The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-10-02

certain WrOnguoerS OF great Wealtn, De-
cause to do so would interfere with
the business prosperity of the cOun-
try. Under the effects of that kind OF
fright which when sufficiently acute
we call panic this appeal has been
made to me even by men who ordiDari-
ly behave as decent citizens. One
newspaper which has itself strongly
advanced this view gave prominence to
the statement of certain man OF
great wealth to the effect that the so
called financial weakness was due en-
tirely to the admitted intention OF
President Roosevelt to punish the large
moneyed interests which had trans
crossed the laws do not admit that
this has been the main cause Of any
business troubles we have had, but 1t
IL possible that 1t has been con-
tributory cause. II 50, friends, as far
as I am concerned 1t must be accepted
as disagreeable but unavoidable fea-
ture In q course Of policy which as
long as I am president will not be
changed. In any great movement for
righteousness, where the forces Of evil
are strongly intrenched, 1t Is unfortu-
nately inevitable that some unoffending
people should suffer In company with
the real offenders. This is not our
fault. It Is the fault of those to whose
deceptive action these innocent people
owe their false position.
"A year or two ago certain repre-
sentatives Of labor called upon me and
In the course of very pleasant con-
versation told me that they regarded
me as the friend of labor answered
tuat l certainly was and that would
do everything In my power for the la
boring man except anything that was
wrong. l have the same answer to
make to the business man. I will do
everything can do to help business
conditions except anything that is
wrong. And It would be not merely
wrong. but Infamous. to fail to do all
that can be done to secure the punish
,nent Of those wrongdoers whose deeds
are peculiarly reprehensible because
they are not committed under the
stress Of want
whenever serious effort is made
to cut out what is evil In our political
life, whether the effort takes the shape
of warning against the gross and sor-
did forms OF evil In some municipality
or whether 1t takes the shape of trying
to 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 1t may hurt
business. In each case the answer
must be that We earnestly hope and
believe that there will be no perma-
nent damage to business from the
movement. but that If Righteousness
conflicts with the fancied needs OF
business then the latter must go to the
wall. We cannot afford to substitute
any other test for that of guilt or innO-
cence, Of wrongdOing or welldOing, in
judging any man.
IF a man does well, II he acts hon
estly, he has nothing to fear from this
administration. But so far as in me
lies the corrupt politician, great or
small, the private citizen who trans
crosses the law, be he rich or poor,
shall be brought before the impartial
justice Of court. Perhaps am most
anxious to get at the politician who Is
corrupt, because he betrays a great
trust, but assuredly l shall not spare
his brother corruptiOnist who shows
himself a swindler in business life,
and, according to our power crimes of
fraud and cunning shall be prosecuted
as relentlessly us crimes Of brutality
and physical violence"
Continuing, the president lauded the
farmer and reiterated his remarks
made at Lansing, Mich, on the need
Of technical education for the agricul-
turlst. He advocated the development
Of the Mississippi river as check on
the railroads and spoke at length on
the subject of public lands. He vigor-
Ously denounced the land grafters and
declared the governments policy was
to preserve the public lands for bona
fide honlesteaders who would build up
the west and conserve Its resources for
pOsterity.
He was then presented with gold
headed cane by the negroes Of Keokuk.
The presentation speech was made by
negro plasterer, who assured the
president that the negro population Of
KeOkuk had every confidence in his
administration and I'm his determine.
ton to treat the black race with fair
ness, The incident seemed to touch
the president. He grasped the speak
ers hand and held 1t tightly while he
made reply, saying that he accepted
the present with great pleasure and
adding that In dealing with the black
man, as in dealing with the white, he
followed what he believed to be the
only sane principle, that Of treating
every man according to his merits rs
an individual, regaruiess Of race or
| %OlOr
Mrs. Sage Gave Them $4,000.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Oct. 2.-Dlrectors