The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-05

been overwhelmed with the reception
that he had received everywhere on the
trip. He said that the crowds and the
cheers were probably those that every
president received on such a tour, yet
this fact made them none the less well
come and none the less inspiring to
to be the central figure in the picture.
After spending today in San Fran
cisco, President Taft heads for tho
Yosemite valley.
President Taft was welcomed into
California at Red Blur by Governor
Gillette, Lieutenant Governor Porter,
Senator Perkins, former Secretary of
the Navy Victor Metcalf, M. H. De
Young, San Francisco, and other mem
bers of a committee gathered from
different sections of the state. Repre-
sentatives Mckinley and Knowles also
helped to extend CALIFORNIA; welcome
the car end at Dunsmuir, Cal, Presi-
dent Taft said:
From the Rear Platform.
ct am on a tour of some $4,000 miles
and am trying to gather information
as we go with reference to the condi-
ton of the country and at the same
time to give you superficial aspect
of the man whom it has been your
good or bad fortune to elect president
of the United States. I think that per-
sonal touch with the people and those
whom you honor by delegating author
around, SO that you may know when
I make my mistakes, and they are rep
resented to you with a great deal of
emphasis, that am still poor mortal
praying for assistance and hoping that
you will forgive human error.
Everywhere in this country I have
found evidence of prosperity, from
Boston to Portland, and if signs do
ness enterprise and expansion that has
never been seen in this country before.
Now with that I would not have you
forget that those are certain RESPONSE
bilities. We have had evils growing
out of our prosperity. Men have seized
power by means of accumulation of
wealth and it's use in methods that are
not legal and can not be approved by
way of monopoly and otherwise. Now
we are attempting by the general law
of the United States to suppress abuses
of that kind.
'They were brought to the attention
by my predecessor, Theodore Roose-
welt, and it is my duty to continue
those policies and enforce them as far
as I may, and put upon the statute
books, or at least recommend to con-
gress that they be put upon the statute
books, those laws that shall clinch the
progress which was made under him,
which he preached and which we all
look forward to as permanent condi-
ton.
But the difficulty is that whenever
is prosperous, when every
body is comfortable, then is the time
when our old friend Satan steps in and
helps along the evil cause. Then is the
time when we are apt to be inert and
enjoy the things we have without look
ing forward in the future, and seeing
that the evils will grow and ultimately
swamp US. 1t is to the people that we
must look for an enforcement of these
You should select your representa-
tives and have them know you are
them in congress and see that
they follow the line of enforcement.
"Of course we want prosperity, but
we wish prosperity in such way that
there shall be an equality of opportuni
ty among the individuals. so that ev-
erybody will get his share and that it
shall not be confined to few who
the means of production or
the means of transportation and thus
prevent that equality of distribution
which we all like to secure.
cit is a question of the enforcement
Of the law. I think Mr.. Roosevelt's
course is impressed upon the business
aud those gentlemen who
were prone to take the means of mon
opoly, the necessity for observing a
higher standard in business and that
they were willing to lay down those
other methods.
'.Now, my fellow citizens, I feel sure
that you are not only healthy in body,
but healthy in mind that you are in
favor of the good things; that you are
in favor of decent government; that you
are in favor of decent men and decent
women and that you look forward to
the future as a time when we shall all
grow better.
"The truth is that money and wealth
contribute nothing unless they enable
Is to make ourselves better, unless they
enable us to think of something of
others and to help others-those who
life.
1--WE all cannot devote our attention
20 somebody else all the time, for we
ave to look after ourselves and our
families; but I am sure that in the last
generation there has been improvement
throughout our country with reference
20 a charitable feeling toward all on
he part of each and desire on the
part of each to help ALL