Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-08-25

be possessed by the nation, but Il -
quite as desirable that the power
should be exercised with moderation
and self-restraint. The first exercise
of that power should be the securing
of publicity among all great corpora
tons doing an interstate business. The
publicity, though OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
should be real and thorough as to all
important facts with which the pubic
has concern.
The full light of day is great dis
courager of evil. Such publicity would
by itself tend to cure the evils OF when
there is just complaint, and where the
alleged evils are imaginary, 1t woula
tend to show that such was the case.
When publicity is attained 1t Wouiu
then be possible to see what further
should be done in the way of regula-'
tion.s ~ -
Above all it behooves US TO remember
not only that we ought to try to do
what we can, but that our success In
doing it depends very much upon our
neither attempting nor expecting the
inuossibIe. Distrust the man who offers
Won a patent cure-all for the evils of
the body politic-just as you would dis
trust him who tries to sell you medi-
cine to cure all the diseases of your
corporal bodies.
Mankind has moved slowly upward
through the ages, sometimes little
faster. sometimes a little slower, but
rarely indeed by leaps and bounds. AT
times n great crisis comes, in which Il
great people. prechance led by great
man. can al white heat strike some
nightly blow for the right, make some
long stride in advance along the path
of orderly liberty and justice. But NOM
inaily we must be content if each of US
can do something, by no means all that
we wish, but still something for the ad-
yancement of those principles of right
eousness which underlie all real ma
tional greatness, all real civilization.
see no promise of a complete solu-
ton of all of the problems we group to-
gether when we speak Of the trust
question But we can make begin
ming in solving these problems, and a
good beginning, if only we approach the
subject with a sufficiency of resolution
of honesty, and of that hard common
sense which is one of the most valuable
and unfortunately not one of the most
common assets in the equipment of any
people.
T think the national administration
| has shown its firm intention to enforce
| the laws as they now stand on the stat
uto books without regard to persons,
and | think that good has come from
this enforcement. I think, further
more, that additional legislation should
| be mad. and can be had, which will en-
| ;cl, much mora tina
| has been accomplished along these
same lines. No one can promise you a
perfect solution, at least in the imme-
date future, but something already
has been done, and much more can be
done if our people temperately and de-
| terminedly will that it shall be done.
III conclusion let me add one word.
While we are not to be excused if we
| fail to do whatever is possible through
| the agency of government, we must
ever keep in mind that no action by the
| government, no action by any con- =
nation among ourselves, can take the
| place of the individual qualities 10
which in the long run each man must
| owe his success.
! There never has been devised, and
! there never will be devised, any law
which will enable a man to succeed,
| save by the exercise of those qualities
| which have always been the prerequi-
| sites of success, the qualities of hard
| work, of keen intelligence, of unflinch-
| ing will. No action by the state in any
| form can do more than supplement the
| initiative of the individual and ordi-
| narily the action of the state can do no
| more than secure to each Individual
| the chance to show. under as favorable
| conditions as possible, the stuff of
which he is made.
| The President was frequently inter-
! rupted by cheers and cries of approval