The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-02-25
New Works Presidential Candidate
t4ss hopeful View o. the Life Of the
American Peopls--eslievss We Arc
Approaching Better Things.

0e0L nee WAS III an al
ternoon meeting held In Orchestra
hall. Both spoke at q banquet In the
club house this afternoon. The three
functions yer the leading celebra-
tons Of the holiday. Various organ
izati0ns had set programs varying
from social to political.
In his afternoon address Governor
Hughes spoke In part as follows:
We venerate Washington because
in supreme test, he vindicated man
hood. The standards Of liberty
unsullied in his hands. We must all
take to heart the lesson Of his life II
we are to realize American ideals. It
is the lesson Of the supremacy of
duty. It is the lesson of honor-of
fidelity to trust.
It must be enforced in executive
chambers, in legislative halls. in
courts OF Justice. in newspaper Of
fees, in banks, in trust. and insurance
companies, In professional and com
mercial life, in the marts Of trade, in
the counting room. and in the shop,
BY employer and employed.
The country Is morally sound. Its
standards Of business were never
higher. The business men OF the
country are for the most part honest
men, representing fairly the moral
standards Of the people. And never
more than today have they taken as
q whole, earnestly desired that abuses
shall be stopped, that an end shall be
put to corrupt dealings and unfair.
practices, that gambling shall not pa
rade in business livery. and that
American industry and trade shall
have free scope for development and
extension along the lines OF honorable
rivalry and with justice to STOCKHOLM
ers, TO employees, and to the people at
large.
cynics Can't Help.
"Pessimists and cynics cannot de-
velop this country. We must have
confidence in the stability of in
stitutions, in the sanity of the people,
and In their realization OF what under
lies our prosperity.
I'VE have only begun to develop the
commerce Of this country. This is no
time for encouragement or hating,
tbutsfor appreciation Of American OPP
portunity, and for that intelligent
and united effort by which we can
avail OF 1t and deserve the blessings
ofo ~posterity.
ITO support this confidence and to
gain these ends we must have a set
tied governmental policy. And 1t
must be q right policy.
1T must be . policy consistent with
the genius Of our institutions. The
people Of this country do not desire
socialism ven az an experiment.
They do not propose to pass. through
a dreaded quarter Of an hour OF
revolutionary changes to satisfy them
selves OF these imperfecttons Of hui
MAJ nature OF which they are al
ready we'll apprised, and which make
impossible the constitution Of society
In accordance With socialistic theory.
Special interests must keep their
hands OF the government In city,
state and nation. Tho common vel
fare must be the supreme law. The
hobbies which have been maintained
in legislative halls. the efforts to per-
vert administration By. securing the
service for particular interests OF
those Who pose 10 the servants OF
the people. the corruption OF the sole
means. By which the people can ex.
press their will, have been the ef-
fective causes Of distrust Of govern
ment and furnish the most serious
pretext Tor assaults upon our instttu-
tfone.a @
sass0uard People.
Wherever there are public rights
in forests. IN lands, In mines. in
water powers. they must be safeguard
ed and protected from spoilation.
Wherever the public grants 9 privi.
leee.. It must be upon consideration OF
the common benedt and under condi-
lions which insure to the public q
proper return for the grant.
ut must also be taken to be q set
tied policy that there shall be COM
plete, effective and just supervision OF
our Yailroads. i do not believe In u.
bitrary action with regard TO these Inn
portant concerns either by congress
or by state legislatures or by COM
missions. The railroads are not the
enemies, but the servants Of the PEG.
ple. 70 secure proper service. they
must be subject to regulation.
It must be taken al firmly estab-
lished that the evils OF rebating and OF
unjust discrimination will not be toll
Grated and that adequate and Impair
\ tial service upon reasonable ter1ns viii
be insisted upon. There must be ma
chinery through which public obligar
lions az defined by law may be EN-.
forced. This IA best be obtained
through an. administrative board such
as the interstate commerce commits
sion.
TT ia also essential that there
should be ef1cient supervision OF the
issue OF securities to avoid the evils
OF imitation and Of over capitalization.
I'VE wish our American industry
to expand. We desire every advant-
age OF economic organization; every
Just opportunity for the display OF
talent and inventive skill; every pos.
sible Improvement In the processes OF
manufacture; everythlng-in short
which enhances the opportunity OF
labor and its fruitful employment Of
good wages and which develops and
encourages trade. At the same time,
we desire to put an end to unfair prac.
tices, unjustidable preferences and op.
pressive proceedings by which, apart
from proper economic advantages Of
superior skill n industry. rivals are
barred from equal Opportunities and
: thrust out OF the way or destroyed
"In our legislation and aamintstrs
tion, NE must favor no class. but pro
tect the interests Of al OF our cati