Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-31

schedule at a time. A general re-
| vision of the tariff almost inevitably
leads to log-roiling, and the subor-
dination of the general public inter
est to local and special interests.
The absence of effective state, and
especially national, restraint upon
unfair money-getttng 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 conditions
which enable these men to accumu-
late power which it is not for the
general welfare that they should
hold or exercise. We grudge no
man a fortune which represents his
W power and sagacity, when ex-
ercised with entire regard to the
welfare of his fellows. But the for
tune must be honorably obtained and
well used. 1t Is not eve enough
that 1t should have been gained
without doing damage to the com
muntty . We should permit 1t to be
gained only SO long as the gaining
represents benefit to the community.
This, / know, implies a policy of a
far more active governmental inter
ference with social and economic
conditions In this country than we
have yet had. but l think we have
got to face the fact that such an in
crease in governmental control is
now necessary.
No man should receive a dollar
unless that dollar has been fairly
earned. Every dollar received
| qhn,11d rnnrocanf n la11or'o "nrth IF
service rendered. The really big
fortune, the swollen fortune, by the
mere fact of it's size, acquires quail
ties which l~differentiate 1t in kind
as well as In degree from what Is
possessed by men of relatively small
means. Therefore l believe In a
graduated income tax ON big for
tunes, and in another tax which Is
far more easily collected and far
more eeffctive-a graduated inheri-
lance tax On big fortunes, properly
s~afeguarded against evasion, and in
creasing rapidly in amount with the
size of the estate.
The people of the United States
suffer from periodical financial pan
ics to a degree substantially I'M
known among the other nations,
which approach us in financial
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 sc thoroughly and
effectively revised as to make 1t GER
tain thta hereafter our currency Will
no longer fail at critical times to
meet our needs.
1t Is hardly necessary for me to
repeat that l believe In an efficient
army and a navy large enough to
secure for us abroad that respect
which is the surest guarantee of
peace. Justice and fair dealing
among nations rest on principles
identical with those which control
justice and fair dealing among the
individuals of which nations are
composed; with the vital exception
that each nation must do It's own
part In international police work.
National friendships, like those be-
tween men, must be founded on re-
spect as well as on liking, on for
b~earance as well as upon trust. In
all this 1t is peculiarly the duty of
the United States to set a good ex-
ample.
OF Conservation I shall speak
more at length elsewhere. Conser-
walton means development as much
as it does protection. | recognize
the right and the duty of this gem
Grafton to develop and use the nat
ural Il of our land, but l do
not recognize the right to waste
them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the
generations that come after us. The
natural resources must be used for
the benefit Of all our people and not
monopolized for the benefit of the
few. That is one of the fundamental
reasons why the special interests
must be driven out of politics. OF
all the questions which can come be-
fore this nation, short Of the actual
preservation of its existence In a
great war, there is none which COM
pares in Importance with the great
central task of leaving this land even
a better land for our descendants
than 1t is for us, and training them
into a better race to inhabit the LAND
and pass 1T on. Conservation Is. a
great moral issue, for 1t involves the
patriotic duty of insuring the safety
and continuance of the nation. Let
me add that the health and vitality
of our people are at least as we'll
worth conserving as their forests,
waters, lands, and minerals, and
that in this great work the national
government must bear a most i'm
portant part.
l have spoken elsewhere also of
the great task which lies before the
farmers of the country to get for
themselves and for their wives and
children not only the benefits of bet
ter farming, but also those of better
business methods and better condi-
tions of life on the farm. The bur-
den Of this great task will fall, as 1t
should, mainly upon the great organ
izations Of the farmers themselves.
| am glad it will, for / believe they
are well able to handle it. In par
ticular, there are strong reasons why
the Departments of Agriculture OF
the various states, the United States
Department of Agriculture, and the
agricultural colleges and experiment
stations should extend their work to
cover all phases of life on the farm,
instead of limiting themselves, as
they have far too often limited them
selves in the past, solely to the ques-
ton of the production of crops.
Nothing Is more true than that ex-
cess of every kind Is followed by re
action; a fact which should be pom
dered by reformer and reactionary
alike, We are face TO face with new
conceptions of the relations of prop.
erty to human welfare, chiefly be.
cause certain advocates of the rights
Of property as against the rights o.