The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-01-29
able equality OF opportunity the ais
trlbution Of rewards Will take care

"The unchecked existence of monop-
oily rs Incompatible with equality OF
opportunity. The reason for the eN-
ercise of government control over great
monopolleB IL to equalize opportunity.
We are nghting against privilege. II
was made unlawful for corporations
20 contribute money for election ex-
pensos 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 raj. transportation:
and that means all of us, The great
anthracite coal strike was settled, ana
the pressing danger OF coal famine
avertod. because we recognized that
the control OF public necessity in
wolves duty to the people, and that
public Intervention In the Affairs OF
public service corporation Ia neither
to be resented as usurpation nor per-
mitted as a privilege by the corpora
lions, but on the contrary to be sc-
cepted as n duty and exercised as
right by the government In the In
terest OF all the people. The ell
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 tho 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, mt
in as parts of n consistent whole.
THE enactment of pure food law
was n recognition OF the fact that the
public welfare outwcighs the right to
private gain. and that no man may
poison the people for his private proiit
The employers liability bill recog-
fized the controlling fact that while
the employer usually has at stake no
more than his profit, the stake OF the
employe In living for himself and
his family
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 10 the Availability and beauty of
our country. We are striving to hold
In the public lands the remaining
supply OF inappropriate coal. for tho
protection and benefit OF all the people.
We have taken the FIRST steps toward
the conservation of our natural re-
sources, and the bettcrment OF coun-
try life. and the improvement OF our
waterways. We stand for the right
of every child to n childhood free from
grinding toll. and 10 an education; for
the civic responsibility and decency
of every citizen; for prudent fore
sight In public matters and for fair
play In every relation OF our national
and economic life. In internn tionnl
matters we apply system of diplo-
macy which puts the obligations OF
international morality on level with
those that govern the actions OF an
honest gentleman in dealing with his
fellow men within our own border wa
stand for truth and honesty in public
and in private life; and We war stern
~ 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
lis 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 no IL good citizen,
recognizing his obligations to the ma
ton for the rights and opportunities
which he owes to the nation.
THE obligations. and not the rights.
OF citizenship Increase in proportion to
power. The time Is coming when q
man will be judged. not by what he
has succeeded in getting for himself
from the common store. but by how
well he has done his duty as 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
IA oh nat ~ 10 20 fFfKH CT
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-
Rether, and they can he done best of
all by the direct and simple appllca-
tion 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-
pctuity 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 IT was preserved. and through
whom alone IL can be perpetuatcd.
Upon this plntform--larger than any
prejudice. broader than any question
OF profit ana loss--therc is room for
every American wao realizes that tho
common good stands first"
Accompanying the message are ex-
plantations and recommendations OF
work to he done for the future good of
the country, The president says: 1T is
especially important that the develop
ment Of water power should be guard
cd 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 hene-
fits which will follow the development
of this great asset which belongs 10
the people and should be controlled by
them
II urge that provision be made for
both protection and more rapid deyei.
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 II 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
forests at the present rate for about
ten years.