The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-05-09
PRESIDENT
DISCUSSES
R. R. RATES

Denver. Col, May 9--President Roose-
welt discussed railroad rate legislation, at
a banquet given him by the chamber Of
commerce in the Brown Palace hotel last
night. The president finished his speech
after midnight and this morning left for
Chicago
II want 10 say word as 20 government
lolioy in which | feel. ." he said. that this
whole country ought 10 take a great in
terest and which is itself but part Of
general policy into which | think our gov
eminent must go. ! have spoken of the
policy Of extending the powers Of the in
tersteate commerce commission and OF
giving them particule Tly the power to fix
rates and to have The rates that they fix
go into effect practically at once.
AS | say. that represents In my mind.
part OF what should be the general policy
Of this country. The policy Of giving not
10 the state but 10 the national govern
ment an increased supervisory and regu-
latory power over corporations is the first
step and to my mind the most important
step. In the days of the fathers OF the
older among you the highways of COM
merce tor civilized nations were what
they had always been: that Is. waterways
and roads. Therefore they were open TO
all who choose to travel upon them.
within the last two generations we
have seen systems grow up and not the
typical highway of commerce Is the rail-
road. Compare the railroad, the ordin-
airy road for wheeled vehicles and the
waterways whether natural or artificial.
have lost all their importance here In Col
orado. for Instance II is the railroads who
are the onlyS highways that you need take
into account in dealing with the question
Of commerce I'm the state or outside OF
the state
Therefore, under the changed system
we see highways Of commerce grow up.
each OF which is controlled by n single
corporation or individual, sometimes sew
eral OF them being controlled I'm combna-
tion by corporations or by n few In
dividuals. When such is. the case, I'm my
Judgment IL is absolutely necessary that
the nation. for the state cannot possibly
do n. successfully assume a supervisory
and regulatory function over the great
corporations which practically control the
highways OF commerce
"As with everything else mundane
when you get the supervisory and regu-
latory power on behalf OF the nation YOU
will not have cured all the evils that
existed and YOU will not equal the eX.
pectations Of the amicable, but ill-regu-
lated. enthusiast. who thinks that you
will have cured all those evils. A meas
t4rt-of good -v~4ff-rorrrr, Some -guud-wifi
be done, some injustice will have been
prevented but we shall he a long way
from the millennium. Get the fact clear
In your mind or you will be laying UP for
yourselves a store OF incalculable disap-
pointment in the future.
That is the first thing.
Now the second step. When you give
a nation that power. remember that harm
and not good will come from the giving
unless YOU give It with a firm determina
/ ton not only to get justice for yourselves
! but TO do Justice TO others; that you viii
be as Jealous TO do justice to the rail
roads as 10 exact Justice from them. Ws
cannot afford IN any shape or way In this
country 10 encourage a feeling which
would do injustice 20 a man OF property
any more than we would submit TO in
justice from a man of property. Whether
the man owns the biggest railroad or tht
greatest outside corporation in the land
or whether he makes each days bread b,
the sweat of that days toll. he is en-
titled TO justice and fair dealing, no more
and no less"