Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-08
EVOLUTION RATHER IMAM RE POLLUTION

EVOLUTION RATHER THAN RE VOLUTfON
In his speech at Wheeling Saturday
President Roosevelt said that "in every
governmental process the aim that a
people p capable OF self-government
should steadfastly keep in mind is to
proceed by evolution rather than by
revolution" This states a principle
which should command the careful at
tentiOn of every intelligent and thought
full citizen. The democratic party, true
to its traditions. is endeavorinE to rev
olutiOnize conditions. II Is seeking TO
do that which Mr.. Roosevelt said can.
not be done, reverse the industrial ten
denotes of the age. Every intelligent
man realizes that we have grown out
Of and beyond the business methods
Of two or three generations e and that
II is utterly impossible to return to them.
The evolution to existing industrial and
commercial conditions has been as nat.
ural as the progress of mankind in
scientific and other directions. Com
binGtion is the extension and enlarge
ment of a principle In m that
has prevailed for centuries. 1t is a
principle that was as familiar TO the
commercial nations of antiquity as it Is
today. There is nothing new about II,
but it is simply being developed upon an
unprecedented scale. In his address
before the American Bar association at
the recent annual meeting Judge Rose,
the president of the association, said
that 'monopolies are as old as human
history" that they were forbidden by
the laws of ancient Greece and Rome;
they were forbidden by the common
law of England and the common law
was reinforced from time to time by
statutes. g.
The thing to do, as wisely pointed out
by President Roosevelt, is not to at
tempt to reverse Industrial tendencies,
not to inaugurate a revolutionary policy,
but by reasonable and just and prac-
ticable laws to regulate the great in
dustrial and commercial combinations,
so that whatever is beneficial in them
shall have the fullest opportunity and
whatever is evil shall be remedled.
you cannot put a stop to or reverse
the industrial tendency of the age" said
the president. You can control and
regulate them so that they will do no
harm" These are sound and statesman
like propositions. They commend them
selves to intelligent, practical and con-
sentative judgment. They mean not
reckless warfare against the great cor
poratiOns with destruction as its OBJ
Ject, but regulation by the application
Of judicious laws, which will not violate
sound economic principles and yet con-
serve the public interests and welfare.
There is nothing in the position Of the
president to alarm capital in legitimate
enterprise. He does not propose inter
ference with proper and lawful bust
ness. He contemplates no needless or
reckless assault upon corporations that
deal fairly and honestly with the public
and do not abuse their privileges and
obligations as the creatures Of the
state.
The democratic appeal is to popular
prejudice. 1t aG >cates a policy that is
not only impracLcable, but which If it
could be put into effect would be dis
| astrous to all business interests. On
the n hand is revolution; on the
other is regulation. On the one hand
destruction is proposed and on the other
hand the proposition is to preserve that
which Is good and remedy whatever is
bad. Thoughtful and unprejudiced men
can have 40 doubt which they should
sunnOrt.