Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-08-30
PEOPLE OR TRUSTS
PRESIDENT IN SPEECH ASKS
WHO SHALL RULE.
No Countermarch In Governments
Campaign TO Punish WronEdoers-
Fnvors National Incorporation

Law and Protection for workers.
President Roosevelt was the central fig
ure at Provincetown, Mass, at the laying
of the corner stone of the Cape Cod Pill
grim Memorial monument. The Presi-
dent delivered the principal address at the
ceremony. He reiterated the purpose of
the administrati ton to curb the criminal
tendencies of great corporations that are
engaged in interstate commerce. Pun
ishment for individuals as well as COR
porations that violate the law was urged,
and the executive declared that punish
ment by Imprisonment as well as fine for
fragrant offenders would be the aim Of the
department of justice.
He declared he was determined to find
out who was to rule the government-the
people through their governmental agents,
or the wealthy few?
Mr.. Roosevelt gave his direct sanction
to a national incorporation law for con-
Germs doing an interstate business, saying
that it is his belief that such corporations
can be controlled by the federal govern
ment under the interstate commerce
clause and, if necessary, under the post
roads clause of the Constitution.
An earnest word was spoken for lesis-
lation which will conserve the rights and
interests of wage-earners employed by
corporations engaged in interstate COM
merce. Mr. Roosevelt said that if the
law enacted last winter limiting the hours
Of work of railway employees was not
strong enough it must be strengthened.
For STRONG E~mDlOyers' Liability Law
Declaration was made that a more far
reaching and thorough-going employers
liability law must be passed. The Presi-
dent said: ut is monstrous that a man
or a woman who is crippled in an indus
try, even as the result of taking what
are the necessary risks of the occupation,
should be required to bear the whole bur-
den of the loss. BY making the en-
ployer liable the loss will be distributed
ultimately among all the beneiciaries OF
the business"
Touching the matter of receiverships
for trusts that are guilty of w~rongdoing
Mr.. Roosevelt said that the desire is ito
do something effective" and that more
over, when we thus take action against
the wealth which works iniquity we are
acting in the interest of every man OF
property who acts decently and fair by
his fellows, and we are Strengthening the
hands of those who propose fearlessly ta
defend property against all unjust at
tacks."
Concerning indiyidualism and socialism
the President said st will be highly dis
astrous if We permit ourselves to be mis-
led by the pleas of those who see in an
IT, ~ 80 1..,-f .th1 II r,,fE
Gent panacea for social evils but it will
be even more disastrous to adopt the
opposite panacea Of any socialistic sys
tenn which would destroy all individual
ism, which would root out the fiber o.
our whole citizenship"
An echo Of his recent undesirable citi
zen'' pronouncement is to be found in this
passage from Mr.. Rooseyelt's speech
There is unfortunately a certain numbel
of our fellow countrymen who seem to &C
cept the view that unless a man can b.
proved guilty of some particular crime hi
shall be counted a good citizen, no matter
how Infamous the life he has led, no mat
ter how pernicious his doctrines or hi!
practices. This is the view announced
from time to time with clamorous insist
ance, now by a group of predatory CAPT
~talists, now by a group of sinister an
srchistic leaders and asitators."
Supervise railways Like Banks.
In touching upon the railroads til,
President declared '"The national gov
ernment should exercise over them a su
perv;sion and control similar to thai
which it now exercises over nationa
banks. We can do this only by proceed
ing farther along the line marked out BY
recent national legislation"
Concerning the matter of national con
troll as it might conflict with the rights Q.
the States Mr.. Roosevelt said
'.It seems to me that such questions a.
national sovereignty and States rights
need to be treated not empirically or AGA
demically, but from the standpoint of the
interests of the people as a whole. Ma
tional sovereignty is to be upheld in Sc
far as it means the sovereignty Of the
people used for the real and ultimate goot
Of the people and States rights are to b,
upheld in SO far as they mean the peoples
rights. Especially is this true in dealing
with til. relations of the people as a whole
to the great corporations which are thu
distinguishing feature of modern business
cOnd1tlOnS.
Mr.. Roosevelt said a word concerning
what might be accomplished in time il
the way of making easier the path of use
full combinations, but he said fatty tina
the day could not come before there wal
far more thorough control by the nationa
government. On this matter his words
were:
ultimately, and l hope with reason
able speed, the national government mus
pass laws which, while increasing thu
supervisory and regulatory power of thu
government, also permit such useful com
binations as are made with absolute open
ness and as the representatives of the gov
nmen may previously approve. But !
will not be possible to permit such com
binations save as the second stage in
course of proceedings of which the frs
stage must be the exercise of a far NOR
complete control by the national govern
ment."
Told In a Few Lines.
Postofice Department. orders reduction
Of S1,OO0,00O in pay to railroads for car
rying mails.
A 50O-mile canal, projected to drain TIN
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