The Prescott daily news., 1909-01-22

whose presence or absence is most likely to be felt in daily life. In what ever it has accomplished or failed to accomplish the administration which is just drawing to a close has at least seen clearly the fundamental need of freedom of opportunity for every citi- zen. We have realized that the right of every man to live his own life, pro- vide for his family and endeavor, ac- cording to his abilities, to secure for himself and for them a fair share of the good things of existence should be subject to one limitation and to no other. The freedom of the individual should be limited only by the present and future rights, interests and needs of the other individuals who make up the community. We should do all in our power to develop and protect indi- vidual liberty, individual initiative, but subject always to the need of preserv- ing and promoting the general good. When necessary the private right must yield, under due process of law and N1ln iiOlftl iO lhC WIT fare of the commonwealth. The man who serves the community greatly should be greatly rewarded by the community. As there is great inequal- ity of service, so there must be great inequality of reward, but no man and no set of men should be allowed to play the game of competition with loaded dice.
 All this is simply good common sense. The underlying principle of conserva- tion has been described as the appli- cation of common sense to common problems for the common good. If the description is correct, then conserva- tion is the great fundamental basis for national efficiency. In this stage of the worlds history to be fearless, to be just and to be efficient are the three great requirements of national life.
 Administrations Aims Defended.
 Fhis administration has achieved rome things. It has sought, but has not been able, to achieve others. It has doubtless made mistakes, but all it has done or attempted has been in the single, consistent effort to secure and enlarge the rights and opportuni- ties of the men and women of the United States. We are trying to con- serve what is good in our social sys- tem, and we are striving toward this end when we endeavor to do away with what is bad. Success may be too easy for others. The rewards of common industry and thrift may be too small if the rewards for other and on the whole less valuable qualities are made too large, and especially if the rewards for qualities which are really, from the public standpoint, un- desirable are permitted to become too large.
 The unchecked existence of monop- oly is incompatible with equality of opportunity. The reason for the eXer- else 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 expenses In order to abridge the power of spe- cial privilege at the polls. Railroad rate control is m attempt to secure an equality of opportunity for all men af- fected by rail transportation, and that means all of us. The great anthracite coal strike was settled and the press iAg danger of coal famine averted because we recognized that the con- trol of a public necessity involves a duty to the people and that public intervention i'll the affairs of a public service corporation is neither to be resented as usurpation nor permitted as privilege by the corporations, but, on the contrary, to be accepted as q duty and exercised as a right by the government in the interest of all the people. The efficiency 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 IOI tht Sdllc ultlilldlt pulppSC. All tHc acts taken by the government during the last seven years and all the poli- cies now being pursued by the govern ment fit in as parts of a consistent whole.
 Measures For Country's Good.
 Our public land policy has for its aim the use of the public land so that it will promote local development by the settlement of homemakers The pol icy we champion is to serve all the