Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-05
CANAL AND GREAT NAVY
ARE NOT PARTY ISSUES
(Contlnucd from Page Sevenl.

CONTINUED from Page Sevenl.
of the nation imperlousiy demands
tho action that | am taking. II is
action IN the interest of all the people.
and tho need for II will be us great
long after have passed out of public
life us 1t Is now.
A Word About Corporations.
Before closing let me say word
upon the subject of the regulation
of the railways by Congress under
the Interstate commerce clause of the
Constitution In my judgement the
old days of hnppy-go-lucky fndifler-
ence on the part of the public TO the
conduct oil the corporations have
passed. The American people has
made up its mind that the conditions
of modern industrialism are such as
imperatively to demand supervision in
the interest of the people as n whole
over these great corporations. Most
emphatically We should do full
should exact justice from them to the
public.
Some OF them have become so ha-
bituated TO disregarding everything
but their own wishes and interests
thhi ihO tnOll 10 tSluUllhn u DIODtI
supervision over them has aroused on
their part II crrlously unreasonable an
tagonism. Their spokesman do not
seem To be aware that in what we
have been trying 10 do we have not
been improperly radical; using the
word In It's right sense, we have been
conservative. We have merely taken
the first steps In policy which must
hn Ia, IL,
situations are to endure: while, as n
matter of course, we must also keep
ever in mind that 1t is exactly as
injurious TO true democracy to inflict.
Ms tumcly to suffer, wrong. We can
no moro tolerate injustice by them
one course Is ms immoral and Ms fun,
damontnlly mschievous and injurious
10 the people MS the other.
In the matter of supervision OF the
great railway corporations we are act.
ing as all civilized governments have
already acted or arc on the point OF
acting, The unrestricted issue of rail
way securities without any super
vision, and mdor circumstances which
often result In the gravcst scandal
should not be permitted, and only by
governmental action can 1t be pro
vented.
I'm conclusion, friends. let mo I'M
press upon you ono thing. Good laws
can do much good: indeed. they are
often Indispensable. There Is urgent
need that we should have honest and
efficient legislation and honest and
efficient action by those whose prov
incc II is To put the legislation into
effect. But there Is infinitely more
need of q high individual average OF
character.
a General Needed.
"ln this audience are many mor
who wore the gray In the grea
Civil war In every audience hay,
spoken to on this trip there hay,
Dcen mon who fought In either tn,
Union or Confederate Army, and offer
representatives from both armies
Now, you men know that while II
time of war there is need OF goot
genoralshlp, need of good organization
yet tho determin ing factor in the rcgi
mcnt, the brigade. the army, Is, ani
must ever be- the individual character
of the individual soldier; his PROV
css, his hardihood, hts unyielding res
olution, his stern fidelity to duty, his
capacity to net on his own individual
responsibility when necessary, ant
yet to serve over or under or viii
Others in perfect harmony and obedi
encc. 1t Is the character of tho man
in tho ranks which primarily deter
mines the failure or success of battl,
and campaign, In the great Civil wa,
our armies, Northern and Southern
alike, won their high position forever
and all time in the undying regard ant
admiration OF their fellow.cltizens, be
cause the average man in the ranks
the average man who carried sabel
or rifle had this high standard o
personal quality.
lust MS 1t was In time OF war. So
1t is now in time of peace. II 1
man has not got the right stuff in hin
then no law can possibly get 1t on
of him, because it is not there t.
get out. All that the law can do /.
to punish evil. to encourage what 4.