The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-01-28

rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit. sof
happiness. II we of this generation de-
dren would otherwise derive their liveli-
hood, we reduce tho capacity of our land
to support q population. and 80 either
the coming generations of their right TO
life on his continent. IL we allow
great industrial orga ~ A. to exercise
duction n the necessaries OF life, we de-
prive the Americans of today and of the
future Of industrial liberty, q right no less
precious and vital than political freedom;
Industrial liberty was a fruit OF political
liberty, and in turn has become one of
It's chief supports, and exactly as we
stand for political democracy so we must
stand for industrial democracy.
Real Rights.
The rights to life and liberty are funda-'
mental, and like other fundamental neces-
stiles, when once acquired. they are little
happiness is the right whose presence or
absence is most likely to be felt In daily
life. In whatever it has accomplished, or
failed to accomplish, the administration
which is Just drawing to a close has at
least seen clearly the fundamental need.
of freedom Of opportunity for every citi-;
zen. We have realized that the right Of
for his family, n endeayor. according to
his abilities, to secure for himself and for
them a fair share Of the good things Of
ton n to no other. The freedom of
the Individual should be limited only by
the present and future rights. interests
make up the community. We should do,
all in our power to develop and protect
individual liberty, individual initiative. but
and promoting the general good. When
necessary, the private right must yield.
under due process OF law \ with proper
monwealth. The man who serves the
community greatly should be greatly re-
warded by the community: as there Is
great inequality Of service SO there must
be great inequality OF reward; but no
man and no set of men should be allowed
to play the game of competition with
loaded dice.
All this is simply good common sense.
The underlying principle of conservation
has been described as the application of
common sense to common problems for
the common good. If the description is
correct. then conservation is the great
fundamental basis for national efficiency.
In this stage of the worlds history to be
fearless, to be just, and to be efficient
tional life. National efficiency Is the res
suit of natural resources well handled, OF
freedom of opportunity for every man.
and of the inherent capacity. trained
ability. knowledge and will, collectively
and individually to use tina opportunity.
Some Mistakes, Perhaps.
The administration has achieved some.
things; it has sought. but has not been
pbiC, W ~ SNAAS - ~ Soc
made Mistakes; but all it has done or at
tempted has been in the single, consistent
| effort to secure and enlarge the rights.
and opportunities OF the men and women
of the United States. We are trying to
conserve what is good In our social sys-
TEN, and we are striving toward this end
is bad. Success may be made too hard for
some if it Is made too easy for others.
The rewards of common industry and
| thrift may be too small If the rewards for
other, and on the whole less valuable,
| qualities, are made too large, and espe-
| cially if the rewards for qualities which
desirable. are permitted to become too
large. Our aim is SO far as possible to
provide such conditions as there shall be
a quality of opportunity where there IS
gence; when there is reasonable equality
of opportunity, the distribution OF rewards
will take care of itself.
The unchecked existence of monopoly is
incompatible with equality OF opportunity.
The reason for the exercise of govern
ment control over great monopolies is to
equalize opportunity. We are fighting
| against privilege
Our public land policy has Cor its s:in
the use of the public land so that it will
promote local development by the settle
ment of home makers: the policy we
champion is to serve all the people legi-
timately and openly, Instead of permitting
the lands To be converted, ill~egitimately
and under cover, to the private benefit of
Il few. Our forest policy was established
SO that We might use the public forests
for the permanent public good. instead of
merely for temporary private gain. The
reclamation act, under which the desert
parts of the public domain are converted
to higher uses for the general benefit, was
passed SO that more Americans might
have homes on the land.
These policies were enacted into law
and have justified their enactment. Others
have failed, SO far, to reach the point
of action. Among such is the attempt
to secure public control of the open range
\ -,,1 4l,t. - nN-n ifr n,,~a - 49,.
of the small man, who is the home maker
instead OF allowing it to be controlled by
a few great cattle and sheep owners.
recognition of the fact that the public
welfare outweighs the right to private
gain, and that no man may poison the
people for his private profit. The en-
ploYers' liability bill recognized the con
trolling fact that white the employer
usually has at stake no more than his
for himself and family.
The Canal.
We are building the Panama canal: and
this means that we are engaged in the
giant engineering feat of all time. We
itality and beauty, of our country. We
are striving to hold in the public hands
the remaining supply of unappropriated
coal. for the protection and benefit of all
the people. We have taken the first steps
toward the conservation of our natural re
sources, and the betterment of country
1 lie, ana Tie improvement OIL our water
ways. We stand for the right of every
child TO a childhood free from grinding
toll, and to an education; for the civic re-
sponsibility and decency of every citizen;
FOR prudent foresight in public matters,
and for fair play in every relation of our
national and economic life.
The tasks this nation has to do are
great tasks. They can only be done al
all by our citizens acting together, and
they can be done best of all by the direct
and simple application of homely common
sense. The application of common sense
to common problems for the common
good, under the guidance of the principles
upon which this republic was based. and
by virtue of which it exists, spells per
petuity for the nation, civil and industrial
liberty for its citizens, and freedom Of
opportunity in the pursuit of happiness
for the plain American, for whom this
nation was founded, by whom It was pre-.
served, and through whom alone 1t car
be perpetuated. Upon this platform
larger than party differences, higher thar
class prejudice, broader than any ques.
ton of profit and 1oss-there Is room fol
every American who realizes that the
common good stands first.
The National Conservation commission
wisely confined its report to the state
ment of facts and principles. leaving the
executive to recommend the specific step!
to which these facts and principles In
evitably lead. Accordingly, I call you
attention to some of the larger feature:
! of tl,a eJt1,ofinn 1icnlnSaI NV THO ranprt