Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1904 — ILLEGAL CORPORATIONS [ARTICLE]

ILLEGAL CORPORATIONS

President’s Action in Enforcing Laws Against Them. (Northwestern Christian Advocate, Sept 20.) In holding large corporations to strict accountability to the law the president is serving the best interests of those corporations as well as conserving the welfare of the country. All corporations which are operating on an unlawful basis should be compelled to conform to the law. If they cannot or will not they should go out of business. This some have been forced by the lawless conduct of their promoters and operators to do, to the great loss of their stockholders. Many formerly wealthy men are now broken in fortune because corporations with which they were connected were formed and operated in violation of law. The action of the president in enforcing the law would prevent,, not promote, such losses. , One of the crying needs of America today is such respect for tbe laws of the nation as the president has shown. He did not make the laws, but it is his duty to obey them. He has set an example which every citizen should follow. If that be done we shall hear no more of mobs breaking Into jails, iefylng police and militia, and hanging or burning prisoners suspected or convicted of crime, and burning property In a wild frenzy of disorder and lawlessness.