Gilpin observer., 1902-12-04
Executive Begins 1t With
Prosperity as a Topic.
DEALS WITH SUBJECT OF TRUSTS
In Favor of National Rather than
State Regulation-WouId Not
Do Away With Them, but
Would Eliminate the
Evil in Them.
In his message to Congress Presi-
dent Roosevelt has this to say:
THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGE.


dent Roosevelt has this to say:
THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGE.
we still continue in period of un-
bounded prosperity. This prosperity
Is not the creature of law, but un-
doubtedly the laws under which we
work have been instrumental in Gre
ating the conditions which made 1t
possible. and by unwise legislation 1t
would be easy enough to destroy II.
Vhere Will undoubtedly be periods of
depression. The wave Will recede; but
the tide will advance. This nation is
seated on continent hanked by two
great oceans. 1t is composed of men
the descendants of pioneers, or, in a
sense, pioneers themselves; of men
winnowed out from among the nations
of the old world by the energy, bold
ness. and love OF adventure found in
their own eager hearts. Such nation,
so placed. will surely wrest success
from fortune.
AS 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 have def
nitely 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 can not
avoid the endeavor from which either
great failure or great success must
come. Even If we would, we can not
play a small part II we should try,
all that would follow would be that we
should play 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 resolute of will. Ours
is not the creed of the weakling and
the coward; ours is the gospel of hope
and OF triumphant endeavor. We do
not shrink from the struggle before us.
There are many problems for us to
face 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 1t.
THE EVIDENCES OF WEALTH..
No country has ever occupied
higher plane OF material we'll being
than ours at the present moment. This
weli-being Is due to no sudden or ac-
cidental causes. but to the play of
the economic forces in this country
for over century; to our laws. our
sustained and continuous policies;
above all. to the high individual aver
have been won by those who have
taken the lead in this phenomenal in
dustrial 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 n
whole. Never before has material we'll
being been so widely diffused among
our people. Great fortunes have been
accumulated. and yet in the ag-
gregate these fortunes are small in
H. -
the people as a whole. The plain peo-
pie are better Off than they have eve.
been before. The Insurance compan-
les, which are practically mutual
benefit enthusiastically helpful to
men OF moderate means-represent ac-
cumulations of capital which are
among the largest in this country.
There are more deposits in the saw
fngs banks, more owners of farms.
more well-paid wage workers in this
country now than ever before in our
history. OF course. when the condi-
;ions have favored the growth of so
much that was good they have also
favored somewhat the growth of what
was evil. 1t Is eminently necessary
that we should endeavor to cut out this
evil. but let us keep n 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-
velopment. This industrial develop
ment must not be checked. but side by
side with 1t should go such progressive
regulation as will diminish the evils.
We should fail I'm our duty II we did
not try to remedy the evils, but we
shall succeed only II we proceed pa
tiently with practical common sense
MS well as resolution. separating the
good from the bad and holding on to
the former while endeavoring to get
rid of the latter.
THE REGULATION OF TRUSTS.
In my message to the present Con-
gress at Its first session 1 discussed at
length the question of the regulation
OF those big corporations commonly
doing an Interstate business. often
with some tendency to monopoly,
which are popularity known as trusts.
Tho experience of the past year has
emphasized In my opinion the desira-
bility of the steps then proposed. A
fundamental requisite of social efii-
cheney Is a high standard OF individual
energy and excellence; but this is In
no wise inconsistent with power to
net In combination for aims which can
not so well be achieved by the indi-
vidual acting alone. A fundamental
of property: but this is in no wise in
consistent with the right of socetey to
regulate the exercise OF the artificial
powers which 1t confers upon the own
ers of property, under the name of cor
porate franchises. in such way as
to prevent the misuse of these powers
Corporations, and especially oombi-
nations Of corporations, should bo man
aged under public regulation. Expe-
ricnoe has shown that under our sys-
tenn Of government the necessary su-
pcrvision cannot be obtained by state
action. II must therefore be achieved
do away with corporations; on Tho con I.
trary, these big appre 9 ations are an in
evitable development of modern indus
triaIism, and the effort to destroy
pishcd In ways that would work the
utmost mischief to tho entire body