The Washington herald., 1908-07-12
ROOSEVELT FROWNS
UPON SOCIALISM
President Speaks at UnVeil-
ing of Monument.
WANTS OPEN FIELD FOR ALL
Declares Communicate Idea IL Too
Much Like COddIinE-AlsO Means
Privileges, Which Executive OPP
poses-Wnnts Equality for All.

oyster Bay. n. Y. July u.-Speaking at
the unveillng Of a monument TO Capt.
John UnderhIl. a Long Island pioneer.
President Roosevelt here to-day delivered
a little sermon on good citizenship. and
In a scorching denunciation OF socialism
set at rest forever the idea that he leaned
TO its tenets
On foot. on horseback. and in family
vehicles, about go persons from the sur
rounding villages assembled at Matinecock
Point. where the monument was unveiled
The President greeted many Of his old
friends and neighbors and expressed the
belief that such gathering is good for
the country. Taking up then his topic
OF good citizenship, the Executive said:
Il have no use whatever for the man
who has nothing but a pedigree; the man
the best part Of whom is under ground. I
believe In the pride Of ancestry. but only
II II takes the form Of making the man
or woman try TO carry himself or herself
we'll as regards the beauties OF to-day.
II believe emphaucaTIy In doing the
things that can be done by law or other
wise 10 keep the avenues OF occupation,
OF employment. OF work OF interest. so
open that there shall be a measurable
equality OF opportunity for each man 20
show the stuff that is IN him. But when
it comes 20 reward, let him get what. by
his energy, foresight, intelligence. thrift.
courage. he !s able to get with the oppor-
tunities open.
Il don't believe in cOddling any one:
would TO more permit the strong 20 op-
press the weak than I would tell rich
man OF a vicious man that he ought by
right to have the reward due only TO
the man who actually earns It. Very
properly we In this country set our faces
against privilege.
Example OF Privilege.
There can be no grosser example OF
privilege than that set before us as ideal
by certain socialistic writers-the ideal
that every man shall put into the COM
mon fund what he can. which would
mean what he chose, and 70 take out
whatever he wanted in other words. this
theory that the man who Is vicious, fool
ish. a drag on the whole community. who
contributes less than his part TO the COM
mon good. should take out what is not
! his; what he has not earned. This partic-
ular sociallstic ideal would be TO enthrone
privilege In one OF the grosSest. crudest,
most dishonest, most harmful and most
unjust forms.
Equality for All.
Equality of the opportunity 20 render
service. viii do everything I can to
bring It about Equality of reward? No.
unless there is also equality Of service.
But in securing a measurable equality OF
the opportunity, let us no more be led
astray by the advocates of lawless and
destructive individuallsm than by the
doctrines OF a deadening socialism.
when a private or corporate fortune
OF vast size is turned TO a business use
which jeopardzes the welfare OF all the
small men. then. in the interest OF true
lindvidualism, the collective or common
power OF the community must De eSer-
cised 20 control and 10 regulate for the
common good this business use OF vast
wealth: and while doing this. we must
make it evident that we frown upon en-
nifty and malice as we frown upon AFRO
gance and oppression"