New-York tribune., 1907-09-22
FOLK AT JAMESTOWN
Discusses Pertinent Questions at
Missouri Day Celebration.

Norfolk. Va. Sept 2l-Missouri Day WAS cel.-
| bTated jamestown exposition to-day. with
! Governor Folk OF that state the central figure.
Assembled in the large audience at the auditorium
where the formal exercises took place several
hundred prominent from all parts Of the coun-
try. who remained following the adjournment
OF the League Of American Municipalities yester-
day 20 hear Governor Folks address and take part
in the joint celebration at the exposition to-day OF
Municipal Day.
The exercises began in the forenoon. when Gov
eFnor Folk and party escorted by the 18th United
States Cavalry, left the Missouri Building for the
auditorium. Henry I Kent. Of St. Louis. presl-
dent Of the Missouri jamestown Commission, pre-
sided. An address Of welcome by Lieutenant Gov
ernor EysOn Of Nirgina. in which suggestive ref
erencc to Governor Folk Presidential posi-
bity received great applause preceded the speech
by Governor Folk. who. took for his subject LIB
erty Of the Individual Right. Not Privilege"
Governor Folk. speaking the tariff. declared 1t
TO be "a moral question" He continued:
a tariff deliberately designed to create monopoly
and to give a few people the right 20 prey upon
the rest OF the people is pr0hibued by The moral
law: the law Of conscience But considered purely
upon an economic basis the time has come when
monopoly creating tariff cannot be fairly de-
one-sided transaction Mutuality Is the primary
law of trade. Trade restrictions breed trade re-
nate the commercial narts of the world This can
only be done by reciprocal trade relations with the
leading nations
Governor Folk spoke of the danger som.
In the agitation causeA by the exposures Of wrong
doing in official and business life. and said:
This awakening OF the public conscience does not
proceed from spirit of discomfort. bat comes from
the quckening of the moral sense Of the average
individual. 1t is simply determnation to stamp
that the government shall be representative of the
liberty of the people, not Of the privilege OF special
interests. The eradication of laWlcss privilege
from business helps rather than hurts legitimate
industry Insurance policies are more valuable to-
part of some Insurance officials. We can eat our
meat with more satisfaction since abuses in the
beef packing business were stopped. When rail-
roads and other special interests compelled 10
obey the law, II will not retard their development
nor injure their real progress, but will put them
a and substantial basis.
The regulation of interstate commerce nee
essarily be by the federal government. but to
commerce within the states. It is the right and
OF business competition be trusted to regulate
prices and protect the people With a monopoly
in the case Of enterprises open TO all, is furnished
by competition Railroads necessary to the
development of vast resources and are entitled
to far treatment, the same as individuals. But
unrestrained, their power fix rates is the power
to tax. and the power to tax is the power TO de-
stroy.
The danger to the integrity of the states can
best be checked by the states exercising their
rights of self government in the enactment of good
that allow their Sef-government 70 be spread
and dssipated among many subdivisions, until it
much TO aid in the plan of those who argue for a
moro centralized government at the nations capi-
tai.
This is the greatest nation in the world but il
is greater than the states that compose 1t. 1t
is great because IL is a nation OF self-governing
states Let us keep II So for it's decline will COM
fountain of its birthright, is taken away
Governor Folk held public reception at the close
of the speech, and after official luncheon re-
viewed a great military parade.