Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-05

the standard we should establish is the
standard of conduct, not the standard
of occupation, of means or of social
position. 1t is the mans moral quality,
his attitude toward the great questions
which concern all humanity. his cleanli-
ness of life, his power TO do his duty
toward himself and toward others.
which really counts. and If we substi-
tute for the standard of personal iudg-
ment which treats each man according
10 his merits. another standard in ac-
cordance with which all men Of one
class are favored and all men of anoth-
er class Disseminated against, we shall
DO irreparablc damage to the body
polite. | believe that our people are
too sane. too self respecting. too fit for
self government ever to adopt such an
attitude. This government is not and
never shall be government by plu-
tocracy. This government is not and
never shall be government by a mob.
IL shall continue 10 be in the future
what IL has been in the past. govern
ment based ON the theory that each
man. rich or poor. is to be treated sim
ply and solely on his worth as Il man,
that all his personal and property rights
are to be safeguardcd and that he is
neither 10 wrong others nor 70 suffer
wrong from others.
The noblest of all forms of govern
ment is self government. but it is also
the most difficult. We who possess this
priceless boon and who desire to hand
il On To our children and our children's
Hill
thought so finely expressed by Burke:
Men are qualified for civil liberty in
exact proportion 10 their disposition to
put moral chains upon their own appe-
tiles, in proportion as they are disposed
10 listen to the counsels of the wise
and good in preference to the fdttery
OF knavcs. Society cannot exist unless
Il controlling power upon will and APP
petite he placed somewhere. AMI the
less OF IL there be within tue more there
must Ice without. II is ordained in the
eternal constitution of things that men
OF Incorporate minds cannot be free
Their passions forge their letters"
Insurance.
The great insurance companies afford
striking examples of corporations
whose business has extended So far
beyond the jurisdiction of the states
which created them as To preclude
strict enforcement of supervision and
regulation 10y the parent states In my
last annual message | recommended
that the congress carefully consider
whether the power of the bureau of
corporations cannot constitutionally be
extended to cover interstate tranSac-
tons i'll insurance" Recent events
have emphasized the Importance of an
early and exhaustive consideration of
this question. TO see whether il is not
possible TO furnish better safeguards
than the several states have been able
to furnish against corruption of the
fragrant kind which has been exposed.
1t has been only too clearly shown
that certain of the men ut the head of
these large corporations take but small
note of the ethical distinction between
honesty and dishonesty. They draw
the line only this side of what may be
called law honesty, the kind of honesty
necessary in order to avoid falling into
only complete remedy for this cOndi-
tlOl lhuSl Dc loulltl III III GlOuNt1 pun
lie conscience. u higher sense of ethical
conduct in the community at large and
especially among business men and il
the great profession of the law. and in
the growth of Il spirit which condemns
all dishonesty, whether in rich man or
i'll poor man. whether il takes the shape
of bribery or of blackmail. But much
can be done by legislation which is not
only drastic. but practical. There is
need of far stricter and more uni
form regulation OF the vast insurance
interests Of this country. The United
States should in this respect follow the
policy of other nations by providing
adequate national supervision of com
mercial interests which are clearly ma
tional in character. My predecessors
have repeatedly recognized that the
foreign business of these companies is
an important part OF our foreign com
mercial relations. During the admins
tratious OF Presidents Cleveland. Har-
rison and Mckinley the state depart
mcnt exercised its influence through
channels to prevent unjust
by foreign countries
against American insurance compa
MES. These negotiations illustrated the
of the congress recognizing
the national character of Insurance. for
in the absence of federal legislation the
state department could only give ex-
preston TO the wishes of the authori-
ties of the several states, whose policy
was ineffective through want of uni
formity.
State Supervision inadequate.
| repeat my previous recommends /
ton that the congress should also con |
slider whether the federal government |
has any power or owes any duty with |
respect to domestic transactions i'll in |
surance of an interstate character. |
That state supervision has proved in |
adequate is generally conceded. The |