The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-05
with less thought OF material reward
proportionately In any way 10 them.
THE INDUSTRIAL. PROBLEM.

proporuonately In any way 10 them
THE INDUSTRIAL PROBLEM.
And now. my fellow citizens, I spoke
OF the task which has confrnoted those
In Cuba and the Philippines as being one
OF the tasks which this generation had 10
face. II Is only one. We have great prob
lens at home TO face The tremendous
rush OF our Industrial department. which
has brought In its train so much that Is
good and also OF necessity. brought some
what it's evil. The very intensity OF the
progress that has been made. has meant
that new and indefinitely difficult prob
lens have arisen which we must strive
To solve as best we may.
Under our form of government. with It's
great decentralization OF power, some OF
those problems must be solved through
the work OF private individuals working
by themselves: others. by the association
into organized bodies OF groups OF pri-
vate citizens, and others yet through the
various governmental agencies OF munici-
pal. state and nation.
Especially great. especially difficult are
the problems caused by tho growth and
concentration OF great Individual and.
above ALL great corporate fortunes. IL
is immensely for the interests of the
country that there should be such individ-
ual and corporate wealth as long as IL Is
used right. and when not used right then
IL becomes serious menace and danger.
The instruments and methods with
which we are TO meet these new problems
must in many cases themselves be new.
but the purpose lying behind the use oi
these methods or those instruments must.
II we are 10 succeed. be now, as I'm the
past. simply I'm accordance with the inn
mutable laws OF order or justice ard rlgnt.
We may need. and, In my belief, will need,
new legislation conceived I'm no radical or
revolutionary spirit, but In spirit OF
common sense. common honesty and a
resolute desire TO face facts as they are.
We Will need then new Legislation. but
while laws are important IL Is infinitely
more important that they should be adj
ministered In accordance with the prn-
ciples that have marked honest adminis-
tration from the beginning OF record his
tory.
JUSTICE AND EQUAL RIGHTS.
In thel asst analysis the most impor-
tant department. OF civilized government
Is the department of justice. Think
what IL means. The department OF JUS
tice. Justice, which mearts that each man.
rich or poor, big or small. strong or weak,
shall have his rights and shall not be
allowed 10 do wrong 20 his fellows. And
you here OF this city, have a right to feel
proud of your representative in the can,-
net, the man under whom we can guzr-
antee that the department OF justice VIII
be such i'm fact as well as In name. When
IL comes TO practical wor- the ounce or
performance outweighs the ton OF prom
ise. And under Mr.. Knox, there has been
very much more than an ounce OF per-
formance.
Ae we face these infinitely difficult
problems, let MS ever keep I'm mind that
though we need the highest qualities
OF the intellect in order To work out
practical schemes for their soIution.yet.
we need thousand times more. what
counts for many. many, many times as
much as intellect-we need character,
We need comon sense, common hon
esty and resolute courage
We need what Mr.. Knox has shown
the character that will refuse to be
hurried into any unwise or precipitate
movement by any clamor. whether hys-
terical or demagogic. and. on the other
hand. the character that will refuse 10
be frightened out OF the movement
which thinks IL right to undertake by
any pressure. still less by any threat,
express or implied.
Gentlemen, we have great problems.
We can only solve them by degrees.
We can only solve them by doing we'll
each particular OF work as II comes up
for solution. Much can be done along
the lines OF supervision and regulation
of the great Industrial combinations
which have become so marked a feature
i'm our civilization, but IL we recklessly
try without proper thought. without
proper caution, TO do too much, we shall
do nothing or else we shall work
ruin that will be felt most acutely
among those of our citizens who are
most helpless. II is no easy task to
deal with great industrial tendencies.
To deal with them In a spirit of pre-
sumptuous and rash folly and above
all to deal with them in a spirit OF envy
and hatred and malice, would be TO
invite disaster. disaster which would
be so widespread that this country
would rock TO Its foundations.
FEARLESS ADMINISTRATIONS.
We will either do nothing or will do
damage IL we Strive ignorantly to achieve
the impossible. But that fact does not
excuse us for failure TO strive TO do what
some OF that legislation must come
through municipalities some through
states, some through the national govern
ment, but above and beyond all admins
tration of the laws aS they are on the
statute books. Honest and fearless adj
ministraion OF those laws in the interest
poor man as such, but In the interest OF
exact and equal justice TO all alike. ana
such administration you will surely have
while Mr. Knox remains as attorney gen.
eral In the cabinet at Washington.
The exercises consumed Just one hour.
The president Immediately afterwaTt re-
entered his carriage. and, surrounded by
the Sheridan troop. was driven 10 the resi-
dence OF II. G. Frlck, where the gues,s.
numbering about 90. sat down to lunch
con. The balance OF the afternoon was
spent In an informal reception. at which
president
Just before the president left the Frick
residence nc for the din dinner SL at the sch scheniey
shook hands with all the members.