The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-05
ROOSEVELT PRAISES SAILORS
AND SOLDIERS OF AMERICA
Continued from First Pase)

Continued from First Paee)
this day, and here. therefore, you are
brought face to face with those problems
which affected our entire civilization at
The opening of this new century. The
tremendous rush Of our Industrial devel-
cpmefit which has brought In its train
90 mach that is good and also OF neces-
eiky brought somewhat in 1t that Is evil.
the vcry intensity of the progress that
infinitely difficult problems have arisen
which we must strive to solve as best va
may
How to Solve the Problems.
Under our form Of government with Its
great decentralization OF power, some of
those problems must be solved through
the work OF private Individual workings
by themselves: others By the associa
fi0n Into organized bodies OF groups OF
private citizens, and others yet through
the various governmental agencies of
municipality, state and nation. Especially
great. especially difficult are the prob
lens caused by the growth and concen-
trntion OF great individual, and above
nn great corporate fortunes. 1t Is I'M
mensey for the interests of the country
that there should be such individual and
corporate wealth as long as 1t is used
right, and when not used right, then 1t
! becomes a serious menace and danger.
(Applause) The instruments and meth
eds with which we are to meet these new
problems must In many cases themselves
be new, but the purpose lying behind the
use Of those methods or those instru-
ments must. II we are to succeed, be now
as In the past, simply In accord with
the immutable laws of order, of Justice
and Of right. We may neec, and In my
belief will need. new legislation con-
ceived in no radical or revolutionary
artirf hut in rstf af~ d.
common honesty and a resolute desire
to face facts az they are. 6Applause)
Enforce the Laws.
We will then need new legislation, but
while laws are important 1t is infinitely
important that they should be admins
tered In accordance with the principles
that have marked honest administrator
from the beginning In the recorded his
tory. (Applause.) In the last. analysis the
most important department of civilized
government is the department of justice.
Think what it means The department of
Justice justice that means that each
man, rich or poor. strong weak, shall
have his rights and shall not be allowed
to do wrong to his fellows. (Applause)
And you here of this city. have right
TO feel proud of your representative In
the cabinet. the man under whom we
can guarantee that the department of
Justice will be such In fact as well as in
L9me, (Applause.)
Cries of Knox, Knox" When 1t comes
to practice the ounce Of performance out
weighs the ton OF promise (Applause.)
And under Mr. Knox there has been very
much more than ounce of perform
ance Applause)
Character In Government.
On, my fellow eountrymen. as we face
these Infinitely difficult problems, ever
keeping in mind that though we need the
honest qualities of the intellect In order
to work our practical schemes for their
solution. yet we .ired a thousand times
more what counts for many, many, many
times much as Ineffective need char
acter. (Cries of That's it, and applause
Character that composed of honesty,
courage and common sense, will avail us
more in the lcrg run than any brilliancy
on the stump or any advising legislative
means and methods The brilliancy is
good We need the intellect we need
the best Intellect we can grow: we need
tn best Intelligence; but we need more
still character; we need common sense,
common honesty and resolute courage.
tApplause) We need what Mr.. Knox has
shown-the character that refuses to be
married to any unwise or precipitate
movement by any clamor. whether hys-
terical or damagoeic. and on the other
hand the character that will refuse to be
frightened out of the movement which he
ttnlnkS IL right TO undertake, Oy any
pressure still less by any threat ex-
pressed or implied. (Cries of Hear. hear
ard appls use).
Gentlemen. We have great problems.
We can only solve them by degrees. We
can only solve them by doing we'll each
particular piece OF work as II comes up
for solution. Much can be done along the
lines Of supervision and regulation Of the
great Industrial combinations which have
become such n marked feature in our
civilization, but IL we try to recklessly
without proper thought without proper
caution, 20 do too much. we shall do
nothing. or Else We shall work a ruin that
will be fslt most cruelty among those OF
some other citizens who are most help
less
Difficulty of Industrial Problems.
IT ls no easy task to deal with great
industrial tcnds ncies. To deal with them
In Z spirit II rresumptous and rash fol-
d, and above ali to deal with them In
n spirit OF envy and hatred and malice
would be to invite disaster and the dis
aster would be so widespread that this
country would rock to its foundation.
The Mississippi sometimes causes dam
ase 10y immense floods. II you cannot
Gam 1t and stop the flood you can regu-
late and control them ny levees. You
can regulate and control the current;
gou can eliminate its destructive fea-
lures, but you can do Ii only by studying
WIN, a current is. and what your pow
e-s are. It is Just exactly so In dealing
with the great tendencies of our indus
trial civilization. We cannot turn back
tn wheels OF progress. II we could II
wui.id mean the absolute destruction OF
Just such Industrial ccnters this. We
will either do nothing, We will dc
Damage II we strive ignorantly to achieve
the impossible. But that fact does not
excuse us for failure to strive to dc
what is possible. Special ly,fslation Is
needed; some of that legislation must
coI:c through municipalities; some
Through states, some through the ma
tional government; but above and beyond
all legislation, we need honest and fear
less administration of the laws as they