Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1909-01-23
Presidents
Message Read
aa
To Congress

absence is most likely to be felt in
daily life. In whatever it has ac-
complished, or failed to accomplish,
the administration which is Just
drawing to close has at least seen
clearly the fundamental need of free
dom of opportunity for every citizen.
We have realized that TIE 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 no
other.
WORK OF ADMINISTRATION.
This administration has achieved
some things; it has sought, but has
not been able, to achieve others; it
has doubtless made mistakes; but all
1t has done or attempted has been in
the single, consistent effort to secure
and enlarge the rights and oppor-
tunities of the men and women of
the United States. We are trying to
conserve what is good in our social
system, and we are striving toward
this end when we endeavor to do
away with what is bad. Success may
be made too hard for some If it is
made too easy for others. The re-
wards of common industry and thrift
may be too small If the rewards for
other and on the whole less valu-
able. qualities, are made too large,
and especially If the rewards for
qualities which are really, from the
public standpoint, undesirable. are
permitted to become too large. Our
aim is so far as possible to provide
such conditions that there shall be
equality OF opportunity where there
is equality of energy, fidelity, and in
telligence; when there is a reason
able equality of opportunity the dis
tribution of rewards will take care
of itself.
OPPOSES MONOPOLY.
The unchecked existence of mon
opoly is incompatible with equality
of opportunity. The reason for the
exercise of government control over
great monopolies is to equalize op-
portunity. We are fighting against
privilege. 1t was made unlawful for
corporations to contribute money for
election expenses in order to abridge
the power of special privilege at the
polls Railroad rate control is an at
tempt to secure an equality of OPP
portunity for all men created by rail
transportation; and that means all OF
us
PUBLIC LAND POLICY.
Our public land policy has for its
aim the use of the public land so that
1t will promote local development by
! the settlement of home makers; the
policy we champion is to serve all the
people legitimately and openly, in
stead of permitting the lands to be
converted, illegitimately and under
over, to the private benefit of few
Our forest policy was established SO
that we might use the public forests
for the permanent public good In
stead of merely for temporary private
gain. The reclamation act, under
which the desert parts of the public
domain are converted to higher uses
for the general benefit, was passed SC
that more Americans might have
homes on the land.
PURE FOOD LAW.
The enactment of a pure food law
was recognition of the fact that the
: public welfare outweighs the right tC
private gain, and that no man may
poison the people for his private
profit. The employers liability bill
recognized the controlling fact thai
while the employer usually has al
stake no more than his profit. the
stake of the employe is a living FOL
himself and his family.
THE PANAMA CANAL.
We are building the Panama
canal; and this means that we are
engaged in the giant engineering