The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-19
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND THE
PROPERTY INTERESTS.

The New York Sun seems to be getting
vided they nominate a candidate of the
Bryan-Hearst wing of the party. 1t
gave Mr.. Roosevelt cordial support for
Governor of New York. and again for Vice
President, and for the first two years after
he became President, but for some time
past it has been paving the way for a
flop" If Judge Parker or some man sof
that class should be nominated by the De-
mocracy the Sun. judging from it's recent
expressions. will support him.
The Sun bases its opposition TO Mr.
Roosevelt on the ground that he is dam
gerous man for the great property inter
ests of the country; that is, for the trusts,
railroad combinations. steel corporations.
United States shipbuilding companies, Sc
curi.ies investment companies. Northern
Securities companies and other develop
ments of high finance. These and other
like combinations and syndicates consti-
tute the great property interests of the
country from the Suns point of view. Yet
duce more in one year than the combined
value of all the high financed concerns in
the United States, including even their
water. Deprived of their water they would
not be equal in value to the annual product
of eggs. American hens add s15O. 900, 900 a
year to the wealth of the country by the
eggs they lay. The high financed concerns
take nearly as much out of the pockets of
the people. Opposition to great stock job
bling. water-carrying corporations is not
opposition to the great property interests
of the country.
But Mr.. Roosevelt is not opposed to the
legitimate rights even of trusts and cor
porations. All he asks is that they be
made TO square with the law. The Sun
wants to know what he meant when he
said in a speech at Minneapolis. in 1901
that 1.-The vast individual and Industrial
fortunes, ETC., create new conditions and
necessitate a change from the old attitude
OF the State and Nation toward property"
Well, the language is toerably plain and
he probably meant just what he said. He
eNASA1iiy OOeS- ne PROBABLY meant That
it was time for trusts and corporations to
be brought under some kind of supervision
and made to obey the laws. The people
are of the same opinion
1t is not necessary to guess at Mr.. Roose-
velts position on this question. He has
defined it himself. In his last annual mes
sage he said:
we recognize that this is an era os fed
Grafton and combination in which great
capltallStlc corporations and abor unions
nave become factors of tremendous impor-
lance in all industrial centers. Hearty rec
ognltion Is given the far-reaching, benefi-
cent work which has been accomplished
through both corporations and unions and
the line as between different corporations.
as between different unions, is drawn as it
is between different individuals: that is il
is drawn on conduct, the effort being IN
treat both organized capital and orga nized
labor alike; asking nothing save that the
interests or each shall be brought into har-
mony with the interest of the general pub
lie, and that the conduct of each shall con-
form to the fundamental rules of obedience
to law OF individual freedom and of Justice
and fair dealing towards all Whenever
either corporation, labor union or Individual
disregards the law or acts in a spirit Of
arbitrary and tyrannous interference with
the rights or Others, whether corporations
or individuals, then. where the federal gov
eminent has Jurisdiction, it will see TO il
mat the misconduct is stopped, paying not
the shshtest need to the position or power
OF the corporation. the union or the indi-
vlduai, but only TO one vital fact-that is
the question whether or not the conduct of
the individual or aggregate of individuals
is In accordance with the law of the land
This draws the line of equal and exact
justice for all corporations and individuals
alike, and makes it clear that neither or
ganized capital nor organized labor can be
permitted to dictate to the government or
override the law. Mr.. Roosevelt's writings
and speeches may be searched in vain for
any expression of hostility to capital as
such, or to the real property interests of
the country. If the Sun attacks him on
that score 1t will bite file.