The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-03

To the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives:
We still continue in a period Of I'M
bounded prosperity. This prosperity is not
the creature of law, but undoubtedly the
laws under which We work have been IN
trumentali in creating the conditions which
maue II possible and by unwlse leglsiduon
II would be easy enough to destroy IL.
There will undoubtedly be periods OF de-
preston. The wave will recede, but the
tide Will advance. This Nation is seated
on a continent ianked by two great oceans:
Ii is composed of men the descendants OF
pioneers, or in a sense pioneers themselves,
OF men Wlnnowed out from among the ma
tions OF the old world by the energy, bold
ness and love of adventure found in their
own eager hearts. Such a nation so placed
Will surely wrest success from fortune.
AS a people we have played a large part
In the world, and we are bent upon making
our future even larger than the past. In
particular the events of the last four years
nave definitely decided that for woe or for
veal our place must be great among the
nations. We may either fail greatly or
succeed greatly, but we cannot avoid the
endeaVor from which either great failure
or great success must come. Even il we
would we cannot play a small part. II we
should try all that would follow would be
that we should play a large part ignobly
and shamefully.
But our people, the sons of the men of
the civil war, the sons of the men who had
iron in their blood, rejoice in the present
and face the future high of heart and reso-
iutS Va VII OuIS Is not tie CItGu VI TIE
weakling and the coward; ours is the gos-
pei OF hope and of triumphant endeavor.
We do not shrink from the struggle before
US. There are many problems for us to
race at the outset of the twentieth century
grave problems abroad and still graver
at home; but We know that we can solve
them and solve them Well provided only
that we bring to the solution the qualities
OF head and heart which were shown by
the men who in the days of Washington
founded this government and in the days
OF Lincoln preserved ii.
No country has ever occupied q higher
plane OF material well-being than ours at
the present moment. This well-being is
due TO no sudden or accidental causes, but
10 the play OF the economic forces in this
country for over a century; TO our laws,
our sustained and continuous policies
above all. TO the high individual average of
our citizenship. Great fortunes have been
won by those who have taken the lead in
TINS phenomenal industrial development,
and most OF these fortunes have been won
not by doing evil. but as an incident to
action which has benefited the community
as a whole. Never before has material
well-being been so widely diffused among
our people. Great fortunes have been ac-
cumulated, and yet In the aggregate these
fortunes are small indeed when compared
10 the wealth Of the people as a whole. The
plain people are better off than they have
ever peen before. The insurance companies
Which are practically mutual benefit So
eietles-especially helpful to men of mod.
crate means-represent Accommodations OF
capital which are among the largest in
TINS country. There are more deposits iT
the savings banks. more owners of farms
more well-paid wage-workers in this coun.
try now than ever before in our history.
VI course, when the conditions have IA
Vored the growth of so much that was
good, they have also favored somewhat
the growth of what was evil. 1t is emf
nently necessary that We should endeavol
10 cut out this evil. but let us keep a du,
sense OF proportion; let us not in fixins
our gaze upon the lesser evil forget III,
greater good. The evils are real and som,
OF them are menacing, but they are tn,
outgrowth. not of misery or decadence
out OF prosperity-of the progress of on
gigantic industrial development. This in
austrlaI development must not be checked
but side by side with il should go sucl
progressive regulation as will diminish tn,
evils. We should fail in our duty If W,
ala not try TO remedy the evils. but w,
shall succeed only if we proceed patiently
with practical common sense as well a,
resolution, separating the good from tn,
PAD ana holding on to the former Will
endeaVorlng to get rid of the latter.