Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-10-05

/ -'tHNs Also AGAIN lmpreSslng on his
audience the necessity OF a strong
navy for defense not ofense.
But the pith OF the speech comes
IL conclusion:
Before closing let me say a word
upon the subject OF the regulation
OF the railways by congress under
the interstate commerce clause of
tie constitution. In my Judgment
The old days of happy go-Iucky in
florence on the part of the public
"a the conduct OF the corporations
nave passed The American people
has made mp it's mind that the con
''tions OF modern industrialism are
such as imperatiyely to demand SUI
! pervision in the interest of the peo-
pie as a whole over these great cor
porations. Most emphatically we
should do fun justice to them; but
in return We should exact Justice
from them 10 the public Some of
| them have become SO habituated to
disregarding everything but their
own wishes and interests that the
EFFORT 10 establish a proper super-
vision over them has aroused on
their part a curiosity unreasonable
antagonism. Their spokesman do
not seem TO be aware that I'm what
we have been trying TO do we have
not been improperly radical: using
the word in its right sense. we have
been conservative. We have mere
~ taken the first steps I'm a policy
which must be permanent II orr
democratic institutions are to en-
dure; while as a matter OF course.
we must also keep ever in mind that
II is exactly as Injurious to true de-
mocracy to innict as tamely TO suf-
fer wrong. We can no more tolerate
Injustice TO the railroads than in
Justice by them; one course is as
immoral and as fundamentally mis-
'hievous and injurious to the people
as the other.
In the matter OF supervision OF
the great railway corporations we
are acting as all civilized govern
ments have already acted or are on
the point OF acting. The unrestrict-
cd issue OF railway securities with
out any supervision. and under cir
cumstances which often result in the |
gravest scandal. should not he per- |
mitted, and only by governmental |
action can IL be prevented. Il is al
ready thus prevented in England
and Germany. for instance I'm Eng
land the first royal commission OF
railways Of which that great par |
liamentary and popular leader. VII
liam Ewart Gladstone. was chair
man, set forth as fundamental the |
very principles which here have at |
last been enacted into law. or which. |
as firmly believe. will speedily be
enacted.
The speaker went on to Tighten !
the trusts TO a counterfeiter and ad- !
vised drastic measures to try to Sc !
cure the conviction of the thief. but
If he had escaped the jurisdiction |
Of the law, II would nevertheless be |
impossible to let his innocent victims |
continue TO pass his by no means |
innocent counterfeit money. Well !
Just the same thing is true when n /
comes TO enforcing the law against |
business men of great wealth who |
have violated it. People are always |
beseeching me not to enforce II |
against them because innocent out |
siders may be hurt. or only to en- |
force 80 with a gentleness that would |
prevent anybody good or bad. from |
being hurt Il Is not possible to |
comply with such requests. even |
when they are made in good faith
This is government OF law. a law |
which applies TO great and small |
alike ] am sorry indeed when IL |
happens that big men who do wrong |
have involved smaller men with no |
bed intentions to such an extent |
that they suffer when we force the |
undoing Of the wrong But we can |
no. hold our hands for such a con |
liberation ghe responsibility for /
the suffering of those innocent out |
silers lies not with us who put a
stop to the wrong and punish the
wrongdoers but with these wrong |
doors who mlslead their victims.
The winding mp Is.
In the great civil war our armies
northern and southern alike won |
their high position forever and all |
time in the undying regard and ad- |
miraiIon Of their fellow-citizens. be |
cause the average man fin The ranks |
i'a average man who carried sabcr |
or rifle had this high standard of !
personal quality Just as st. was in |
time of war; so 10 s. now I'm time Of |
peace IT man has not got the
right stun 90 him then no law can |
possibly got ~ ont of him. because |