Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-10-18
PRESIDENT BE-
GINS LONG TOUR

ulous In exacting justice for our
selves. We must beware equally OF
that sinister and cynical teaching
which would persuade us to disregard
ethical standards In international re-
~lations. and OF the no less hurtful
folly which would stop the whole
work Of civilization by a well-meant
but silly persistency in trying to apply
to peoples untitled for them those
theories Of government and OF ma
tional action which are only suited
for the most advanced races. In par
ticular we must remember that In
undertaking to build the Panama
canal we have necessarily undertaken
to police the seas at either end OF
1t; and this means that we have a
peculiar interest in the preservation
OF order in the coasts and islands of
the Caribbean. | firmly believe that
by a little wise and generous aid we
cen help even the most backward of
the peoples In these coasts and isl.
ands forward along the path OF order
ly liberty so that they can stand
alone. If we decline to give them
such help the result will be bad
both for them and for us; and will
in the end in all probability aus us
to face humiliation or bloodshed.
The problems that face us abroad
are important. but the problems that
| face us at home are even more i'm
| portant. The extraordinary growth
of industrialism during the last hall
century brings every civilized people
face to face with the gravest sociaI
and economic conditions. This is ar
age of combination among capitalists
and combination among wage-work
ers. 1t Is idle to try top revent such
combinations. Our efforts should b.
to see that they work for the gOOt
and not for the harm of the bod,
(, polite. New devices of law are neces
sary from time to time In order t,
meet the changed and changing condi
lions. But after all we will do wei
to remember that although the prot
lens to be solved change from ger
Grafton to generation. the spirit il
which their solution must be attempt
ed remains forever the same. 1t is |
peace as 1t is in war. Tactics chang
J and weapons change. The continents
troops in their blue and buff, VIII
/, fought under Washington and Green
and Wayne. differed entirely in arm
. and In training from those who !
!. blue or gray faced one another |
q the armies of Grant and of Lee.
Sherman and OF Johnston. And no
the sons of these amt IniCn ar
Confederate veterans who serve
our gallant little army of today. wes
! a different uniform, carry a differei
:. weapon. and practice different tactic
:. But the soul Of the soldier has +
- NAMED the same throughout, and Il
!, qualities which drove forward to vi
tory or to death the men OF 10 al
! the me Of CT, are the very qualiti
: which the ME of today must ke'
y unchanged if in the hour of need Il
y honor of the nation is to be kept u
: furnished. So ii is in civil life. Th
y government was formed with as
basic idea the principle OF treatil
each man on bis worth as a man,
= paving no heed to whether he W
rich or poor, no heed to his creed
: his social standing. but only to t
way in which he performed his dt
to himself, to his %neighbor. to |
state. From this principle we can I
afford to vary by SO much as a han
breadth. Many republics have ris
in the past, and some OF them flo
ished long. but Dor or later II
fell; and the cause most potent
bringing about their fall was In
most all cases the fact that II
y grew to be governments in the I'M
est of a class instead Of governme
in the interest of all. 1t made no
ference as to which class 1t was I
thus wrested to its W advant'
the governmental machinery. 1t /,
= ultimately as fatal to the cause
- freedom whether It was the rich Y
oppressed the poor or the poor '
= plundered the rich. The crime
brutal disregard Of the rights of
- ers Is as much a crime when u p
: ifests Itself IN the shape OF. greed
brutal arrogance on the one side.
when It manifests itself In the sh
OF envy and lawless violence on
other, Our aim mast be to deal
tice to each man: no more and
less. This purpose must find Its
preston and support not merely
our collective action through
agencies Of the government, but
our social attitude. Rich man
ock poor man must alike feel that
tha ona hand thev arc ~uruApctpd