The Yale expositor., 1909-01-29


The unchecked existence OF monop-
oily is incompa tible with equality of
opportunity. The reason for the ex-
ercise of government control over great
monopolies is to equalize opportunity.
We are fighting against privilege. IT
was made unlawful for corporations
to contribute money for election ex-
penses in order to abridge the power
of special privilege at the polls. Rail-
ROAD rate control is an attempt to Sc
cure an equality OF opportunity for all
men affected by rail transportation;
and that means all of us. The great
anthracite coal strike was settled, and
the pressing danger OF a coal famine
averted. because we recognized that
the control of a public necessity in
wolves duty to the people and that
public intervention in the affairs of a
public service corporation is neither
TO be resented as usurpation nor per-
mitted as a privilege by the corpora
lions. but on the contrary to be ac-
cepted as duty and exercised as a
right by the government in the in
terest of all the people. The eff
cheney OF the army and the navy has
been increased so that our people may
follow in peace the great work OF
making this country better place for
Americans to live in. and our navy
was sent round the world for the same
ultimate purpose All the acts taken
by the government during the last
seven years and all the policies now
being pursued by the Government, fit
in as parts of a consistent whole.
THE enactment of a pure food law
was 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 employers liability bill recog-
nized the controlling fact that while
h. l.. l.
more than his profit, the stake of the
employe is a living for himself and
his family
1--WE are building the Panama canal;
and this means that we are engaged
in the giant engineering feat of all
time. We are striving to add in all
ways to the habita bility and beauty OF
our country. We are striving TO hold
in the public lands 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 coun-
try life. and the improvement of our
waterways. We stand for the right
OF every child to childhood free from
grinding toll, and TO an educa tion for
the civic responsibility and decency
of every citizen; for prudent fore
sight in public matters and for fair
pidy III every TeldllOn OF our ndUOnaI
and economic life. In international
matters we apply system of diplo-
macy which puts the obligations Of
international morality on a level with
those that govern the actions of an
honest gentleman in dealing with his
fellow-men. Within our own border we
stand for truth and honesty in public
and in private life; and we war stern
ly against wrongdoers of every grade
All these efforts are integral parts
of the same attempt, the attempt to
enthrone justice and righteousness, to
secure freedom of opportunity to all
of our citizens. now and hereafter, and
to set the ultimate interest of all OF
us above the temporary interest OF
any individual, class. or group.
The nation, its government and its
resources exist, first of all for the
American citizen. whatever his creed.
race, or birthplace, whether he be rich
or poor. educated or ignorant. pro-
vided only that he is a good citizen.
ton for the rights and opportunities
which he owes to the nation.
THE obligations, and not the rights,
of citizenship increase in proportion to
the increase of mans wealth or
power. The time is coming when a
man will be judged. not by what he
has succeeded in getting for himself
well he has done his duty as a citizen.
and by what the ordinary citizen has
gained in freedom of opportunity be-
cause of his service for the common
good. The highest value we know is
that OF the individual citizen. and the
highest justice is to give him fair
play in the effort to realize the best
there is in him.
The tasks this nation has to do
are great tasks. They can only be
done at all by our citizens acting to-
gether, and they can be done best of
all by the direct and simple applica-
ton 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 IL exists. spells per-
petuity for the nation. civil and indus
trial liberty for it's citizens and
freedom of opportunity in the pursuit
of happiness for the plain American,
for whom this nation was founded, by
whom IL was preserved, and through
whom alone 1t can be perpetuated.
Upon this platform-larger than any
party differences, higher than class
prejudice, broader than any question
of profit and loss-there is room for
every American who realizes that the
common good stands first"
Accompanying the message are ex-
plantations and recommendations OF
work to be done for the future good of
the country. The president says: TT is
especially important that the develop
ment of water power should be guard
ed with the utmost care both by the
national government and by the states
in order to protect the people against
the upgrowth of monopoly and to in
sure to them n fair share in the bene-
fits which will follow the development
of this great asset which belongs to
the people and should be controlled by
them.
Il urge that provision be made for
both protection and more rapid devel-
opment of the national forests. other
wise. either the increasing use of these
forests by the people must be checked
or their protection against fire must
be dangerously weakened. If we
compare the actual fire damage on sim
liar areas on private and national for
est lands during the past year. the
government fire patrol saved CONNER
cial timber worth as much as the
total cost of caring for all national