The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-20
FAIR DEAL AGAIN
PRESIDENTS PLEA
Chief Executive Touches on Reve-
lations Of Insurance Inquiry
in New York.
HOLDS UP DISHONEST
TO THE PUBLIC sCoRN
Declares He Looks to the People
Rather Than to Law as the
Highest Remedy.

Highest Remedy.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 20.---Presiden
Roosevelt indirectly referred to the
New York insurance scandal today,
when, in an address delivered to thou
sands at Piedmont Park, he excoriated
men who have achieved fortune thru
business trickery and the debauching Of
business and political life. He salu:
t'Here in this great industrial CEN
southern city, and, therefore, typical
American city, it is natural to consider
certain phases Of the many-sided indus
trial problem which this generation his
to solve In this world of ours it is
practically impossible to get success of I
any kind on large scale WithOuts pay
ing something for it. The exceptions
to the rule are too few to warrant our
paying heed to them; and as rule it
paid as an offset for everything we get
and for everything we accomplish. This
is notably true Of our industrial life.
Face Serious Problems.
ttThe problems which we of America
have to face today are very serious,
after all, they are only part of the,
price which we have to pay for. the
triumphs we have won,s for the high
position to which we have attained. IL,
we were a backward and stationary
country we would not have to face
these problems at all; but I think that
most Of us are agreed that to be back
ward and stationary would be altogeth-
er too heavy a price to pay for the
ba ,,roblarnc auastion
tsThere are no labor troubles where
There is no work to ben don6 by labor.
There are no troubles about corpora
tions where the poverty of the commu-
nity is such that it is not worth while
| to form corporations. There is no diff
fculty in regulating railroads where the
resources Of region are SO few that
it does not pay to build railroads.
"There are many excellent people
who shake their heads over the dlfn-
culties that, as nation, we now have
to face; but their melancholy is not
warranted save in very partial de.
| gree, for most of the things of which
j they complain are the inevitable ac-
compartments Of the growth and great
ness Of which we are proud.
=, shuns Blind Pessimism.
| "Now, do not wish to be misunder-
4 stood. I do not for one moment mean
j to say that there are not many and serl-
Gus evils with which we have to Crap
pie, or that there are not unhealthy
E! signs in the body social and polite;
! but I do mean to say that while we
must not show foolish optimism we
must no less beware Of mere blind
! pessimism.
i s"There is every reason why we should
be vigilant in searching out what is
wrong and unfinchingly resolute in
i striving to remedy it. But at the same
time we must not blind ourselves to
what has been accomplished for good
!, heads and become either hysterical OF
rancorous in graphing with what is
i bad.
! ssTake such a question, for instance
az the question, or rather the group OF
questions, connected with the growth
/ Of corporations in this country. This
growth has meant, of course, the growth
the growth of wealth in this country
:, has had some very unfortunate accom-
panimerts, but it seems to me that
| much the worst damage that people OF
wealth can do the rest of us is not any
actual physical harm, but the awaken
ing in our breasts Of either the NEAR
vice of worshiping mere wealth, anc
-"
| wealth Is sake, or the equally mean vice
Of viewing with rancorous envy ane
hatred the men of wealth merely be
cause they are men Of wealth.
Envy Of the Rich.
), "Envy Is, of course, merely kin(
, Of crooked admiration; and we otter
:. see the very man who in public Is mos
Incorporate in his denunciation o.
wealth, in his private life most cage
to obtain wealth, in no matter wha
fashion, and at no matter what mora
cost.
Undoubtedly there is need of regu
lation by the government, in the inter
est Of the public, Of these great corpora
themselves to be the most efficient busi
ness implements and which are, there
: FORE the implements commonly EN-
ployed by the owners of large fol
! tunes. The corporation is the creatur
!; of the state. It should always be hell
! accountable to some sovereign, and thl
t accountability should be real and no
!, sham. Therefore, in my judgment, a
corporations DONG an interstate bus
: ness, and this n cans the great malol
q ity Of the largest corporations, shout
be held accountable to the federal GOV
: eminent, because their accountability
!. should be coextensive with their fel
2 Of action.
stBut most certainly we should NO
/ strive to prevent or limit corporate az
8 tivity. We should strive to secure sue
effective supervision over it. such pow
er Of regulation over it, as to enabl
us to guarantee that it's activity wi
be exercised only in ways beneficial t
the public.
/ Example in Philippines.
aThe unwisdom Of any well-meanin
but misguided effort to check corporal
activity ha sheen shown in strikin
RI fashion in recent years by our exper
l. ence in the Philippines and in Por1
Rico. Our national legislators vel
properly determined that the islam,
should not be exploited by adventure
ne without regard to the interests Of tt
t-ipeople of The islands themselves. b
he unfortunately in their zeal to prevel
d. Nj