The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-01-31
VIGOROUS DEFENSE OF POLICIES
IS MADE BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
IN HIS SPECIAL MESSAGE OF TODAY

sess and ''cornering" the market. Le-
climate purchases of commodities
and Of stocks and securities for in
yestment have no connection what cV-
er with purchases of stocks or other
securities or commodities on margin
for speculative and gambling pur-
poses. 1t would seem that the fcdcr-
al Agove rnment could at least act by
forbidding the use Of the mails, tele
graph and telephone wires for mere
gambling in stocks and futures, just
as it does in lottery transactions.
I inclose herewith a statement is
sued by the chief of the bureau OF cor
pOratiOns in answer 10 certain statI
ments made by and on behalf or the
agents of the Standard Oil corpora
ton and letter of the attorney gen
eral containing an answer to certain
statements, made by the president of
the Santa Fe Railway company. The
Standard Oil corporation and the rail
way company have both been found
guilty by the courts Of criminal mis-
conduct; both have been sentenced to
pay heavy fines; and each has issued
and published broadcast these state
ments. asserting their innocence and
denOuncing as improper the action OF
the courts and jurieS in COnviCtinG
them of guilt. These statements are
very elaborate, are very ingenious,
and are untruthful in important par
ticulars. The letter and inclOSure
from Mr. Heney sufficiently illustrate
the methods of the high officials Of
the Santa Fe and show the utter falsi-
ty OF their plea Of ignorance, the sim
liar plea of the Standard Oil being
equally without foundation.
The attacks by these great corpor
ations on the administration actions
have been given a wide circulation
throughout the country, in the ncws-
papers and otherwise, Iy those writ
ers and speakers who, consciously or
unconSciOuSly, act as the representa-
tives of predatory wcalth-of the
wealth accumulated on a giant scale
by all forms of iniQuty, ranging from
the oppression of WagewOrkerS to un-
fair and unwholesOme methods of
crushing out competition, and to de-
and the manipulation of securities.
Certain wealthy men of this stamp,
whose conduct should be ahhorrent
to every man of ordinary decent con-
science, and who commit the hideOus
wrong of teaching our young men that
phenomenal business success must or
dinarily be based on dishonesty, have
during the last few months made it ap-
parent that they have banded togCth-
er to work for a reaction. Their en-
deavor is to overthrow and discredit
all who honestly administer the law,
to prevent any additional legislation
which would check and restrain them.
and TO secure if possible a freedom
! from all restraint which will permit
every unscrupulous wrong doer to do
what he wishes unchecked provided
/ he has enough money. The only way
! to cOunteract the movement in which
| these men are engaged is to make
clear to the public just what they have
| done in the past and Just what they
are seeking to accomplish in the pres
! ent.
The administration and those who
support its views are not only not en-
gagged in an assault on property. but
are strenuous uphOlders Of the rights
OF property,
Under no circumstances would we
| cOuntenance attacks upon lawabidine
! property. or do aught but condemn
| those who hold un rich men as being
evil men because of their riches On
q fr~0Y- I,nN -
insist upon conduct. and neither
wealth nor property nor any other
class distinction. as being the proper
standard by which to Judge the &C
tiOnS of men. Sweeping attacks upOr
all property, upon all men of means
without regard to whether they dc
we'll or i'll, would sound the death-knel
of the republic: and such attacks be
come inc vitable if decent citizens per
nit those rich men whose lives are
corrupt and evil to domineer in swol
len pride, unchecked and unhindered
over the destines of this country. We
act in no vindictive spirit. and we are
no reSpecters of persons. We seef
TO protect the property of every mar
who acts honest of every corpOr
alton that represents wealth honest
ly accumulated and honestly used
We seek to stop wrOngdOing, and We
desire TO punish the wrongdoerS on
ly so far as is necessary to achieve
this end.
The books and pamphlets, the con
trOlled newspapers. the speeches b.
public or private men to which re
fer. are usually and especially in the
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