Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-04
Curb, But Don't Destroy
the Trusts, Is ROose-
veIt's Advice to
Congress.
To the Senate and House of Representa-


tives:
We SIN continue in a period OF I'M
bounded prosperity. This prosperity is
rot the creature OF law. but undoubtedly
che laws under which we work have been
instrumental in creating the conditions
which made it possible. and by unwise
LEGISLATION il would be easy enough 10
destroy II. There viii undoubtedly De
periods Of depression The wave VIII re-
cede. but the tide viii advance This ma
lion is seated on a continent fianked by
two great oceans. II is composed OF men
the descendants OF pioneers. or, in a sense,
rso,eers themselves; Of men winnoweo
ont from among the nations OF the Ola
world By the energy. holiness, ana love
~ adventure found in their own eager
hearts. such a nation. so placed, VIII
surely wrest success from fortune
As a people we have played large part
a, .re world and we are bent upon max
ing our future even larger than the past
In particular. the events OF the last four
wears have definitely decided that. Tor
woe or for veal. our place must be great
among the nations We may either fali
greatly or succeed greatly; but We cannot
avoid the endeavOe from which either
great failure or great success must come
NNnu III We M0MAaH NC @1AAAAa~N 49,
small mart. II We should try. all that
would follow would be that we should
play a large part ignobly and shameful
Rosezte View Of Future.
But our people. the sons Of the men
~ 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 resolute OF will Ours Is not tne
creed Of the weakling and the coward;
ours is the gospel OF hope and OF tri-
,rmnhant endeavor. We do not shrink
from the struggle before us There are
many problems for us 10 face at the out
set Of the twentieth century-grave PROB
lens abroad and still graver at homes
hut We know that we can solve them and
solve them well. provided only that we
bring 20 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 LIN
coin. preserved It
No country has ever occupied higher
pIane OF material well-being than ours
at the present moment. This well-being
a due 10 no sudden or accidental causes,
but 10 the play Of the economic forces IN
this country for over century, TO our
laws. oura sustafBed and continuous poll
cies. above ali. TO the high individual
have been won by those who have taken
the lead in this phenomenal industrial de-
veloument and most Of these fortunes
have been won not by doing evil. but as
an Incident 70 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 accumulated. and yet in the
aggregate these fortunes are small IN
deed vixen compared TO the wealth OF the
people as a whole The plain people are
better OF than they have ever been be-
fore. The insurance companies. which
are practically mutual benefit societies
especially helpful 10 men OF moderate
means-represent accommodations of capt.
tai which are among the largest in this
country. There are more deposits in the
saving banks. more owners OF farms,
more well paid wage workers in this
country now than ever before in our his
tory OF course. when the conditions
have favored the growth OF so much
that was good. they have also favored
somewhat the growth OF what was evil.
II is eminently necessary that We should
endeavor 10 cut out this evil, but let
US keep a due sense OF proportion let us
not in fixing our gaze upon the lesser
evil forget the greater good The evils
are real and some OF them are menacing.
but they are the outgrowth. not Of misery
or decadence. but Of prosperity-Of the
progress OF our gigantic industrial de-
vel0pment- This Industrial development
must not be checked. but side by side
with 1t should 80 such progressive regula-
ton as will diminish the evils. We should
fan in our duty II. We did not try 10
remedy the evils. but we shall succeed
only II we proceed patiently. with prac-
teal common sense as well as resolution.
separating the good from the bad and
holding on 70 the former while endeavor-
ing 70 get rid OF the latter.
Regulate the Trusts.
In my message to the present congress
at its first session discussed at length
the question OF the regulation OF those
big corporations commonly doing an in
terstate business. often with some ten
dency TO monopoly. which are popularity
known as trusts. The experience OF the
past year has emphasized. I'm my opin-
ion. the desirability OF the steps ] then
proposed. A fundamental requisite Of so
cial efficiency is a high standard Of in
dividual energy and excellence; but this is
fn no wise inconsistent with power to act
in combinations for aims which cannot
20 well be achieved by the individual act
ing alone. A fundamental base OF civili-
cation is the invioIability OF poverty; but
this Is in no wise inconsistent with the
right OF society 70 regulate the exercise
OF the artificial powers which il confers
upon the owners OF property. under the
name OF corporate franchises. in such a
way as 20 prevent the misuse OF these
powers. Corporations, and especially COM
binations Of corporations. should be man.
aged under public regulation Experience
has shown that under our system OF gov
eminent the necessary supervision cannot
be obtained BY state action II must
therefore be achieved by national action.
Our aim IS not 10 do away with corpora
tons: on the contrary. these big aggrega-
tons are an Inevitable development OF
modern industrialism. and the effort 70
Destroy them would be futile unless &C
complished in ways that would work the
utmost mischief TO the entire body polite
We can do nothing OF good in the way
OF regulating and supervising these cor
porations until we fix clearly I'm our
minds that we are not attacking the cor
poratiOns, but endeavOring 10 do away
with any evil In them We are not hos
tile 20 them: we are merely determined
that they shall be 50 handled as TO SUBJ
serve the public good We draw the line
against misconduct. not against wealth
The capitalist who. alone or In coniunc-
ton with his fellows. performs some great
Industrial feat BY which he wins money
IS a welldOer. not wrOngdOer. provided
only BE works in proper and legitimate
lines We wish to favor such a man when
he q es well We wish 10 supervise and
control his actions only 20 prevent him