The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-21
SPEECH AT NIGHT.
The Presidents Declarations on the
Trust and Corporation Question.

CINCINNATI, Sept. 20.-To-night at s
o'clock President Roosevelt, In Music Hall,
delivered the most notable speech he has
yet made on the trust question. He said:
To-day / wish to speak to you on the
subject, or group OF subjects, which we
mean when We talk of the trusts. The word
is used very loosely and almost always with
technical inaccuracy. But the average man,
when he speaks of the trusts means rather
vaguely all OF the very big corporations,
the growth of which has been so signal a
feature of our modern times, and especially
of those big corporations which, though or
ganized I'm one State, do business in several
States, and some of which have a tendency
to monopoly.
This whole subject of the trusts Is Of
vital concern to us because IT presents one,
and perhaps the most conspicuous, of the
many problems forced upon our attention
by the tremendous industrial development
which has taken place during the last half
century, in all civilized countries, and no
tably in our own. Many factors have con-
CURED In bringing about these changes in
the industrial conditions. OF these. steam
and electricity are the chief. The extraor-
binary change In the methods of trans
portation of merchandise and of trans
mission of intelligence, has rendered not
only possible, but inevitable, the immense
increase in the rate of growth OF industrial
S Sss'e resulted the 81 spee srfha elieo Of i hdnse
tries. and the unexampled opportunities Of
fered for the employment of huge amounts
or capital, ana, therefore,, Tor the rise IN
the business world of those master minds
through whom alone IL is possible for such
vast sums OF capital to be employed with
profit.
"Now Ii matters very little whether or
not we like these new co~ndition-the crea-
ton of these new opportunities. Many adj
mirable qualities which were developed in
the older. simpler, less progressive life.
have to some degree atrophied under the
conditions of our rather feverish high pres
sure, complex and specialized life OF to-
day. But our likes and dislikes have very
little to do with the matter. The new con-
ditions are here. They have produced both
good and evil. We cannot get rid OF them
even II IL were not undesirable to get rid
Of them; and our instant duty is to try TO
accommodate our social. economic and leg
~islative life to them. and TO frame a sys-
TEN OF law and conduct under which we
shall get out OF them the utmost possible
benefit and the least amount of harm. 1t is
foolish TO pride ourselves on our marvellous
progresses and prosperity, upon our COM
manding position in the international world,
and at the same time have nothing but de-
nunciation for the men TO whose command
ing business ability we In part owe this very
progress and prosperity. this commanding
position.
EVIL ALWAYS MIXED WITH GOOD.
whenever great social or Industrial
changes take place, no matter how much
rood there may be to them, there is sure
TO be some evil: and 1t usually takes man.
kin a number of years and a good deal
sx experimenting before they md the right