The Glenwood post., 1907-08-24
DECLARES WAR ON
CRIMINAL WEALTH
In Notable Speech at PovncetoMn President Roosevelt
Says Wall Street Is Being Manipulated to Obstuct
His Policies. ...Great Crowd Present
HE ADVOCATES GOVERNMENT CONTROL
States Rights

states Rights
4 The utterly changed conditions Of
our national life necessitate changes
in certain of our laws, Of our govern
mental methods. Our federal system
Of government is based upon the
theory Of leaving to each community,
to each state the control over those
things which affect only its own mem
bers and which the people of the local
ity themselves can best grapplc with,
while providing for nationa: regulation
in those matters which necessarily af-
feet the nation as whole. 1t seems
| to me that such questions as national
sovereignty and states rights need to
be treated not empirically or academi-
cally, but from the standpoint CT the
interests of the people as whole.
National sovereignty is to be upheld
N so far as it means the sovereignty
of the people used for the real anil ul,
innate good of the people; and states
rights are to be upheld in so far as
they mean the peoples rights. Espe-
cially is this true in dealing with the
relstions of the people as a whole TO
tho great corporations which are the
distinguishing feature Of modern bust
ness conditions.
Government Control Of Fortunes
1 believe in national incorporation
law for corporations engaged in inter
state business. believe furthermore
that the need for action is most press
ing as regards those corporations
which, because they are common car.
riers, exessise quasi-public' function,
and which can be completely eontroli-
ed in all respects by the federal gov
ernment by the exercise of the power
conferred under the interstate COM
merce clause, and, if necessary, under
the post-road clause of the constitn-
tion.
In dealing with those who offend
against the antitrust and interstate
commerce laws the department Of JUS
tice has to encounter many and great
difficulties. Often men who have been
guilty of violating these laws have
really acted in criminal fashion, and II
possible should be proceeded against
criminally; and therefore 1t is adv's'
able that there should be clause in
these laws providing for such criminal
action and for punishment by impr's
onment as well as by hne.
Scores the Offenders
There is unfortunately certain
number of our fellow countrymen who
seem to accept the view that unless
man can be proved guilty of some par,
t;cplar crime he shall be counted q
good citizen, NO matter how infamoua
the life he has led, no matter now
pernicious his doctrines or his Prac.
tices. This is the view announced
from time to time with clamorous Ill
sistence, now by a group Of predatory
capitalists, now by group OF sinister
anarchistic leaders and agitators
whenever a special champion OF either
class. no matter how evil his general
life, is acquitted Of some one spec'he
crime. Such view is wicked whether
applied to capitalist or labor leader t'
rich man or poor man. But we have 'e
take this feeling into account wnen W
are debating whether It Is possible 70
get a conviction on criminal proceeu
ing against some rich trust magna''
MANY of whose actions are severely u
he condemned from the moral and so
cial standpoint, but no one OF "hos'
actions seems clearly to establish su"f
technical guilt as will insure convic'
tion.
Many men of large wealth have
been guilty Of conduct which from the
moral standpoint is criminal, and then
misd eeds are to . peculiar degree rep
rehensible, because those committing
them have no excuse Of want, Of pow
erty, of weakness and ignorance to of,
fer as partial atonement. When IN
addition to moral responsibility these
men have a legal responsibility which
can be proved 10 as to impress . judge
and jury, then the, department will
strain every nerve to reach tAsm erin..
inslly. Where this IL impossible, the,
It viii take whatever. action will b