Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-02
PRESIDENT ON RAILROADS.
Continued from Page One.)

corruptly rendered an improper service
70 the railroad at the expense Of the
public. When | say a square deal,
mean a square deal: exactly as much
a square deal for the rich man as for
the poor man; but no more. Let each
stand on his merits. receive what is
due him and be judged according to his
deserts"
In his address to the delegation of
railway employees orders in this city
Nov. Il, 1905, the President said:
There has been comparatively little
complaint to me of the railroads being
as a whole too high. The most serious
complaints that have been made to me
have been Of improper discrimination
in railroad rates. For instance, in two
recent cases affecting great corpora
tons, the complaints that have been
made to me have been that they are too
| low as regards certain big shippers;
the complaint in both these cases is
! about the dffcrcntial, the difference of
| treatment Of two sets Of users of the
| railways. the difference in favor Of on"
Sci of shippers as against another set
OF shippers.
IF you viii look at my Raleigh
speech and my other recent utteran"es,
you will Sc" my principles quite clearly
set forth. | have said again and again
! that ! would not tolerate for one mo-
taent any iniuStic"s to the railroad any
more than ] would tolcrat" any mjus-
! lies by Il railroad. | have said aG lin
! and again that | would remove Il public
! official who improperly yielded to amy
Public rlamor against a railroad, no
| matter how popular that clampr might
be just as quickly as I would remove
a public official who rendered an inn
| proper service to the railroad at IN" tX-
prnse Of the public. But ! am con
WINGED that there must be an Increased
regulatory and supervisory power tXcr-
ciaed by The government over the r;tll-
| WAYS. Indeed. | would like It exercised
t. q much greater extent than | nave
anv idea Of pressing at the moment.
| For instance | would greatly Ike 10
have il exercised in the matter OF over
Capitalization. | am convinced that the
wage fund would be larger if there
was no fictitious capital upon when
dividends had to be paid. | need hard!y
.,, that this does not mean hostility to
wealth. If you gentlemen mere. IN
! hon | believe 50 strongly, We're an 4
unit in demanding that some lmpr"p-
~ action should he taken against Ger
tain men Of wealth then. no matter
whether I did or did not like those same
nan Of wealth, | would defend than
AGAINST you no matter how much |
corad for Won: and in 50 doing | would
really he acting in your interest. /
voUll be false to your interest IL
failed to do Justice to the capitalist as
much as to the Wage-WOrker. But
shall act against the abuses OF wealth
inst as against all other abuses.
An want in any rate legislation is 70
,,i,.e the government an efficient super
yisorv power which shall be exercised
~ scrupulously to prevent injustice 70
the railroads as to prevent their d"lhs
ministries to the public. our endeaNor
i 10 see that those big railroad men
ana big shippers who are responsive 10
the demands Of justice are required 10
do u hat their fellows who are reSpon-
.i;-c To the demands of justice would nc
clad TO do Of their own accord.
IN his message to Congress at the pc
ginning of the first $, ssiOn Of the 5"th
Congress. Dec. ;. 1908, the President
said:
..Thc people Of this country con
tina, to enjoy great prosperity.
Undoubtedly there will be ebb ana
flow in such prosperity ana inns cnn
ana flow will be felt more or less by lu
members of the community, both oS
the deserving and the undeSerNllls-
4 panic brought on by fht
speculative folly of part of the buSlhcS
community would hurt the whole bu5l-
ness community. But such Stopl'a@'
nf welfare though it might be severe,
would not he lasting.
something can be done by Legislators
ia help the general prosperity, nut y"
surh help Of u permanently b"nehclai
character can be given to the less ani'
and less fortunate, save as me reSul'S
Of a policy which shall lnure 10 th'
advantages of all industrious ana ei
ficient people who act derentlY; ah'
this is only another way OF saying tha'
any benefit which comes t" the les
able and less fortunate must "i heceS
si,v come even mere to tn" able ah'
more fortunate. If, therefore, the less
fnr,uuat,. man is moved by envy Of
his more fortunat" brother I" StrK
~ tbe conditions under which the!
have both. though uncQually. pr"SprTeu
IN result will IL assurrdly that Will
damage will como to the nn" StrtcN
AZ ii will visit with an even h"aNlo'
load the one who strikes the blow
Taken as a whole. we must all 60 up o.
down together.
yet while not merely admitting. bu'
insisting unon this il is also true tina
where there is no governmental re
straint or supervision some of the eX-
ceptioual men use their energies not II
WAYS that are for the common good
Int in ways which tell against tins
common good. The fortunes amasSe'
through corporate organization 4"
now 50 large and vest such power
those that WELD them, as TO make
n matter Of necessity to give TO tn
sovereign. that is. to the government
which represents the people as 4 whole
some effective power of supervisor
over their corporate use. In order T.
ensure a healthy social and industria
life. every big corporation should ~
held responsible by, and be accountable
TO. some sovereign strong enough |
control its conduct. | am in no sens
hostile to corporations. This is an az