Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-09-09
A Great Purpose.
Everything useful is a seat of war

Everything useful is a seat of war
Theodore Roosevelt, scholar, patriot
and worthy exponent of the new nation
alism, evidently regards himself as the
much needed advocate of a great popu-
lar purpose to wit, social Justice, rather
than as a spellbinder for any one par
ticular political party. And it is as a
sociologist we should regard him in
stead of as an available candidate for
some official position which would limit
his great capabihty for public service.
The ex-president, obsessed as he is 10y
passi onate desire for general welfare,
and besides greatly moved 10y his keen
perception of the trend of things in our
so-called government OF, for and 10y the
people, is naturally inpatient and con
temptuous of the tactics of the many in
politics for what there is in it for them
selves: and is through that very IN
tensity of his high ambition and impa-
tience of contradiction the one to urge
progress rather than to dictate legisIa-
ton. Mr. Roosevelt is giving his best
service at this particular time 10y voic-
ing the sentiments of himself and other
highminded men and resolving all Sug-
gestions into well defined purpose that
cannot be impeached. Now the more
we appreciate the nobility and necessity
of the purpose advanced the less we
think of the really unimportant man
nerism and apparent disregard of Gus,
tomary methods of advancing the in
terests of partizans. As to the manner.
ism which is so severely criticised. If
our strenuous advocate Of social justice
could speak without any variation OF
manner until the purpose was fully
realized we should not grow weary of
the matter. A purpose called the New
Nationalism, through the roble effort of
great man, is here to stay but nobody
supposes that it is to be represented in
its entirety to the people in the form OF
a party platform, to be written into law
in one term of Congress.
For the great up-tc.date purpose is
almost as important as the Constitution
written in despite of "a most strenuous
opposition due to reasonable dread OF
the possibilities of the Nationalism then
under consideration.
If readers carefully consider each OF
the propositions embodied in the New
Nationalism they can estimate the OPP
position likely to be advanced by those
whose affairs are already somewhat in.
volved in political business. And then
too, there will be opposed to the great
purpose the arguments of teachers sup
porting the idea that much of the pur
pose could be entrusted to the extremely
slow going operation of natural law
From information (given in the Boston
Herald) we find that the chief advocate
of compulsory righteousness, in business
affairs, ex-presdent Roosevelt, would
have enacted the following propositions
ILLUMINATION of special interest from
politics. Complete and effective pub
licity of corporation affairs. Passage Of
laws prohibiting the use of corporate
funds, directly or indirectly, for po1ti
cal purposes Government supervision
of the capitalization not only of public
service corporations, but of all corpora
tions doing an interstate business. Per
sonal responsibility of officers and direc
tors of corporations that break the law
Increased power of the federal bureau o
corporations and the interstate com
merce commission to control iudustr,
more effectively. Revision of the tariff
one schedule at time, on the basis o
/ information furnished by an exper
tariff commission. Graduated ncom,
tax, and graduated inheritance tax. Re
: adjustment of the country's financia
/. system in such way as to prevent rope
tition of periodical financial panics
, Maintenance of AN efticient army and
r navy large enough to insure the respec
, of other nations as a guarantee of peace
, Use of national resources for the bene
| fit of all the people. Extension of tn
| work of the department of agriculture
: colleges and experiment stations so a
to take all phases of life on the farm
, Regulation of the terms and condition
| of labor by means of comprehensive
workmen's compensation acts, state ant