Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-02-06

months of acute financial stress. At
any such time it is sad fact that en-
tireiy innocent people suffer from no
fault of their own; and everybody must
feel the keenest sympathy for the large
body of honest business men. of honest
investors, of honest wageworkers. who
suffer because involved in a crash for
which they are in no way responsible.
AT such time there is a natural ten
dency on the part of many men to feel
gloomy and frightened at the outlook:
but there is no justification for this feel
ing.
There is no nation so absolutely sure
of ultimate success as ours. Of course
we shall succeed. Ours is a nation of
masterful energy, with continent for
its domain, and it 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 fail
ure. We are upheld by the confident
hope of ultimate triumph.
The wrongs that exist are to be cor
rected; but they IN no way justify doubt
as to the final outcome, doubt as to the
great material prosperity of the future.
or of the lofty spiritual life which is to
be built upon that prosperity as found
alton. No misdeeds done in the present
must be permitted to shroud from our
eyes the glorious future of the Nation:
but because of this very fact it behooves
us never to swerve from our resolute
purpose to cut out wrongdoing and up
hold what is right.
do not for 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 partic-
ular individuals, it is due to the specu-
lative folly and fragrant dishonesty of a
few men of great wealth, who seek
to shield themselves from the effects of
their own wrongdoing by ascribing its
results to the actions of those who have
/ sought to put stop to the wrongdoing.
But If 1T were true that to cut out rot
tenness from the body polite meant a
momentary check to an unhealthy seem
ing prosperity, should not for one mo-
ment hesitate to put the knife to the
corruption.
On behalf of all our people, on behalf
no less of the honest man of means than
of the honest man who earns each davis
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 as be-
tween man and man. Those who de-
mand this are striving for the right in
the spirit of Abraham Lincoln when he
said
''Fondly do we hope, ferventlv do we
pray, that this mighty scourge NAV
speedily pass away. Yet, if God Wills
that 1t continue until all the wealth
piled by the bondsmen's two hundred
and fifty years of unrequited 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 II
must be said. The judgments of the
LORD are true and righteous altogether
" With malice toward none: with
charity 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 to the Almighty. nc
danger of bloodshed and no use for the
sword; but there is grave need of those
stern qualities shown alike by the mer
of the North and the men of the South
in the dark days when each valiantly
battled for the light as it was giver
each to see the light
Their spirit should be our skirt. as we
strive to bring nearer the day when
greed and trickery and cunning shall be
trampled under feet by those who fight
for the righteousness that exalteth q
nation.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House,
| January 81, 1908