Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-11
National Prosperity Associa-
ton Issues Open Address.
AT NEW YORK CITY TODAY
Urges That Halt Be Called on Hasty
Legislation
o REGULATE INDUSTRIES
Asks Enforcement Of Reform Laws
Already Enacted - President
Praised for Work.

NEW YORK. May 1.-THE National
Prosperitv Association sent address
to President Roosevelt today. informing
him of the objects of the association. and
urging that a halt be called upon ''radi-
cal. hasty and experimental legislation
designed to regulate industry
The address to the President IS as fol-
lows:
1.-The National Prosperity Association
has been formed to improve business con-
ditions 1t has i'm view no backward step
from reforms which have been instituted:
II raises no question as to the wisdom or
the laws which have been placed upon the
national statute books. 1t applauds the
correction of evils in business methods.
After ten years Of great prosperity the
body commercial entered upon PERIOD OF
depreS sion and stagnation. Tine signs tha'
the period is passing begin to multiply.
There is promise of bOuntiful crops. The
unemployed are eager Tor Work. f,eia-
tions between capital and labor are not
strained The financial stringency has
nassed CAPITAL is anxious or safe In
VeStment.
"Wnh such conditions prosperity waits
oniy on confidence We believe this is an
op1 ort,ne time for business men with
lieve the disposition of business interests
is in the right d rection and should re-
ceive encouragement.
.'Therefore Mr.. President. the National
Pro: perity Association has been formed.
designed i'm the first place to promote con-
fidenoe among our business men. ana In
the second. through cooperation WIN you.
TO impress the confidence upon all our
own people and the country at large.
Demagogic Agitation.
THE association will facilitate inter
change of opinion among the one hundred
thousand non-partisan business OrganiZa-
tons of the country. Business has suf-
fered too much already from demagogic
agitation: therefore the association VIII
seek relief from continued agitation by
professional agitators. 1t Will deprecate
the unworthy spirit which arrays class
against class 1t will seek that UNITY OF
brotherhood which you have proclaimed.
Ii will insist that the American business
mans standards are hlgh' that. ms
methods are clean. III will proclaim what
YOU have proclaimed. that the bulk of our
business is honestly done. 1t will point
out that the disturbance of pubic conf
dence not due to the enactment OF
reform legislation or to the punishment
of specific wrong in hods. but to gross
violations of law by some corporal ions
and grating by some public officials and
to a defective currency system. .f
Upon the heels of the insurance eX-
pOs,.res came the earthquake at san
Francisco. with the resultant damage.
amounting to several hundred million dol
lars impoverishins citizens as we'll as in
surance companies Then came the dlS-
covery OF bribery and grating In some
of our large cities: the manipulation OF
railroad assets and prosecution OF cor
pOrai ions for violation OF the laws OF
state and nation. Those revela tons nat
urally shook confidence Reforms were
imperative, You. Mr.. President. affected
them and today the country realizes the
value and potency OF the remedy.
Credit Due the President.
The association recognizes he debt the
business interests-indeed. the whole
cOuntry-Owes To you for what YOU have
done 1t feels now that the time has
come TO take stock. to call halt upon
radical. has,y and experimental Iegisla
tion designed to regulate industry. If
the law officers have know ledge OF viola
tors OF statutes let prosecutions proceed
vigorously and eXpeditiously before grand
1uries and in courts. The association IL
unalterably opposed 10 trial by news
papers The dishones: corporation. the
dishonest railroad management should be
punished: but the honest corporation. the
honest railroad management should be
protected; and this the association relies
upon you to provide.
Upon railroads particularly public at
tent ion has been focused. No other inter
ests have suffered as severely as they
have during the past six months. Less
OF gain is apparent with the railroads
than with other kinds of business. Shrink
age Of values has been very great. The
Hepburn law. for which you are RESPONSE
Bile. has int reduced higher standard OF
admin isl ration, but there have been I'M
wise state enactments and agitations for
harsh federal laws harmful to the proper
ties from the standpoint of the operator
and emplOye and the investor.
Reform Legislation.
1T is from the latter that the associa-
ton will seek relief 1t wants the reform
legislation that has been enacted justly
enforced Not what has been done re-
rards the return to normal prosperity.
Tie continuous threatening OF more dras-
tic lesislatiOn the nagging talk OF the
demagogue. these are the influences which
are filling the SiCetracks with empty cars
and shutting down ra broad shops Oh half
time and are delaying the reOpsning OF
ia ct tories or increase of time in those mills
which have been running on reduced
scale which are preventing prompt
revival of national prosperity.
"A national political campaign is open
ing Platforms are to he adopted. The
National Prosperity Association will ask
for ia minded consideration of bust
ness Issues by both parties. But the as
socation does not believe that prosperity
depends upon politics. 1t is convinced
that business may revive: that the I'M
employed may find work: that the nor
NAL volume of trade may be reached
without waiting for the November cleo
tons To that end the association will
address itself.
I'm seeking your support OF the work
OF the association Mr.. President. we
are inspired by the view that your CO.
operation will go far to aid in the res
,oration Of hopefuness confidence and Of
RIO h, thinking in land.