New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-23
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT.
PRAISES THE SIMPLE LIFE
Mr. Roosevelt Commends Wagner $
Philosophy to Americans
rrRou TIE rRIpUNE BUREAU

sha Rev
f-erk sneech. delivered forcibie plea lo' sun
-. -, SINCERITY in American life, pointing
.. -. dangers 10 the Republic of class h@Oeu
.;ec,a1tty The authors of The Streiu-
t,e" and THE Simple Life" showed oy
heir words the kiuship between these creeos
While Mr.. Wagner, with a touch OF dehcacs'
blended the two when he urged strenuous SIM
7,icjty" In American life. The authors lecture
under the auspices OF the Young Mems Chrlsuah
Association was upon the themes OF lie con
tanned in his noted book. In the audience were
several members of the Cabinet, public officials
ana members of the diplomatic corps, together
with a host Of others who completely filed the
big playhouse.
It was shortly after o'clock when President
Roosevelt. accompanied by his secretary, Mr.
Loeb. appeared at the stage entrance. which
was guarded by the police. The orchestra played
Hail Columbia he stepped to the front of
the stage and he was greeted with applause
Commissioner MacFaEland. who presided, in pre-
senting the President, said:
The !deal man Of the Young Mems Christian
Association is the perfect development in body,
in mind and il spirit In the public life OF the
world there is no man who is more like this
type than he who has so lived both the simple
and strenuous life IS TO develop all his powers
AID 10 win the regard and respect not only Of
his couutrynen, but of all civilized peoples-the
ever President Of the whole country President
Roosevelt said:
M MacFarIand. Mir. Wagner Men and Women
Of Washington:
rhis is the first and will he the only time dur
IN lar Presidency that / shall ever introduce
SPEAKER 20 audience; and am more than
glad DO ii in this instance, because, If there IS
book which | should like to have read as a
tract, and also. what is not invariably true Of
tracts rs interesting tract, by all our people,
u * ..Tl5e SimDIa Life written by Mr.. Wagner.
Tf4- hoo ia
from which can gain great good. but know
Of TO other book written in recent years any
whore, here OF abroad, which contains SO niuch
that Of America ought 10 take 10 our hearts
as is contained in The Simple Life"
]. like the hook because it does not merely
preach 10 the rich and does not merely preach
10 the poor II is q very easy thing 10 address
section Of the community in repronajlon Oh me
forms Of vice 10 which il Is NOT prone. W nat We
need 10 have impressed upon US Is that IL is not
usually the root principle Of the vice that varies
with variation in social conditions, but that IL Is
the manifestation of the vice that varies; ana
MIR Wagner has wei brought out the great IuIl-
daurertsl truth that the brutal arrogance of Il
rich man who looks down upon poor man be
cause he is poor and the brutal envy and hatred
felt by a poor man toward rich man merely
because he is rich, are at bottom TWIN mann
festatioHs Of the same vice. They are simply
different sides Of the same shield. The AFRO
eauce that looks down in the one case, the envy
that hates I'm The other are really eXmb!tlons OF
the same mean, base and uuloVely spirit which
opens in one case to be in different surround
1u1s from what I Is IN the other case Inc h-iiu
81 man who would joe arrogant IN one case IS
precisely lie kind Of man, who would pc enNlous
and filed @lih hatred in the other The ideal
should ne the just The generous, the broad
minded raa who is as Incapable of arrogance If
Tiea AS ne IS Of malignant envy and hatred if
poor tAIaia-S-t
= REPUBLIC OF CLASSES MUST FALL.
10 republic can permanently exist when it be
Cos " 5e3uoIc o. classes "he.e lns ili an ls5is
lu--e. ar --uries .hat ne belongs As being of
1...na Importance in antiquity republics failed
q ,- .s,.4l F1.tr ls1rf1
g. -sn7rhli- sF the few who exploit the many or
q republic Of tho many who plundered the few,
.,vitsle: just as much y in one case as in
zinc other, and no more SO III one case than III
We can keep this Republic true to the prin-
ciples of those who founded and of those who
afternard preserved 1t. We can keep II a re
Iublic II all, only by remembering that We
must live up TO the theory Of it's founders, 10
the theory Of treating each man on his worth
Is a man; neither holding it for or against him
mat ne occupies any particular station in life.
So long as he does his duty fairly and we'll by
his fellows ana 10y the nation 2 whole. CAP
50 much for the general philosophy taught so
admirably IN Mr.. Wagner's book might say
books but I thinking especially Of The Sim
PIE Life because that mas Deen me book that
has appealed TO me particularly Vow word
with special reference % his address to this au-
dience TO the Young Mems Christian Association.
The profound regard which I have always felt
for those responsible for the work Of the Young
Mems Christian Associations and the Young
Womens Christian Associations is largely be
cause they have practically realized, at least
have striven practically TO realize the ideal Of
adherence 10 the text which reads, BE We doors
Of the word, and not hearers only" If you
here to-day came here only with the idea Of
passing pleasant afternoon and then 90 home
ana 90 not actually practise somewhat Of what
Mr. Wagner breaches and pTactises then small
viii be the use Of your coming. II is not OF the
slightest use to hear the word if you do not
Try TO put II into effect afterward. The Young
Mems Christian Associations have accomplished
so much because those who have managed them
have tried practically to do their part in bring
Ing about what is expressed in the phrase. The
fatherhoOd Of God and the brotherhood Of man"
We can act individually we act by as
sociations. ! intend this afternoon 10 illustrate
by couple Of examples what [ mean by a man
acting individually and what I mean by a nan
acting IN association with his fellows. hest
1etee whether ! would use. as | shall use. the
names Of the people whom ! meant but I came
70 the conclusion that 7 would. because the
Worth Of an example consists very largely in the
knowledge that the example IS q real one.
PRAISE FOR GODDARD'S CLUB WORK.
nave been immensely interested for a number
- years IN the working Of the Civic Club in
49,, - oIk, which has been started and superin-
ICED by Norton Goddard. is a club on
1ie East Side Of New York City the range of
fIost membership Includes big district Of the
~ ~; e&lelolhg Ir"m about Lexington-ave TO the
80 i4NeI' MF. Goddard realized that such
NofK can be done to best advantage only 1Don
-tioii OF lAefe oeing genuine and hearty SYM
5'a'Ay among those doing il. There are a great
many people made I'm this world n MINK
IIpst OF US come under the category, tlar +ba,
t5 uio resent Celng patronized about as rnuct as
e a., "Iotlseu- Great good can never he done
IS attempted IN a patronizino er-,-f+ VI
-.laIo Fea!iZed that the worl, oo,,la - a.
er6 besr+,e - conoltlon Of getting into close
anu with whom he 10 work - ISL whom !
aII,, - i1o was founded. and II hos ,rr. a.,
80 1Ss9iueo us operations untfl No., '''I'-
IRE c!ub membership Of three - 10" the en- /
men practically form committee 80 thousand 1
IN social and civic nfe-a cce Cor 81 betterment /.
oh