New-York tribune., 1906-04-15

SELF whether exercised tor or against cofpoia
tions
The eighth commandment reads, Thou shalt
not steal" II does not read. Thou shalt ho'
steal from the rich man. 1t does not read
Thou shalt not steal from the poor man IL
reads simply and plainly, Thou shalt not steal.
No good whatever will come from that .~rped
and mock morality which denounces the mis-
deeds OF men OF wealth and forgets the misdeets
practised at their expense; which denounces btl-
berry. but blinds itself to baokmai!; which foan1s
win rage II corporation secures favoIs py I'M
proper methods. but merely leers with hioeous
mirth II the corporation is ITSELF wronged- the
only public servant who can be trusted honestly
TO protect the rights OF the public against the
misdeed OF a corporation is that public man
who Will just surely protect tho corporation
Itself from wrongful aggression. If public man
is willing to yield to popular Clamor and do
wrong to the men of wealth or to rich corpora
opportunity comes he will secretly and furtively
do wrong to the public in the interest Of a cor
poratio1.
But. IN addition 10 honesty we need sanity
No honesty will make a public man useful If
that man is timid or foolish, If he Ia hot head
ed zealot impractical BILE visionary. AS we
strive for reform find that II is not at all
merely the OF long uphill pull On the
contrary there Is almos, as much of breechins
work as oe collar work: to depend only on traces
means that there will soon be a runaway and
upset The men of wealth who to-day are try
ing TO prevent the regulation and control OF
their business in the interest of the public by
the proper government authorities will not sue
ceed. In nay Judgment, In checking the progress
Of the movement. But IL they did succeed they
would find that they had sown the wind and
would surely reap the whirlwind for they would
ultimately provoke the violent excesses which
accompany reform coming by convulsion in
stead Of by steady and natural growth.
ON tho other hand. the Wild preachers OF
rest and discomfort, the wild agitators against
the entire existing order the men who act crook
edly, whether because OF sinister design OF from
mere puzzleheadedness, the men who preach
destruction without proposing any substitute
for what they intend 10 destroy, or who pro-
pose substitute which would be far worse than
the existing evis-aIl these men are the most
dangerous opponents OF real reform. II they get
their way they will lead the people into a deeper
PIT than any into which they could fall under
The present system. II they fail TO get their way
they Will sttl do ncalculable harm by provok-
Ing the Kind OF reaction which in its revolt
against the senseless evil OF their teaching would
tnthrohe more securely than ever the very evils
which their misguided followers believe they are
attacking
More important than auesht else Is the develop
ment Of the hroadest sympathy Of man for man
The welfare of the wageWorker, the welfare of
the tiller Of the soil. upon -hese depend the wei
fare OF the entire countrya their good IL not tn
be soush, I'm pulling down others: but their good
must be IN" prime object Of all our statesman
Materially. must strive TO secure n broaaer
economic opportunity for ell men so that each
snail have a better chance to show the STUFF OF
which he Is made Spiritually and ctbicaIIv ,.a
must strive To bring about clean living and right
thinking We appreciate that the things Of the
n"dy are important; but We appreciate also that
IN" things OF the soul are immeasurably more
it,p Ift"nt, The foundation stone Of national
character of the average citizen.
WELL KNOWN MEN PRESENT
The laying OF the cornerstone was r1ada no.
table by tho presence beside the Presiaen, %
many members Of his Cabinet mo s,,,,.,,,,a
court the representatives OF foreign govern
ihents the members OF the senate and tror,Ss O,
representatives. ana n large proportion or
"aShihgtons population. The day was ideal
ana without even n triling delay the immense
stone was placed I'm position with the cererno-
malls OF the Masonic ordsr
president Roosevelt WAS accompanied bv a
member OF his Cabinet and escorted by the
once hu'Iding commission. Speaker Joseph Can
non. Representative Hepburn Of Iowa and ex
Representative Richardson. OF Tennessee and
arrived comparatively early When he came
III sight roar Of welcome greeted him Imn,e
diately after the arrival OF the Pres,dan, ,,o
senator's with Vice President Fairbanks ~
their head. entered the stand reserved for ther,
followed by large membership of the House Of
Representatives.
SeVefai women were on the Presidents stand
among them being Mrs. Roosevelt Mrs N,cb
oias longworth, Mrs. Cowles sister Of tho
PRESIDENT; Mrs. Fairbanks and MANY membars
oi the Society of the Daughters OF the Revo,u
ton On the arrival Of the Grand I,odra q,
Mlsons OF the District OF Columbia with wa,tar
a, Brown. Grand Master. at their head rho
ceremony OF laying the cornerstone beea, ,h.
United States Marine Band with fanfare -,
truinpets announcing the hour Sc. for the exer-
cises.
LAYING THE STONE.
The Grand Chaplain of the Grand ro1,a
prayed for the American people and its nrss-
sent Chief Executive. An hermetically scaled
copper box. containing an inside copper box with
glass top. was then placed in position, so that
the stone would completely enveiop It, The box
contains many rare and unusual articles, to-
gether with the coins Of the United States and
the series of postage stamps now I'm use. and
signatures OF officials. This box was hermeti-
cally sealed and in position when the Grand
Master of the District OF Columbia Walter A
Brown, began the ceremony of placing the cor
nerstone in position.
Ihe trowel he used was made and presented
by the Sons OF the American Revolution 10 F,I
Hot Woods. superintendent of the Capitol buiId-
ing ana grounds, who has largely had the plan
ming OF the structure under his Immediate con
troll The Gowe was presented to the Grand
Master 10 be retained by the Grand Lodge as a
memento of the day.