The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1905-02-03
The Presldsnt IN Earnest

the opposition hat Roosevelts inter-
est in the people as against the trusts
and combines would wane after cleo
,ion Recent events show how lit
tie the opposition knew Of the char
acter Of Roosevelt or how dishonsst
tney were with themselves,
Tne cases against the meat trust
were started by the AZ ninisitatioh i"
long ume ago, 50 long evsu tra'
many pco II. 4ad tofsottcA That 'At1
were ever started. But they have
been fought through the courts and
now the supreme court hands down
unanimous decision against the
packers.
This shows that Roosevelt and
the administrator was in earnest
and not posing for political effect as
was charged.
The President is now champion
ing a bill in Congress to give Kali
road Commissioner more authority
even to the extent of allowing them
to fix rates.
The time has fully come when
corporate greed must be checked
and the rights of the people looked
after little as we'll as the rights OF
capital.
The President in his great speech
before the Union League Club OF
Philadelphia on the evening of Jan
uary 80, gave expression to the fol
lowing sentiments that seem to indl
cate that he is still with the people
and is not afraid to take stand fol-
the right, even against the rich:
"Neither this people nor any other
free people will permanently to-
crate the use of the vest power
conferred by vast wealth, and es-
pecially by wealth in Its corporate
form, without lodging somewhere
in the government the still high
er power of seeing that this pow
er, 10 addition to being used 10
the interest of the individual or
individuals possessing 1t, Is also
used for and not against the in
terests of the people as a whole.
The railroad, which was utterly
unknown when our government
was formed and when the great
principles of our Jurisprudence
were laid down has now become
almost everywhere the most im-
portant, aud, in many large
regions the only form of highway
for commerce. The man who con-
trolls It's use can not be permitted
to control it in his own interest
alone.
Hasty or vindictive action would
merely work damage; brt In tenn
perate, res0lute fashion, there
must be lodged In some tribunal
the power over rates, and especial
" over rebates-whether secured
by means Of private cars, OF pri-
vate tracks. in the form of DANA
ges, or commissions, or IN any
other nanner-which will protect
alike the railroad and the shipper
and put the big shipper and the
little shipper on an equal footing.
We are not trying to strike down
the rich man; on the contrary we
will not tolerate any attack upon
his rights. We are not trying to
give an improper advantage to
the poor man because he is poor,
to the man Of small means be-
cause he has not larger means;
but we are striving to see that the
man OF small means has exactly as
good chance. so far as we can
obtain it for him.
We are not for the poor man as
such, nor for the rich man as such"
With such sentiments as thes'
coming from the chief executive o
the land the people of this ceuntr!
and particularly of the West, hav'
great reason to rejoice. After wear!
years of waiting and watching, eacl
year finding corporations growing
more arrogant and powerful, filling
their Golfers with their i'll gottel
gains, extorted from the peoPl
without a show of reason it seem
wholesome indeed to know we hav
a President who is with us and VIII