The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-10-03
NO CHANGE IN POLICY
President Will Continue TO Pun
ish Wealthy Wrong-poers.
TRIED 70 MAKE HIM STOP
Gets Pleas 20 Stop Prosecutions, But
Turns Deaf Ear 10 All Of Them.
Honesty Above Business - Coins
Down the Mississippi

hhNNN~Ny FNANNC BUSINESS - AQAnU
Down the Mississippi
keokuk. Ia. Oct 2-Keokuk put on
gala attire 20 receive the president Of
the United States. The city was assist
ed In its reception of the chief magls-
trste by a notable gathering OF distin-
guished men. including the governors
Of more than a dozen states. members
OF both houses Of congress and the
inland waterways commission.
The occasion OF the presidents cotS
Ing was the movement for a deep wa
terwsy down the Mississippi river 20
the Gulf. and this city was selected as
the point Of embarkation for his voy-
axe down the river TO Memphis, where
he arrives Friday.
The president did not deliver his
speech here just as he had prepared IT,
He frequently turned from his manu-
script to interject eXtemporaneous re-
marks for emphasis and elaboration
His theme was the similar treatment
for rich and poor. and again he found
occasion to point his story with IA
miliar colloouialisms.
He dwelt on the necessity sor self
mastery. declaring that every man
must have a master" and adding. IF
he does not mast-r himself. some one
else will do so"
Among his most emphatic utterances
regarding the policies OF his admins
tration were the following.
Il believe the national government in
the interests Of the people should as
sumo much the same supervision and
control over the management OF the in
tersta;e common carriers that II now
exercises over the national banks
The average American citizen will
no more tolerate government by a mob
than he will tolerate government by
Dlutocracy. that he desires TO see jus
tice done 10 and extracted from rich
man and poor man alike
Perhaps l am most anxious 20 get
az the politician who is corrupt be-
cause he betrays a great trust: but as
suredly ! shall not spare his brother
corruptionist who shows himself a
swindler In business life; and. accord
Ing TO our power. crimes Of fraud and
cunning shall be prosecuted as relent-
lessly as crimes of brutality and ply
steal violence.
At intervals during the last few
months the appeal has been made to
me not 70 enforce the law against GER
tain wrongdoers OF great wealth be-
cause TO DO so would interfere with
the business prosperity OF the country.
Under the effects Of that kind OF fright
which when sufficiently acute we call
panic. this appeal has been made 70
me even by men who ordinarily behave
as decent citizens
"One newspaper which has itself
strongly advanced this view gave
prominence TO the statement OF a Ger
tain man of great wealth 10 the effect
that the so-called financial weakness
was due entirely 70 the admitted in
tention OF President Roosevelt TO pun
fish the large mOneyed interests which
had transgressed the laws ! do not
admit that this has been the main
cause Of any business troubles We have
had; but II Is possible that IL has been
a contributory cause II so. friends.
as far as ! am concerned il must be
accepted as a disagreeable but unavoid-
able feature In a course OF policy which !
az long as ! am president will not be
changed.
Whenever a serious effort is made
70 cut out what is evil IN our political
life. whether the effort take the shane
OF warning against the gross and sor-
did forms Of evil in some municipality. |
or whether IL takes the shape of try
ing 10 secure the honest enforcement |
OF the law as against very powerful |
and wealthy people. there are sure to |
be certain individuals who demand that
the movement stop because II nav
hurt business. In each case the an
swer must be that We earnestly hope
and believe that there will be no per-
manent damage to business from the |
but that IL righteousness
with the fancied needs of !
business. then the latter must 90 to
the wall"