The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-01
CHANGE FOR ALL.
That Is Keynote of President
ROOsavelt's Address.
Delivered at KeOkuk at Be.
ginning of Inspection Tour.
MOREFEDERALPOWER
Control Similar to That Ex-
ercised Over Banks
Should Extend to Other Cor.
pOratiOns, Especially Railroads.
WILL BE NO CHANGE.
He Will Pursue His Past Course
to the End.
consequences Must Rest on the
RpSnOnaihI DO rffao
Should Extend to Other Cor.
pOratiOns, Especially Railroads.
WILL BE NO CHANGE.
He Will Pursue His Past Course
to the End.
consequences Must Rest on the
Responsible Parties.

heoKuk, Iowa, Oct From
CLOCK this morning, when the presi-
dent was awakened at the small Illi-
nols town, Meridoso, by the strains of
village band, he was seldom out of
nearing of cheers of some kind. for the
country people as we'll as the villagers
nhed the roadway and all were in a
cheerlng mood. He did not, however.
respond to any of the many calls for
speech and thus allowed the fore
noon run which ended here on sched-
ule time to proceed without note
worthy incident.
The president spent the early
morning reading. and when he step
ped off the train here he appeared in
the highest spirits.
Secretary Loeb left the party here
and will proceed west from this point
to Wyomfng:~. whittier he goes for a
months hunt. ~
President Roosevelt in his address
in this city today, spoke as follows;
Men and Women of Iowa:
L am glad indeed to see you and to
speak to you in this thriving city of
your great and prosperous state.
believe with all my heart in the peo-
pie of Iowa, for 1 think that you are
good, typical Americans, and that
among you there has been developed
to a very high degree that body of
characteristics which we like to re-
gard as distinctively American.
During the last few years We of the
United States have been forced to
consider very seriously certain econo-
mic problems. We have made be-
ginning in the attempt to deal with
the relations of the national govern
ment-that is with the relations OF
the people of the country-to the
huge and wealthy corporations, con-
trolled for the most part by a few
very rich men, which are engaged In
business especially the
great railway corporations. You know
my views on this matter. You know
that 1 believe that the national gov
ernment, in the interests of the peo-
pie, should assume much the same
and control over the man
agement of the interstate common
carriers that 1t now exercises over the
national banks. You know further
more that / believe that this super
in a spirit of rigid fairness toward the
exacting justice from
hem on behalf of the people but giv-
ng them justice in return.
Back to Ancient Rome.
Recently 1 have been reading the
work of the eminent Italian scholar
Ferrero on the history of the Roman
republic, when the life of the Roman
state had become that of a complex
md luxurious industrial civilization.
am happy to say that the differences
that civilization and our own
ire more striking than the resem-
olances; and there is no warrant for
,ur being drawn into any pessimistic
between the two civilfza-
ions. But there is every reason why
We should study carefully the past in
,rder to draw from it lessons for use
n the present. One of the most strik-
ng features of the years which saw
he downfall of the Roman republic
H. 60 1of
Rome became split between two
amps, one containing the rich who
Wished to exploit the poor, and the
,ther the poor who wished to plumb
n the rich. Naturally. under such
the public man who
vas for the moment successful tend D.
d to be either a violent reactionary
IT a violent demagogue. Any such
condition of political life is as nope
essly unhealthy now as 1t was then.
believe so implicitly in the future OF
ur people, because 1 believe that the
verage American citizen will no
more tolerate government by a mob
han he will tolerate government by
plutocracy; that he desires to see
ustice done to and justice exacted
rom rich man and poor man alike
We are not trying to favor any man
t the expense Of his fellows. We are
rving to shape things so that as far
s possible each man shall have a
air chance in life; SO that he shall
ave so far as by law this can be ac-
the chance to show the
tuff that there is in him. We have
% intention of trying to work for the
impossible and undesirable end OF
living to the lazy, the thriftless, the
reak, and the vicious, the reward
hat belongs to, and in the long run
an only come to, the hard work.
ng. the thrifty, the resolute, and the
.onest But we do wish to see that
he necessary struggle in life shall be
arried on under genuinely democrat
, conditions; that. SO far as human
ction can safely provide it. there
hall be an approximately fair start;
hat there shall be no oppression OF
he weak and that no man shall be
ermitted to acquire or to use vast
ortune by methods or in ways that
re tortuous and dishonest.
Need of Wise Laws.
Therefore we need wise laws, and we
eed to have them resolutely admins
cred We can get such laws and such
only IL the people are
live to their interests. The other day
listened to an admirable sermon by
bishop Johnston of western Texas. His
heme was that the vital element in
Judging any man should be his conduct,