But it is just such sacrifices of local and occasional to a comprehensive interest which official commissions are not allowed by public opinion to approve.

Under their control rates will be made chiefly for the benefit of clamorous local interests; and little by little the economic organization of the country, so far as affected by the action of commission government, would become the increasing rigid victim of routine management.

The flexibility and enterprise, characteristic of our existing national economic organization, would slowly disappear; and American industrial leaders would lose the initiative and energy which has contributed so much to the efficiency of the national economic system.

Such a result would, of course, only take place gradually; but it would none the less be the eventual result of any complete adoption of such a method of supervision.

The friends of commission government who expect to discipline the big corporations severely without injuring their efficiency are merely the victims of an error as old as the human will.