 is not correct, let him seriously set about getting one of the 



