Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-07-17
DECLARES THE THEORY OF so.
clALlsM TO BE DISHONEST
AND HARMFUL.
A FORM Of PRIVILEGE
EQUALITY OF REWARD MUST
ONLY GO WITH EQUALITY OF
SERVICE.

OYSTER Bay.-To the memory OF
Caut John Underhill, who became
prominent in the government of the
colonies and as soldier achieved 4
high reputation in the Pequot Indian
war, a beautiful monument was ded-
icated Saturday before several hun
dred of his descendants at Matine-
cock, Long Island. President Roose-
welt was at the unveiling of the mon
ument and made short address.
President Roosevelt said In part: u
THE founder. CT the family here
was a good soldier and good citizen
and the Underhills OF today have fur
nished their full quota OF good soldiers
and good citizens in their time. IL
they had not, would not have been
here; l have no use whatever for the
man with nothing but pedigree, the
man the best part of whom is under
ground. l believe in the pride OF an
cestrv but only If it takes the part
of making the man or woman to car
ry himself or herself well as regards
the duties of today.
IF at the time of the Civil war.
you, Mr.. Chairman. had felt that the
fact tnat the original Captain Under
hill was fighter excused you from
fighting, should have thought
mighty little OF you. The thing to do
is to feel (and l guess you. comrade
over there-I mean the man with the
Grand Army button-you Will agree
with mel that IL you had ancestors
who did their duty. 1t is doubly in
cumbent upon you to do your duty.
We have made this country what II Is
partly because we have measurably
succeeded in securing in the past
equality OF opportunity. That is very
different from equality of reward.
Il believe emphatically in doing
everything that can be done by law
or otherwise to keep the avenues OF
occupation. of employment. OF work.
OF interest. so open that there shall
be. so far as It, is humanity possible
to achieve It, a measurable equality of
opportunity: equality Of opportunity
for each man to show the stuff that
Is in him.
But when II comes to reward. let
him get what by this energy. fore
sight, intelligence. thrift. courage he
Is able to get II the opportunity opens.
Il don't believe in coddling any one: 4
I would no more permit the stronis
10 oppress the weak than tell a weak
man or a vicious man that he ought
by right to have the reward due only
the man who actually earns II. Very
properly we IN lAIs country set our
faces against privilege.
There can be no Erosser example
OF privilege than that set before us
as an ideal by certain Soc!allstIc writ
ers-ihe ideal that every man shall
put into the common fund what he
can. which would mean what he chose.
and should take out Of whatever he
wanted; H. other words this theory is
that the man who Is vicious, foolish. a
drag on the whole community. who
contributes less than his share of the
common good. should take out what is
not his: what he has net earned: that
he shall rob his ncighbor Of what that
neighbor has earned. This particular
Socialistic ideal would be to enthrone
privilege In one of the ErCsEcs:. crui-
est. most dishonest. for the most harm.
ful and most unjust forms. Equality
OF opportunity to render service-yes.
! will do everything I can TO bring IL
about. Equality of reward-no. unless
there is also equality OF service"