The Hayti herald., 1909-01-28


cepted as n duty and exercised as q
right by the government in the in
terest of all the people. The eh-
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 a 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 consistent whole.
"Thc enactment of n 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
the employer usually has. at stake no
more than his profit, the stake OF the
employe is a living for himself and
his family.
I'VE are building the Panama canal;
and this means that we are engaged
In the giant engineering feat of all
time We arc striving to add In all
ways to the habitability 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 a childhood free from
grinding toll. and to 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 international
matters we apply a 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
enthronc 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 ignorant, pro-
vided only that he is a good citizen,
recognizing his obligations to the ma
| tlOn 1Or the rights ana 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
| from the common store, but by how
well he has done his duty as n 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 dc
are great tasks. They can only be
done al all by our citizens acting to.
gethcr. and they can be done best OF
all by the direct and simple a3plica
tion Of homcly common sense. The
application of common sense to common
problems for the common good, under
the guidance of the principles upor
which this republic was based. and by
virtue of which it exists spells per-
petuity for the nation, civil and indus.
trial 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 II was preserved. and through
whom alone ii can be perpetuated
Upon this platform-larger than an,
party differences. higher than class
| prejudice, broader than any question
of profit and losS--there is room 70
every American who realizes that tn
common good stands first"
Accompanying the message are ex
plantations and recommendations o
work to be done for the future good o
the country. The president says: 1T /
especially important that the develop
ment of water power should be guard
ed with the utmost care both by tn
national government and by the state
, in order to protect the people aGains
the upgrowth of monopoly and to in
, sure to them fair share in the bene
! fits which will follow the development
of this great asset which belongs I
the people and should be controlled b
; them.
Il urge that provision be made 70
both protection and more rapid dcvel
; | opment of the national forests. Other
I wise, either the increasing use of thes
| forests by the people must be checke
l or their protection against fire mus
be dangerously weakened. If w
compare the actual fire damage on sim
9 liar areas on private and national for
est lands during the past year. tn
government fire patrol saved CONNER
; cial timber worth as much as tn
4 total cost OF caring for all nations
D forests at the present rate for abou
ten years.
4 II especially commend to congros
| the facts presented by the commits
e sion as to the relation between for
. cstS and stream flow in its bearin
e upon the Importance of the fores
,. lands in national ownership. with
= out an understanding OF this ultimat
o relation the conservation of both thCs
e natural resources must largely fai