Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-31

selves cynically and brutally Indifferent
to the interests of the people: and IL tho
Congress Goes not act. with good-tc N
pered and sensible but resolute thorough
ness. In cutting out the evils and in pro-
viding an effective supervision. the re-
suit is certain to be action on the part OF
the separate states. sometimes wise. some
times iil-judged and extreme. sometimes
unjust and dana ging to the railroads or
other corporations. more often ineffective
from every standpoint. because the federal
courts declare il unconstitutional
Innocent People Suffer.
We have just passed through two
months of acute financial stress, At any
such time II is a sad fact that entirely
innocent people suffer from no fault 81
their own: and every one must feel the
keenest sympathy for tho large body of
honest business men. of honest invest
ors- of honest wageworkers Shp suffer
because involved in a crash for which
they are in no way responsible. Al such
a time there is "A natural tendency on
the part of many men To feel gloomy
and frightened al the outlook; pEt there
is no justification for this feeling. There
is no nation SO absolutely sure e ultl-
mate success as ours. OF course We
shall succeed. Ours is nation of mas
terful energy with a continent Tor its
domain and il feels within its veins the
thrill which comes to those who know
that they possess the future We are
not cast down by the fear of failure
We are upheld by the confident hope OF
ultimate triumph. The wrongs that eN-
list are to be corrected: but they in no
way justify doubt as to the anal out
come. doubt as to the great material
prosperity of the future or of the lofty
spiritual life which is to he built upon
that prosperity AS foundation. No
msdeeds done in the present must b.
permitted TO shroud from our eyes the
glorious future of the nation: but be
cause of this Very fact Ii behocves
never to swerve from our resolute pur-
pose to cut out wrongdoing and uphold
what is right
/ do not for a moment believe that the
actions OF this administration have
brought on business distress. so far as
this is due to local and not Worldwide
causes and to the actions of any par
ticular individuals. il Is due to the specu-
lative folly and fragrant dishonesty of "A
few men of great wealth. who seek I"
shield themselves from the effects 81
their own wrongdoing by ascribing its re-
suits to the actions of those who have
sought to put a stop TO the wrongdoing.
But If 1t were true that to cut out rotten
ness from the body polite meant a mo-
mentary check TO An unhealthy seeming
prosperity. l should not for one moment
hesitate TO put the knlte 10 the coTTup-
ton On behalf of all our people. on be-
half no less Of the honest man of means
than of the honest man who earns each
days livelihood by that days sweat of his
brow. it is necessary to insist upon hon
esty in business and politics alike. in all
walks of life, in big things and in little
things; upon just and fair dealing az be-
tween man and man. Those who demand
this are striving for the right in the spirit
OF Abraham Lincoln when he said:
''Fondly do we hope, fervently do we
pray. that this mighty scourge may speed
fly pass away. Yet. if God wills that it
continue until all the wealth piled by the
bondsmens two hundred and fifty years
of unrequfted toll shall be sunk. and until
every drop of blood drawn with the lash
shall be paid by another drawn with the
sword. as was said three thousand years
ago. SO still it must be said, The judy
ments or the Lord are true and righteous
altogether.
with malice toward none: with char
ity for ALL with firmness in the right, as
God gives us to see the right. let US
strive on to finish the work we are in.
In the work we Of this generation are
in. there is. THANKS be to the Almighty.
no danger of bloodshed and no use. for
the sword: but there is grave need Of
those sterh qualities shown alike by the
men of the north and the men Of the
south in the dark days when each vail
antly battled for the light as 1t was given
each to see the light. Their spirit should
be our spirit. as we strive to bring nearer
the day when greed and trickery and cum
ming shall be trampled under feet by
those who fight for the righteousness that
exalteth a nation.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, :.
January 81. 1905