'S3  6

THE  ABC  OF  TAXATION

In  these  public  service  corpou-tions  the  public  is  a
recognised  partner,  holding,  through  the  franchise,
perhaps  a  minor  interest,  possibly  a  major  interest.
The  private  interest  in  these  partnerships  is  administered ­
  by  men  skilful,  alert,  of  life-long  experience,
masters  of  their  art.  Of  the  public’s  interest,  which
has  too  long  or  too  often  been  that  of  a  silent  partner,
the  Legislature  is  the  constitutional  representative.
But  legislative  bodies,  by  reason  of  the  method  of  their
selection,  their  short  terms,  and  by  their  limited  and
varied  experience,  are  disqualified  to  cope  directly
with  the  specialised  ability  and  experience  of  the
private  administration.  Consequently  the  question
has  already  arisen  and  is  being  answered,  viz.
why  should  not  the  interest  of  the  people,  the  State,
in  the  co-partnership,  be  represented  by  the  ablest
men  whom  the  President,  or  the  Governor,  can  secure
at  adequate  salaries,  constituting  permanent  commissions ­
  —  men  who  shall  learn  to  know  what  is  needed
without  asking  corporation  lawyers,  who  shall  become
as  competent  in  their  distinct  sphere  of  regulation,
including  the  field  of  taxation,  as  are  the  Hills,  Harrimans,
  Mellens,  and  Tuttles  in  what  should  be  their  own
sole  province  of  railway  administration  —  commissions
whose  duty  shall  be  to  ascertain  the  facts,  to  frame  the
argument  for  the  people’s  side  —  to  defend  the  rights
of  the  public  against  aggression,  now  inseparable  from
the  situation,  and  to  render  a  decision  which  shall
stand  as  the  verdict  of  the  people’s  representatives.
Not  until  some  such  harmonising  agency  is  employed
can  it  be  possible  for  these  great  corporations  and  the
people  to  get  their  respective  rights  without  wrong
to  the  one  or  the  other.