Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-10-11
EVIL IN OWNERSHIP
SAYS ROOSEVELT
NATIONAL SUPERVISION is ONLY
PROPER METHOD.
REMEDY WITH CONGRESS
Control Of the Great Common Carriers
Of the Country Prevents Necessity
OF Considering Radical
Theories.

Harrisburg, Pa.--PresiGent Roose.
velt broke the silence of several
months to make an address at the
dedicatory exercises of the Pennsyl
vania state capitol paying especial at
tention to the problems involved III
the Capitalization of wealth and OF
corporate power
The president talked strongly on
the subject of placing a curb on the
stupendous fortunes of the country
so far as they are given free field
in the business world. and declared
for national control of the concerns
that do an interstate business.
But he made il quite clear that he
believes there is no necessity or rea.
son for applying the principles to the
extreme of government ownership OF
railroads. This he said was most an
desirable and could only result in evil
under any circumstances. He con
tended that the restrictions imposed
by correct and conservative national
supervision of these roads and of the
large corporations would correct OBJ
iectional acts and practices and make
government operation uncalied for.
Duty Is with Congress
Surrounded BY az assemblage OF
distinguished citizens and officers Of
the Keystone state and talking to one
of the greatest audiences ever gath
cred at state capital, the president
spoke to the people of the country of
the noteworthy things OF the recent
past and OF the impending problems
OF the near future. The states, he
said, can do much to root out special
evils within their limits. but on the
big questions involving the union of
states the president asserted that
only careful and wise legislation by
congress could be effective.
While ne said he abhorred class
hatred and despised the narrow hatred
of men OF wealth because they arc
wealthy. the chief magistrate asserted
II was the duty of the people to bring
about adequate supervision and con
troll Of the business use of the swol
len fortunes of to-day" He continued:
And also wisely to determine the
conditions upon which these fortunes
are to be transmitted and the percent
age that they shall pay to the govern
ment, whose protecting arm alone Ell
ables them 10 exist. Only the nation
can do this work.
To relegate il to the states is g
farce. and is simply another way OF
saying that it shall not be done at all
Federal Power Adequate.
The president said that under wise
Interpretation of the interstate com
MERGE clause of the constitution he be
lieved the national government has the
power 10 deal with all wealth that in
any way goes into the commerce be
tween states. Therefore, while con
gress should avoid any demagogic leg
islation. President Roosevelt had this
To suggest:
But. on the other hand, IL shall and
must ultimately be understood that
the United States government. on be.
half OF the people Of the United States,
has and Is TO exercise the power OF
supervision and control over the bust
ness use OF this great wealth-in the
first place. over all OF the work OF the
common carriers of the nation. and, in
the next place. over the work OF all
the great corporations which directly
or indirectly do any interstate bust
ness whatever--and this includes al
most all Of the great corporations"
President Roosevelt referred TO what
already has been accomplished in this
respect and ccmplimented Senator
Knox, of Pennsylvania. formerly at
torney general of the United States,
for the par; he had played in prose
cutting the big cases brought by the
government.