The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-02-04

Washington. Feb. with siedge-
hammer force and in passionate Ian
guage. President Roosevelt. in a spe-
cial message to congress. read before
that body. drives home his charge Of
the existence OF a vast conspiracy OF
wealth to discredit the policies OF the
administration
The president again urges federal
control of railroads. the supervision
to be Of wider scope than he has here
tofore advocated He wants the gov
ernment empowered to make physical
valuation of railroads. 10 supervise in
some way their financial operations
and TO exercise whatever control may
be found necessary over their physi-
cal operation.
Not the least significant OF the
presidents utterances is HIS warning
OF the dire evil to the republic and the
''vindictive and dreadful reaction"
which is to follow IL check is not
placed upon the rich violators of the
law
Mr.. Roosevelt. however. makes Il
plain that the administration policies
are not directed against law-ablding
corporations. but that Il is the desire
to protect the property OF every hon
est man and to prevent wrong-doing.
Certain representatives OF preda-
tory wealth." says the president.
have banded together to overthrow
and discredit all who honestly admin
lister the law. 10 prevent legislation
which would restrain them. TO secure
/ fT0nfnn1 oil
would permit every INSCRIPTIONS
wrongdoer TO do what he wished un-
checked. providing he has the money"
In plain words. Mr.. Roosevelt saws
the protestations OF the Standard OIL
trust and Santa Fe railroad that no
rebates were given or accepted are
false. Attacks on the administration.
he declares positively. are made espe-
cially in the interest of the Standard
OIL trust and of certain notorious
railroad combinations.
With regard to the Standard Oil
company. he says:
THE methods by which the Stand
ard OIL people and those engaged in
the other combinations of which I
have spoken above have achieved
great fortunes can only be justified
by the advocacy of a system OF moral
ity which would also Justify every
form OF criminality on the part of a
labor union. and every form OF yio-
ience, corruption and fraud. from mur.
der to bribery and ballot-box stuffng
in politics"
He sees IN these attacks the terror
which our public actions have caused
the corrupt men of vast wealth in the
very marrow of their being"
The president charges that a sys.
tematic campaign has been. conducted
by the forces inimical to the admins
tration; that periodicals and publica-
tons OF various sorts have been sub
sidized to make insidious attacks upon
the governments policies and to give
false impression concerning the law
defying corporations.
In forceful manner Mr.. Roosevelt
disclaims responsibility for the finan-
cial depression.
NO gloom" he declares. need be
felt over the panic. There is no nation
so absolutely sure OF ultimate success
as ours"
! Continuing. Mr.. Roosevelt saws:
| II do not for a moment believe that
the actions of the administration
have brought on business distress. So
far as this is due to local and not
worldwide causes. II is due to the
speculative folly and fragrant dishon-
esty OF few men OF great wealth who
seek to shield themselves from the
enects OF their wrong doing by ascrib.
Ing its results to the actions OF those
who have sought to put a stop to the
wrong-doing.
But II II were true that to cnt ont
rottenness from the body politic
meant a momentary check to our nm.
healthy seeming prosperity. should
not for one moment hesitate to put
the knife to the corruption"
While the president expresses re
gret that stockholders may suffer from
unsettled business conditions. he holds
that they are in a measure responsi
BILE for the conditions by permitting
dishonest officers tc manage the bust
ness.
The business" which is hurt bv
the movement for honesty. Mr.. Roose
welt asserts. is the business which in
the long run II pays the country TO
have hurt.
The president urges congress to en-.
act new laws. and in making this re
quest says:
New conditions make II necessary
to shackle cunning as in the past we
have shaciled force"
The administration purpose. Mr..
Roosevelt says, is to make property
holders realize that prosperity has its
duties no less than its rights II is the
desire to prevent stock gambling. cor
nerfng OF the market and to abolish
the bucket shop. He suggests that this
might be accomplished by prohibiting
the use of the mails, the telegraph and
the telephone to men who gamble in
stcck futures
Other legislative measures recon-
mendcd by the president are a re-
enactment OF the employers liability
law within the constitution: compen-
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