Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-16
Roosevelt Says New Greed
Is Not Revolution.
Merely Applies Old Mora|ities
To Modern Conditions.
Speaks With Unusual Earnestness
At County Fair.

OS olCA Lay, ~. =, oSpts AASo
lore Roosevelt said today that he is
not talking revolution in declaring his
new political creed. Neither is he
making an appeal to mob rule. In
staunch defence of his doctrine OF
the New Nationalism' he says he
was merely urging the application OF
old molalities to modern conditions.
At the same time, he answered with
spirit those who have been opposing
him and holly denounced newspapers
which he said attacked honest public
men.
Col. Roosevelt's address was deliv-
cred at the Suffolk County fair at
Riverhead in the western end Of Long
island. He rode about 120 miles in
an automobile to and from Riverhead
and spoke to a great crowd on the
fair grounds.
The Coloners exposition of New
Nationalism" came at the close of
speech in which he also denounced
dishonest corporations, dishonest men
OF wealth and political bosses.
Il have noticed a good deal of COM
ment on my speech on new national
ISM" he said. "All that new nation
alisln means is the application of GER
tain old time moralities to the changed
conditions of the day.
Il wish to see greater governmental
efficiency because we have to deal
with greater business efficiency.
Simple laws are all that are neces-
sary in small communities where there
is no big business and each man
works for himself When you get
masses of wealth gathered together,
and great corporations developing,
conditions then become so changed
that there must be an increase in gov
ornamental activity to control the
wealth for business efficiency
81 would no do any wrong thing to
the great corporation, but l don't in
tend to rely only on the big corpora
tons good nature to see that the
corrortion doesn't do harm against
US. l want to see such control OF the
wealth now gathered for business
uses as to favor the honest man VINO
uses the wealth genuinely for the ser
vice OF the public and to make the
dishonest men feel that he has to 90
what is right; and if he doesn't feel
it we shall sec to it that he does.
THAT is my whole creed. That is
all there is in it. There is no revolu-
ton in it. There is no appeal TO MOB
rule. On the contrary, l recognize
mob violence as an enemy of the pub
lie good just as much as ldWless
wealth. I am against the poor man
who is guilty OF the crime of laWless
violence and when it is in my power.
l shall try to punish him for his mis-
deeds, Just as, whenever l nave the
power. | will join with those that see
to it that the corrupt man of wealth
is good--not because he likes it, but
because he has to be-" Col. Roosevelt
spoke with even more than customary
earnestnrss. shaking his clenched fiss
in the air as he stood on the platform
opposite the crowded grandstand His
words were received with cheers.
II have no hostility to corporations
as SUCH" he continued. II recognize
the corporation has it's rights and IS
entitled to full protection in the eX-
ercise of those rights. But the cor
ppration is not entitled to vote or the
ownership of any public man. ] be-
lieve in doing all We can do to in
crease the chance of the average man.
10 give MIN q ldlTel opportunity loi
an even start in the race of life. |
believe in warning mercilessly against
special interests, because l think that
we can be true to our ideals only il,
together with exceptional rewards for
the exceptional man, we do our hest
to get fair conditions for the aver
age man. 1 think We can do a good
deal by law to remedy the more sa-
lent evidences of injustice around us.
Put the chief factor in a mans ul-
innate success must be the sum of
the mans own qualities.
Insist upon justice. Take away
the improper power which the pres
ent system does give to special inter-
ests. Divorce special privilege from
politics. The strength of the bosses
lies more in their alliance with special
privileges than in anything else. That
is ono of the reaons l am against the
bosses. big or little"
AS for rich malefactors, he believed
that the very men who get rich by
gambling in the securities of the rail-