New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-28

ated- He says OF II: IT Is one OF the most fun
damentally important documents ever laid be-
fore the American people" and again referring
to IT he says: LAS it stands It Is an irrefutabls
proof that the conservation Of resources Is
the fundamental question before this nation,
and that our first and greatest task is to our
house In order and begin to live within our
means"
RoosEvELrs OWN WORDS
Doubtless no one is better able to sum up the
aims and purposes Of the Roosevelt adrnlnistra-
ton than Mr. Roosevelt himself. and therefore
his own words are here given at some length
He says:
The policy Of conservation is perhaps the most
typical example Of the general policies which
this government has made peculiarly its own
during the opening years OF the present century.
The function Of our government Is 70 insure to
all it's citizens now and hereafter, their rights
to life liberty and the pursuit OF happiness II
we of this generation destroy the resources from
which our children would otherwise derive their
livelihood, reduce the capacity OF cur land
to support population. and so either degrads
the standard of living or deprive the coming
generations Of their right to life on this CONT
nent If we allow great industrial organizations
to exercise unregulated control Of the means OF
production and the necessar1es or LIE, we de-
prtye the Americans Of to-day and OF the future
of industrial liberty right no less precious and
vital than political freedom Industrial liberty
was a fruit OF political liberty, and IN turn haS
become one Of its chief supports. and exactly
as We stand for political democracy we must
The rights to life and liberty are fundamental,
and like other fundamental necessities, when
once acquired. they are little dwelt upon Ths
right to the pursuit OF happiness IS the right
whose presence or absence is most likely 20 Be
felt in daily life. In whatever 1t has accom-
plished, or failed to accomplish, the admins
tration which is Just drawing 10 close has az
least seen clearly the fundamental need or free
dom Of opportunity for every citizen We have
realized that the right Of every man to live his
own life provide for his family. and endeayor.
according to his abilities. to secure Ior himself
oP he odd Hfv1= =
existence should be subject TO one limitation
and to no other. The freedom Of the individual
should be limited only by the present and tut
ure rights interests. and needs OF the other in
dividuals who make up the community. Wa
should do all in our power TO develop and pro
tect individual liberty individual initiative. but
subject always to the need OF preserving and
promoting the general good When necessary.
the private right must yield, under due process
~ law and with proper compensation. TO the
welfare Of the commonwealth The man who
| serves the community greatly should De greatly
rewarded by the community. as there Is great
| inequality Of service there must be great
| inequality Of reward; but no man and no set q
men should be allowed 70 play the game OF COM
petition with loaded dice
Our aim is, so far as possible. 70 provide such
| conditions that there snalI De equanSy OF OF
| portunity where there is equality or energy
| fidelity and intelligence; when there IS a rea-
| sonabe equality Of opportunity the DISTRIBUTION
i Of rewards will take care OF itself
| The unchecked existence OF monopoly IS in
compatible with equality OF opportunity. Ihs
| reason for the exercise OF government control
over great monopOlies is TO equalize opportunity.
| We are fighting against privilege II vas MADE
| unlawful for corporations 10 contribute money
\ for election expenses in order 70 abrldge th9
mower Of special privilege at the polls Railroad
rate control is attempt TO secure ar equalty
! Of opportunity for all men affected BY rau
| TRANSFORMATION; and that means all OF US Tho
great anthracite coal strike was settled ana tna
| pressing danger OF a coal FAMINE avzrtea o.
| necessity involves duty TO the people, ana
that public intervention IN the affairs OF pub
| lie service corporation is neither TO De resented
| as us,1rpation nor permitted as a privilege bY
] the corporations, but, on the contrary, 20 %
! accepted as a duty and exercised as a right BY
the government in the interest OF all the people
! The efficiency of the army and the navy mas
| been increased so that our people may follow
IN peace the great work Of making this country
. q better place for Americans 70 live IN. and
| our navy was sent around the world ror tne
! the government during the last seven years ana
/ all the policies now being pursued by the gov
| eminent At in as parts OF a consistent Wnoie
| WOULD CONTROL ALL CORPORATIONS
! In accordance with this line o: thought. the
/ President startled the conservatives with me
| declaration that "in the interest Of the whoi9
| people the nation should. without interfering
with the power Of the states IN the matter ltselI
| also assume power Of supervision and regula-
] ton over all corporations doing an in1ersId'7
| business
! At the instance OF the President numerous
! prosecution for violations OF the interstate
! commerce law were instituted. resulting n
| approximately one hundred and thirty indict-
| meuts and something more than thirty-nve con-
victions while a number OF cases are still pend
| ing So too many of the larger trusts were
| prosecuted for violations Of the sherman anti
| trust law and numerous important victories
| gained Notable among these was the dlssoiu-
| ton of the Northern Securities Company IN
! 1902: the granting Of injunction against ms
! Beef Trust, and some nineteen decisions against
I
! Company having for its purpose the dissoIu-
/ ton of the trust is still pending. The last OF
the lotteries in this country have been driven
/ out by the activities OF the Department OF Jus
| tice and peonage. which for time thrived u
| the South has been abolished
I, Early in the Roosevelt administration the
j strike Of the anthracite coal miners threatened
the country with coal famine and untold SUI
fering. The President. determined If possible TO
force cessation of the strike. called into exist
! ence the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission.
| secured the approval Of the movement from FOR
| mer President Grover Cleveland by inviting him
| TO membership on the commission and when ne
! declined appointed Judge George Gray, a dis
| t!nguished Democrat, a member The nine
| owners were compelled by the force OF public