Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1901-12-06
OUR PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Delivered to Congress---Glowing Tribute to
McKinley---Al Important Topics
Carefully Reviewed.

IuT OWA iOiiy'
The tremendous and highly complex
Industrial development which went on
With ever accelerated rapidly during
he latter half of the nineteenth cen
ury brings us face to face. at the be
ginning OF the twentieth, with very Sc
.ious social problems. The old laws,
md the old customs which had almost
he binding force OF law. were once
quite sufficient TO regulate the accum
ulat.on and distribution OF wealth.
Since the industrial changes which
nave so enormously increased the pro
1uctive power of mankind, they are
no longer sufficient.
1t is not true that as the rich have
grown richer the poor have grown
poorer. On the contrary, never before
Aas the average man, the wageworker.
he farmer, the small trader, been so
we'll off as in this country and at the
present time.
The captains OF industry who have
Ir.ven the railway systems across this
continent, who have built UP our com
nerce, who have developed our manu-
'actures. have on the whole done great
good TO our people. Without them the
material development of which we are
so justly proud could never have taken
place. Moreover, we should recognize
he immense Importance to this ma
.erial development of leaving as un-
hampcrcd as is compatible with the
| public good the strong and forceful men
upon whom the success OF business OPP
| erations inevitably rests.
An additional reason 70 rcaution in
| dealing with corporations is to be
| found in the international commercial
| conditions Of today. The same bust
| ness conditions which have produced
| he great aggregationS Of corporate and
| individual wealth have made them very
| potent factors In international com
mercal competition. 1t Is OF the ut
| most importance that this position be
not jeoparded, especially at a time when
| the overlooking abundance Of our own
natural resources and the skill. bust
ness energy, and mechanical aptitude
Of our people make foreign markets
| essential. Under such conditions 1t
| would be most unwise to cramp or 20
fetter the youthful strength OF our ma
tior.
Moreover, 1t cannot too often be
pointed out that to strike with ignorant
violence at the interests Of one set Of
men almost inevitably endangers the
interests of all. The fundamental rule
in our national l.fe-the rule which
underlies all others-is that, on the
whole, and in the long run, we shall go
up or down together.
The mechanism Of modern business
Is SO delicate that extreme care must
be taken not to interfere with 1t in a
spirit of rashness or Ignorance. The
men who demand the impossible or the
undesirable serve as the allies OF the
forces with which they are nominally
at war. for they hamper those who
would endeavor to find out In rational
fashion what the wrongs really are and
20 what extent and in what manner il
is practicable to apply remedies.
All this Is true; and yet 1t Is also
true that there are real and grave evils
, one of the chief being over-capitaliza
ton because of its many baleful con
. sequences, and resolute and practica
effort must be made to correct these
evils.
Trusts.
, There Is a widespread conviction II
The minds Of the American people tina
the great corporations known as trusts
. are In certain of their features and ten
. denotes hurtful to the generl welfare
This springs from no spirit of envy o.
uncharltableness, nor lack of pride il
!, the great Industrial achievements tina
!, have placed this country at the head o
= The nations struggling for commercial
, supremacy. 1t does not rest upon lacl
: of intelligent appreciation Of the ne
. cessity OF meeting changing and chang
| I'D nn1i lions Of do with OIL
DDS. nor upon ignorance OF the fact tina
, combination OF capital in the effort t
! accomplish great things Is necessar
= when the worlds progress demand
= that great things be done. 1t Is base
:, upon sincere conviction that combine
- ton and concentration should be, no
: prohibited, but supervised and With
!. reasonable limits controlled; and in III
:, Judgment this conviction is right.
, 1t is no limitation upon propert
- rights or freedom of contract to r,
=. quire that when men receive from go,
:, eminent the privilege III doing bushes
- under corporate form. which free
-. them from individual responsible,
:, and enables them to call into their ell
y terprises the capital of the public. the
- shall do so upon absolutely TRUTH,
- representations as to the value of tn
=, property in which the capital Is to |
:, invested Corporations engaged in Il
:, terstate commerce should be regulate
= II they are found to exercise a lcens
- working to the public injury. 1t shout
- be a. much the aim of those who see
for social hetterment to rid the bus
ness world of crimes Of cunning as
rid the entire body polite of crimes
SIS violence. Great corporations exist on
ha harauca thev ara eraa.aa ,pd %, .