The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-09-01


expect from the Bureau of Corporations
and from the Interstate Commerce Com
mission very high grade of public serv-
ice. We should be as sure of the proper
conduct of Interstate railways and the
proper management of Interstate bust
ness as we are now sure of the conduct
and MANAGEMENT of the National banks
and we should have as effective super
vision in one case as in the other TIE
Hepburn act and the amendment to that
act in the shape in which it finally passed
congress at the last session, represent a
long step in advance and we must &C yet
further
There is a widespread belief rmons
our people that, under the methods OF
making tariffs which have hitherto OBJ
tanned, the special interests are too in
fiuential Probably this is true of both
the big interests and the little interests
These methods have put a premium on
selfshness, and naturally the selfish big
interests have gotten more than the sell
fish small interests. The duty of congress
is to provide method by which the IN
terest of the whole people shall be all
that receives consideration. To this emo
there must be an expert tariff comnlis-
sion, wholly removed from the possibility
of political pressure or of improper DUST
ness influence. Such commission can
of production, which is mainly the differ
ence of labor cost here and abroad AS
fast as it's recommendations are mace.
believe in revising one schedule at uihe.
A general revision of the tariff almost IN
evitably leads to log-rolling, and the SUD
ordination of the general public interest
to local and special interests.
The absence Of effective state, ana
especially National, restraint upon UNFAIR
money getting has tended to create a
small class Of enormously wealthy and
economically powerful men, whose chief
object is to hold and increase their power.
The prime need is to change the condl-
lions which enable these men to accumu-
late power which 1t is not for the general
welfare that they should hold or exercise.
We grudge no man a fortune which rep
resents his own power and sagacity, when
exercised with entire regard to the well
fare of his fellows. But the fortune must
be honorably obtained and well used. 1t
Is not even enough that 1T should nave
been gained without doing damage to the
community. We should permit 1t 70 be
gained only so long as the. gaining rep
resents benefit to the community. This,
I know. implies a policy of a far more
active governmental interference with So
cial and economic conditions in this coun-
try than we have yet had but think we
have got to face the fact that such an
increase in governmental control is now
necessary.
Income and Inheritance Taxes.
No man should receive a dollar unless
that dollar has been fairly earned. Every
dollar received should represent dollars
worth of service rendered. The really
big fortune, the swollen fortune, by the
mere fact of its size, acquires qualities
which differentiate 1t in kind as well as
In degree from what is possessed by men
of relatively small means. Therefore
>believe in a graduated income tax on big
fortunes. and in another tax which Is far
more easily collected and far more eff
fective-a graduated inheritance tax on
big fortunes, properly safeguarded
against evasion, and increasing rapidly
in amount with the size of the estate.
The people of the United States suffer
from periodical financial panics to de-
gree substantially unknown among the
other nations which approach us In finan-
cial strength. There Is no reason we
should suffer what they escape. 1t Is OF
profound Importance that our financial
system should be promptly Investigated
and so thoroughly and effectively re-
vised as to make it certain that hereafter
our currency will no longer fail at criti-
cal times to meet our needs.
It is hardly necessary for me to repeat
that I believe in an efficient army and
a navy large enough to secure for Us
abroad that respect which Is the sures1
guarantee Of peace. Justice and fair deal.
ing among nations rest on principles
Identical with those which control justice
and fair dealin~ among the individuals OF
which nations are composed; with the
vital exception that each nation must de
it's own partin international police work
National friendships, like those between
men, must be founded on respect as wei
as on liking, on forbearance as well as
upon trust In all this it Is peculiarly the
duty of the United States to set good
example.
OF conservation I shall speak more Al
length elsewhere. Conservation mean:
development as much as 1T does protec
ton. I recognize the right and the duty
of this generation to develop and use the
natural resources of our land. but I de
not recognize the right to waste them, o.
to rob, by wasteful use, the generation:
that come after us. The natural resource!
must be used for the benefit of all oul
people and not monopolized for the bene
fit of the few. That is one of the funda
mental reasons why the special Interests
must be driven out of politics. OF all thu
questions which can come before THU
Nation, short of the actual preservation
of it's existence in a great war, there Il
none which compares in Importance witt
the great central task of leaving Thu
land even a better land for our descen
dants than it is for us, and training then
into a better race to inhabit the land ant
pass it on Conservation is great mora
issue for 1t involves the patriotic dut!
of insurng the safety and continuance
Of the Nation. Let me add that tn
health and vitality of our people are a
least as we'll worth conserving as thef
forests, waters, lands, and minerals, ant
that in this great work the National gov
eminent must bear a most importan
part.
I have spoken elsewhere also Of tn
great task which lies before the farm
ers Of the country to get for themselve
and for their wives and children not onl.
the benefits Of better farming. but ais
those of better business methods ant
better conditions Of life on the farm. TIL
burden of this great task will fall. as
should, mainly upon the great organiza
lions of the farmers themselves. I an
glad ii will. for I believe they are wei
able to handle it. In particular, Their
are strong reasons why the department
Of agriculture Of the various states. tn
United States. department of agriculture
and the agricultural colleges and expert
ment stations should extend their worl
to cover all phases of life on the farm
instead of limiting themselves, as the.
have far too often limited themselves Il
the past, solely to the question Of tn
production Of crops.
Human Welfare Comes First.
Nothing is more true than that exces
Of every kind is followed by reaction;