New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-27
THE PRESIDENTS JAMESTOWN SPEECH.

THE PRESIDENTS JAMESTOWN SPEECH.
President ROOsevelt's speech at the opening
OF the jamestown exposition contains no new
doctrine. but it restates admirably the politi-
cal philosophy which he breaches and on which
he acts. II is well to consider this philosophy
dispassiOnately at a time when concerted ef-
fort is being made to picture Mr.. Roosevelt as
an innOVatOr and a radical. There are many
people who easily captured by a phrase or
a name and the opponents OF the President are
crafty enough to play on this weakness by in
sinuating. if not openly charging, that he is an
agitatOr bent on disturbing existing ideas and
upsetting existing values Conservatives in pol
tiles and in business are invited 10 repudiate
his policies as novel" and dangerous"
But in what respect are these policies either
novel or dangerous? At yesterdays cele-
bration the President briefly developed the two
underlying ideas In his political creed. The first
is that the cure for many Of the evils from
which we have suffered politically is to be found
in a better application of the principle Of de-
mocracy It is a common saying that Ameri-
cans-especally Americans of the more intelli-
gent and progressive type-are too busy To pay
any attention to politics. They are engrOssed
with business, money making and the prob
lens Of industrial and commercial develop
ment They have let politics alone, standing
apart and. except where their own personal in
were concerned content 10 COulAlil llle
task OF government to the professional pollt
clans. Tie long sectional struggle over slav
cry magnlfed the power and Importance of
party organizations and blind subServience to
party further limited the interest Of the indi-
v1dual In the promotion OF efficient administra-
ton and good government. The President has
consistently emphasized the duty of the clt-
zen TO the state and urged much closer atten-
ton on his part to the practical details Of poll
ties. In a democracy there can be no neutras
and no exempts. The voter who will not think
for himself and who seeks TO shut politics out
OF his daily life is unworthy citizen. The
President justly says:
Men can never escape being governed Either
they must govern themselves or they must sub
NIT TO being governed by others. If from law
lessness hckleness from folly or self-indul-
gence. they refuse to govern themselves. then
most assuredly in the end they will have 10 be
governed from the outside
An intelligent active and patriotic appllca-
ton Of the democratic principle would end
much OF the disagreement of which we have
had to cOmplain-especally in our larger states
and larger cities
But II the citizen owes the state a fuller
duty, the state In its turn owes the citizen a
fuller protection. Undoubtedly, as the Presi-
dent said yesterday, the greatest problem be-
"fOre us Is how to exercise such control over
llo pubAutsS use OF VAST RedlLls 1uulNluudls
'but especially corporate, as will insure its not
"being used against the interest of the public, |
while yet permitting such ample legitimate |
profits Will encourage individual initiative
The democratic individualism preached by JEFF |
ferson destroyed the Old World system OF pO- |
litical inequality and assured each man an
equality Of political opportunity. But in free
ing the individual as far as possible from |
governmental control Jefersons plan did not |
foresee the development OF the fictitious cor |
pOrate individuality, with enormously multi |
piled powers which would come eventually to |
Overshadow the actual individual. By allowing |
the inanimate corporation all the privileges OF |
the real person, without the real persons physI-
cal accountability to law and to society. our |
political and economic balance has been more |
Or less upset. President Roosevelt is laboring |
to right the balance again by shearlng corpora.
tons Of their too dangerous powers and MAX /
ing them an entirely helpful factor IN national |
Development His spirit and purposes are not |
those Of a destructive radical but Of a true /
He intends no war upon existing |
no prescription for the mistakes or /
errors OF the past The reform which lasts Is /
that which is accomplished with temperatures
and caution, without heat and without malice.
The President quotes approvingly Burke's SEN
tence: If l cannot reform with equity, / will |
not reform at all" That is the only sort Of |
reform which has place on his programme