The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-12-05
OUR PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Delivered to Congress-Glowing Tribute to
Mckin1eyAAn Important Topics
Carefully Reviewed.

cur own folly.
The tremendous and highly COMPLEX
Industrial development which went on
with ever accelerated rapidity during
the latter half Of the nineteenth cen
fury brings US face to face, at the be
ginning Of the twentieth, with very Sc
rious social problems. The old laws
and the old customs which had almost
the binding force of law, were once
quite sufficient to regulate the accum
ulat.On and distribution of wealth
Since the industrial changes which
have so enormously increased the pro
ductive 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
mas the average man, the wagewOrker
the farmer. the small trader, been 90
well on as In this country and at the
present time.
The captains Of industry who have
driven the railway systems across this
continent, who have built up our com
MERGE, who have developed our manu-
features, have on the whole done great
good to our people. Without them the
material development of which we are
80 justly proud could never have taken
place. Moreover, we should recognize
the Immense importance to this ma.
terial development OF leaving as un.
hampered as is compatible with the
public good the strong and forceful men
upon whom the success Of business op-
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
the great aggregations of corporate and
Individual wealth have made them very
potent factors in international com
mercial competition. 1t is Of the ut.
most importance that this position be
not jeoparded. especially at time when
the overflOwing 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
letter the youthful strength of our ma
ton.
Moreover, it cannot too often he
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 life-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 50 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
to what extent and in what manner It
Is practicable to apply remedies.
All this is true: and yet it 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 practical
effort must he made to correct these
evils.
Trusts,
There is widespread conviction In
the minds Of the American people that
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 or
uncha rita|bleneee, nor lack of pride in
the great industrial achievements that
have placed this country at the head OF
the nations struggling tor commercial
supremacy. 1t does not rest upon q lack
Of intelligent appreciation Of the ne
cessity Of meeting changing and chang
ed conditions of trade with new meth
DDS. nor upon ignorance Of the fact that
combination Of capital In the effort to
accomplish great things 10 necessary
when the worlds progress demands
that great things be done. It l. based
upon sincere conviction that combina-
ton and concentration should be, mot
prohibited, but supervised and within
reasonable limits controlled; and in my
Judgment this conviction 10 right.
1T 10 NO limitation upon property
rights or freedom OF contract to re-
QYire that when men receive from ROY.
the privilege of doing business
under corporate form. which frees
them from Individual responsibility.
and enables them 10 call into their en-.
the capital of the public, they
shall do 20 upon absolutely truthful
a. TO the value OF tho
In which the capital h DO be
invested. Corporations engaged In In
terstate commerce should Be regulated
v they are found to exercise license
working to the public injury. Il should
b - much the aim Of those who seek
for social hetterment to rid the buei-
ness world OF crimes Of cumming ~ 10
rid the entire body politic Of crimes Of
vi0lence. Great corporations exist only