The sun., 1907-08-21

men. Both verdicts could not possibly
have been correct but apparently the aver
age luryman wishes to see trusts broken
mp and il quite ready TO hffe the CORPORA
tiOn itself. but 10 very reluctant to find the
facts proven beyond reasonable doubt"
when IL comes TO sending TO Jail reputable
member Of the business community Tor
doing what the business community has
unhappily grown To recognize as well nigh
normal in business Moreover, under the
necessary technicalities Of criminal pro-
Ceedings. often the only man who can be
reached orminaly will be some subordi-
nate who s not the real guilty party at all.
PROSECUTIONS or THE RICH.
Many men of large wealth have been
guilty Of conduct which from the moral
standpoint il criminal. and their nsdeeds
are TO a peculiar degree reprehensible, be-
cause those committing them have no ex.
cuse of want, of poverty, OF weakness and
ignorance, to offer as partial atonement.
When in addition to moral responsibility
these men have legal responsibility
which can be proved 80 as 10 impress a
Judge and jury, then the department will
strain every nerve to reach them criminally.
Where this is impossible then II will take
whatever action will be most effective under
the actual conditions.
In the last six years we have shown
that there is no individual and no corpo-
ration so powerful that he or il stands above
the possibility Of punishment under the
law.
The purpose of the Administration is
to stamp out the evil; that We shall seek
TO find the most effective device for this
purpose; and that we shall then use IL,
whether the device can he Found In ex-
istng law or must be supplied, by legis-
lation. Moreover. when we thus take
action against the wealth which works
iniquity we are acting in the interest Of
every man of property who acts decently
and fairly by his fellows, and we are
strengthening the hands OF those who
propose fearlessly to defend property
against all unjust attacks.
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY LEGISLATION.
very earnestly hope thai the legisla-
ton which deals with the regulation OF
corporations engaged in interstate busi-
ness will also deal with the rights and inter-
ests Of the wageworke ers employed 10y those
corporations Action was TAX on by the Con-
gress last year limiting the number of hours
that railway employees should be en-
ployed. The law is good one. but II in
practice il proves necessary ~ strengthen
Il il must be strengthened. We have now
secured national employers liability
law, hut ultimately more far-reaching
and thorough going law must he passed.
1t is monstrous that a man or a woman
who is crippled in an industry even as
result of taking what are the necessary
risks of the occupation should be required
to bear the whole burden Of the loss. That
solely upon the weak est individual, the one
least able to carry il. BY making the em-
ployer liable the loss will ultimately be
distributed among all the beneficiaries Of
the business.
increasing the power OF the national Gov
ernment TO deal with certain matters con-
cerning the health OF our people every
where; the Federal authorities. for instance,
should join with all the State authorities
H. rl.-~a al
OF tuberculosis. Your own State Govern
ment here in Massachusetts, deserves high
praise for the action il has taken in these
public health matters during the last few
years; and in this, as in some other matters,
| hope TO see the national Government
stand abreast Of the foremost State Gov
ernments.
SOCIALISM AND INDIvIDUALIsM
l have spoken Of but one or two laws
which, in my judgment. it is advisable 10
enact as part OF the general scheme FOR
making the interference OF the national Gov
eminent more effective in securing Justice
and fair dealing az between man and man
here in the United States. Let me add,
however, that while il is necessary 20 have
legislation when conditions arise where we
can only cope with evils through the joint
action Of all Of us. yet that we can never
afford to forget that in the last analysis
the all-important factor for each OF is must
necessary thing to have good laws good
institutions: hu. the most necessary. OF all
things il to have a high quality OF individual
citizenship. This does not mean that We
can afford to neglect legislation. II will
be highly disastrous IL we permit ourselves
To be msled by the pleas of those who see
i'm an unrestricted individualfStn the all
sufficient panacea for social evils, bot IL
will be even more disastrous stO adopt
the opposite panacea OF any sooialistlo
M ifn.lt
yidnalism. which would .r0pt ,QsIt, the fibre
of our whole citizenship. In any great
movement such az that in whicn We
are engaged, nothing IL more necessary tina n
sanity tnan the refusal to be led INTO ex-
tremes by the advocates Of the ultra course
on either side. Those professed friends
of liberty VINO champion HOense are the
worst foes of liberty and tend by the reac-
ton their violence causes to throw the
Government back into the hands OF the
men who champion corruption and tyranny
In the came or order. 80 II ls with this
movement for securing justice toward all
men and equality of opportunity 80 far as
It can he secured by governmental action.
! The rich man who with hard arrogance de-
clnes to consider the rights and the needs
of those who are less we'll on and the poor
man who excItes or Indu!ges in envy and
hatred of those VINO are better on. are alike
alien To the spirit OF our national LIE. Each
OF them should learn TO appreciate the base
ness ana degradation OF ilb PORN, Oh view,
as evil in the one case as in the other There
! exists no more sordld and unlovefy type
of social development than plat6oracy.
for there IL a peculiar unwholesomeness
in a social and governmental deal where
wealth by and of itself ~ held up as the
greatest good. The materialsm Of sucn a
view, whether il finds its expression in the
life OF a man who accumuates a vast for
! tune in ways that are fepugnant to every
4 instinct of generosity ana OF far dealing.
| or whether II finds its expression IN the
! yapidlv useless and seH-induigent life of
| the inhertor of that fortune, rs contemplate
! in the ewes Of all men capable Of a thrill
of lofty feeling. Where the power of the
, law can he wisely used TO prevent or to
! minimize the acquisition or business en-
! ployment Of such wealth and TO make " pa y
| hy income or inheritance tax its proper
/ share of the burden Of government I
would invoke that. power without a mo-
ment's hesitation.
SPIRITUAL REQUIREMENTS.
, But while we can accomplish something
! bv legislation. legis alton can never be
more than a part. and often no more than
| small Iari, IN the general scheme 81
moral progress; and crude or VindIctive
! legislation may at any time bring such
} progress 20 "A halt Certain s0cialis;ic
, iaafIcrs nrppnsp IN red sfrbJItp the WDT,d =