Evening journal., 1902-09-03
PRESIDENT AG lin
TALKS ON TRUSTS
BiS Views Not Charged on
The Subject
Says Amendment to Constitution Is
Necessary TO Control Big
Corporations

Corporations
Dalton, Mass. Sept 8. - President
Roosevelt yesterday took notice Of his
return visit to Massachusetts by deliv-
ering at Fitchburg another speech on
the trust question in order that he
might fully answer his critics and to
more clearly define his attitude on
that subject. He also launched into
a defense of the army in the Philip
pines during his speech at Springfield.
Frequent stops again were made yes
terday, and at each place the president
delivered q speech. Fitchburg's recep-
ton was notable for the size of the
crowd and the enthusiasm which the
people displayed While riding up the
street the president was given a show
er bath of roses. A canopy of bunting
had been erected. and from the centre
was suspended a huge bell. AS the
presidents carriage passed under 1t
an unseen hand loosened the covering
of the bell and an avalanche of loose
roses fell over him.
President Roosevelt in his speech at
Fitchburg said:
"If some of these who have seen
cause for wonder in what l have said
this fall on the subject of the great
corporations. which are popularly, al
though with technical inaccuracy,
known as trusts, would take the trou-
BILE to read my messages when I was
governor, what l said on the stump
two years ago, and what put into my
first message to congress, l think they
would have been less astonished. l
said nothing on the stump that l did
not think l could make good, and l
shall not hesitate now to take the po-
sition which / then advocated. l am
even more anxious that | should hear
what you think upon 1t than that you
should applaud 1t.
III by trust we mean merely a big
corporation. then ask you to ponder
the utter folly of the man who either in
spirit Of rancor or in a spirit of folly
says: Destroy the trusts without Civ
ing you an idea of what he means
really to do. I will go with him II he
says destroy the evil in the trusts,
gladly. (Applause) l will try to find
out that evil. I viii seek to apply rem
edies, which l have already outlined
in other speeches. But If his policy
from whatever motive. whether hatred
fear, panic or just sheer ignorance. is
to destroy the trusts in a way that will
destroy all our prosperity, no.
Those men who advocate wild and
foolish remedies which would be worse
than the disease are doing all in their
power to perpetuate the evils against
which they nominally war, because If
we are brought face to face with the
naked issue Of either keeping or totally
destroying a prosperity in which the
majority share. but in which some
share improperly, why as sensible men
we must decide that It is a great deal
better that some people should pros
por too much than that no one should
prosper enough. So that the man who
advocates destroying the trusts by
measures which would paralyze the in
dustrles of the country is at best a
quac1 and at worst an enemy to the
republic.
But gentlemen, I believe firmly
that in the end there will have to be
an amendment to the constitution of
the nation comforting additional power
upon the federal government to deal
with corporations To get that will
be matter of difficulty and a matter
of time"
Governor Crane last night had the
president as his guest here. The town
was beautifully illuminated, Japanese
lanterns and red, white and blue lights
being displayed everywhere Early
this morning the president and his
party were given a drive from Dalton
to Stockbridge, passing through Pitts
field and Lenox. and the opportunity
was afforded to view the picturesque
scenery of the Berkshire Hills.