The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-05
LONGEST MESSAGE YET WRITTEN BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT

SIduupolus winch treats edch SIDE IN
the mass as the enemy Of the other
foolish. In the past the most direful
among the Influences which have
brought about the downfall of repub-
lies has ever been the growth of tile
class spirit, the growth Of the spirit
winch tends to make 9, man snbordln-
whole to the welfare of the particular
class to which he belongs, the substi-
tuition OF loyalty to class for 10y
atty to the nation This inevitably
brings about tendency to treat each
man not on his merits as an individual,
but on his position as belonging to a
certain class in the community. If
such a spirit grows up in this repub-
lie it will ultimately prove fatal to us,
every community in which it has be-.
come dominant. Unless we continue to-
keep a, quick and lively. sense
of the great fundamental
truth that our concern is with the indi-
vidual worth CT the Individual man,
this government cannot permanently
hold the place which it has achieved
among the nations. The vital lines of
cleavage among. our people do not cor
to, the lines of cleavage which divide
occupation from occupation. which di
vide wage workers from capitalists,
farmers from bankers, men Of small
means from men Of large means, men
who live in the towns from men who
live in the country; for the vital line
of cleavage is the line which divides
the honest man who tries to do we'll
by his neighbor from. the dishonest
The Right Standard.
In other words, the standard we should
establish is the standard Of conduct,
not the standard of occupation, of
means, or Of social position. It is the
mans moral quality, his attitude to-
ward the. great questions which con
Germ all humanity, Ills cleanliness Of
hfe,, his power to do his duty to-
really count; and if we substitute for
the standard of personal Judgment
which treats each man according to
his merits, another standard in accord
ance with which all men of one class
are favored and all men of another
class Disseminated against, we shall
de irreparable damage to the body
polite. I believe that our people are
too sane, too self-respecting, too fit for
attitude. This government is not and
never shall be government by plutoc-
racy. This government is not and
never shall be government by a. mob.
1t shall continue to be in the future
what it has been in the past, a gov
erenment based on the theory that each
man, rich or poor, is to be treated sim
ply and solely on his worth as a man,
that all his personal and property
rights are to be safeguarded, and that
he is neither to wrong others nor to
suffer wrong from others.
Self Government.
The noblest Of all forms of govern
ment is self governments; but it is also
the most difficult. We who possess
this priceless boon, and who desire to
hand it on to our children and our
children 8 children, should ever bear in
mind the thought so finely expressed
by Burke: "Men are Qualified for
civil liberty in exact proportion to
their disposition to put moral chains
upon their own appetjtes; in proper
tion as they are disposed to listen to
the counsels of the wise and good in
preference to the fattery Of knaves
Society cannot exist unless control
ing power upon will and appetite be
placed somewhere. and the less Of it
there be within the more there must
be without. It is ordained in the eter-
nal constitution of things that men of
Incorporate minds cannot be free.
Their passions forge their fetters.'