Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-04-16

position of relationship to our politi-
Cal system they must similarly stand
IN peculiar relationship to cur
economic system.
"We have rightfully insisted upon
! Cuba adopting toward us an attitude
differing politically from that she
adopts toward any other power; and
in return, as a matter of right, we
must give to Cuba different-th It
is, better-position econimically in
her relations with us than we give to
other powers. This is the course
dieYated by sound policy, by wise
and far-sighted view of our own
interest and by the position we have
taken during the past four years.
We are wealthy and powerful
country, dealing with much weaker
one; and the contrast in wealth and
strength makes it 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 pos
sible because of the period of indus
trial prosperity through which we
are passing. While material we'll
being is never all-sufficient to the
life of nation, yet it is the merest
trulsm to say that its absence means
ruin. We need to build higher
life upon it as a foundation 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 pros
perity, and such prosperity is condi-
toned upon the energy and hard
work, the sanity and the mutual
respect of all classes of capitalists.
large and small, of wage earners of
every degree. As is inevitable in
time of business prosperity, some
men succeed more than others, and
it is unfortunately also inevitable
that when this is the case some un-
wise people are sure to try to appeal
to the envy and jealousy of those
who succeed least. 1t is a 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 satisfaction to the less
prosperous if they succeed in over
throwing both the more prosperous
and themselves in the crash of a
common disaster.
"Every industrial exposition of this
type necessarily calls up the thought
of the complex social and economic
questions which are involved in our
present industrial system. Our as
founding material prosperity, the
sweep and rush rather than the mere
march of our progressive material
development, have brought grave
troubles 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.
There are great problems before US.
They are not insoluble, but they
can be solved only if we approach
them in spirit of resolute fearless
ness, of common sense and of honest
intentions to do fair and equal JUS.
tice to all men alike. We are certain
to fail if we adopt the policy of the
demagogue, which raves against the
wealth which is simply the form of
embodied thrift, foresight and in
tell'gence; who would shut the door
of opportunity against those whose
energy we should especially foster,
by penalizing the qualities which
tell for success. just as little can
we afford to follow those who fear
to recognize injustice and to en-
deavor to cut it out because the tasl:
is difficult or eyen-if performed by
unskilled hands-dangerous.
"This is an era of great combina.
tions, both of labor and capital. In
many ways these combinations have
worked for good, but they must work
under the law and the laws concern
ing them must be just and wise or
they will inevitably do evil, and this
applies as much to- the richest corpo-
ration as to the most powerful labor
union. Our laws must be wise, sane,
healthy, conceived in the spirit Of
those who scorn the mere agitator,
the mere inciter of class or sectional
hatred, who wish justice for all men /;
who recognize the need of adhering,
so far as possible, to the old Ameri-
can doctrine of giving the widest
possible scope for the free exercise
of individual initiative and yet who
recognize also that after combina-
tions have reached a certain stage it
is indispensable to the general well
fare that the nation should exercise
over them, cautiously and with self
restraint, but firmly, the power 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
man or the interest of the rich man.
They are simply to be administered
justly; in the interest of justice of
each man, be he rich or be he poor
giving immunity to no violator,
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"