The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-11

ing with much weaker one: and the
contrast in wealth and strength makes
1t all the more our duty to deal with
Cuba as we have already dealt with
her. in a spirit of large generosity.
This exposition is rendered possi-
BILE because of the period of Industrial
prosperity through which we are pass
lLg. While material well-being is rev
er all sufficient to the life of nation,
yet, it is the merest truism to say that
its absence means ruin. We need tc
build a higher life upon it as a. lfounda-
ton; but we can build little indeed
unless this foundation Of prosperity
is deep and broad The well-being
which we are now enjoying can be
secured only through general business
prosperity and such prosperity is con-
d toned upon the energy and hard
work. the sanity and the mutual re-
spect of all classes of capitalists large
and small, of wage workers of every
degree. AS is inevitable in time
Of business prosperity some men sue
ceed more than others, and, unfortu-
rately, it is also inevitable that when
this is the case some unwise people
are sure to try to appeal to the envy
and jealousy of those who succeed
the least. It is good thing when
these appeals are made to remember
that while it is difficult to increase
prosperity by law, it is easy enough
to ruin it, and that there is small sat
isfaction to the less prosperous if
they succeed in overthowing both the
more prosperous and themselves in
the crash Of common disaster.
Every industrial exposition of this
type necessarily calls up the thought
o, the complex social and economic
questions which are involved in our
present industrial system. Our
astounding material prosperity, the
sweep and rush rather than the mere
march of our progressive material de-
velopment, have brought grave trou-
bles in their train. We cannot afford
to blink at these troubles any more
than because of them we can afford to
accept as true the gloomy forebodings
OF the prophets of evil
This is an era of great combinations
of both labor and capital. In many
ways these combinations have worked
for good; but they must work under
the law and the laws concerning them
must be just and wise or they will
inevitably do evil, and this applies as
much to the richest corporation as to
the most powerful labor union. Our
laws must be wise, sane, healthy, con-
ceived in the spirit of those who
scorn the mere agitator, the mere in
otter of class or sectional hatred; who
wish justice for all men; who recog-
nize the need of adhering so far as
possible to the old American doctrine |
of giving the widest possible scope for
the free exercise of individual initia-
tive, and yet who recognize also that |
after combinations have reached a
certain stage it is indispensable to the
general welfare that the nation should
exercise over them cautiously and
with self restraint but firmly, the pow
er of supervision and regulation.
Above all, the administration of the
government, the enforcement of the
laws, must be fair and honest The
laws are not to be administered either
IN the interest of the poor or that of
the rich man. They are simply to be
justly; in the interest of
justice to each man, be he rich or be
he poor-giving immunity to no vio-
lator, whatever form the violation
may assume. Such is the obligation
which every public servant takes, and
to it he must be true under penalty
OF forfeiting the respect both Of him
self and Of his fellows.