The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-31
TO WHOM THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS

looking the scene Of the battle.
tt WHOM THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS.
The Presidents addresses In Maine and
New Hampshire cannot be regarded with
favor by those who are shirkers in the
worlds field OF action, or who are hunting
what are called soft snaps" The central
idea of the Roosevelt theory Of right living
is industry, and a good deal Of it. The quail
tiles which he extOls are rugged independ-
ence, masterful resolution, individual in
genuity and resourcefulness with that hard
work which is the basis Of all other positive
qualities. For having hard work to do the
President declares that mo man should be
pitied." According to the Roosevelt
theory, the man VINO shirks work, no mat
ter whether he is rich or poor. is in rebellion
to the divine economy. The men or women
who have no aim in life but TO glide along
without vocation or effort are not those to
whom the President addresses himself.
They are burdens and not helps. whether
they are tramps or have the spending Of
millions.
The Presidents words are a timely re-
Duke 70 hat class of newspapers which
devote so much space to the goings and
comings Of the very rich, to their posses
sions, their houses, their yachts, their en-
tertainments and the idle nothings which
fill up the lives of many of those inheriting
great wealth. If all that such people do
is proper, the constant recording of the
fact of their wealth and what they do with
1t are exhibitions of toadyism which every
sclf-respecting American should resent.
But this constant exploiting of such people
and of great wealth is positively harmful
because it leads people to believe that the
wealth which makes a leisure class is the
only thing in life to be desired, and, falling
10 obtain both. life is given up to envy and
clear that no aimless and leisure element
is embraced in his classification of that
manhood and womanhood which are at once
the hope and the glory of the Republic.
The prominence which the President gave
to agriculture as a vocation and its useful
ness not only as the sustainer of the peo-
pie, but in giving to the country a conserv-
alive and individual element which has
always been so helpful, was also timely.
Years ago the wise man, who was called
upon TO address the public schools in the
rural districts, pointed out lives of dis
tinction which could only be attained by
abandoning the farm. The early, if not
the present tendency of the silent influence
of the public school teacher has been to
prepare the young for lives beyond the
farms. The result of such influence is
shown in too many instances by the fact
that farms which belonged to influential
families fifty years ago have passed into
the hands of strangers and renters because
farming and the sturdy and independent
life of fathers and mothers was not at
t~ractive. and some sought the cities for
careers. Investigation will prove the truth
fulness of the statement that where one who
has left the farm has been more successful
than he would have been on the farm,
scores have been lost in the multitude of
less independent toilers in cities. The news
paper which devotes so much space to the
lives of the very wealthy has used its in
fiuence to belittle the farmer. He has been
presented as a dull and ignorant individual,
and the smart cartoonist has for years been
picturing him as an ungainly person in
WORKOUT or ill-ftting garments and as a
boor. The President, by his addresses, and
particularly that address which he went
farthest TO make, exalts not only the use
fulness of the farmer as a contributor tc
the physical life Of the country, but as
the element upon whose intelligence, in
dividuality and patriotism the government
most depends.
To the people who nave occupations-tC
those who toll in some field of usefulness
the President delivers addresses-now TO the
farmers and factory people in Connection
and Maine, and next TO the locomotive fire
men in Chattanooga a few days hence. Ii
no way does he recognize by his presenc,
or words the existence or usefulness Of
those who have no vocation.