The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-11

oily and control prices.
More than that, in the whole fifty
years, and especially in the early stage
of development of the country, when
the pioneers and the early settlers
were anxiously looking to the deveI-
opment OF the country, they by popu-
lar vote and through their legislatures
and in all other wyas favored the in
Vitation to capital to help develop vir-
gin territory. And this led to the
granting of chartered privileges and
of direct donations of land and money
out of the public treasury. The money
given, of course, was spent, but in
many instances there was left a bur
den of municipal, county and state
debt, all of which survived to plague
the successors of those people who had
so eagerly assumed the obligations
The vast resources Of the country
in the west which then seemed so
cheap were parted with by the public,
to turn up in the hands of corporate
agents and to have an enormous value
completely changed the attitude of the
people and startled them into the ne
cessity for a direct change of policy.
Praises Work of Roosevelt.
Then the money which corporations
had at their disposal to protect their
privilege and property, and even to ex-
tend them, was not infrequently used to
corrupt the instrumentalities of govern
ment, and to obstruct the Immediate
expression of the will of the people in
the change of laws, the closer reguIa-
ton of every public utility corporation.
and the closest and narrowest scrutiny
in the further granting of public fran
chises.
During the administration of nv
distinguished predecessor, and by his
appeals to congress and to the public
the people, and especially the business
ia
sity for action. The great public benefit
arising from this movement cannot he
overestimated.
1t put the people on guard in every
state and in every community In the
sphere of national legislation the anti
trust law and the interstate Commerce
law were both passed some time before
this movement reached it's height The
problems to be met were new for this
country, the legislation adopted to solve
them was matter of experiment
The issues presented to The courts in
the construction of the statutes were
full of difficulty and doubt, and needed
time and a presentation of a number of
cases and their consideration before
Clarity could be affirmed in the con-
slructlon of the statute The first step,
and the most important however. was
the stirring of the people to the nature
OF the crisis that they had to meet, and
the obstacles they had to overcome.
Puts Progressives in Glasses.
The term progressive therefore
includes all of those who have been
moved to efforts of reform by the ne
sessIty Tor legislative and governmental
action TO deprive corporate capital and
lndue vested privilege of its political
power, and to bring about proper popu-
ar ana governmental control and regu-
duoh OF the use of capital in legitimate
venues .tIll ana for legitimate purposes.
IN addition to the elimination of the
'ontrol of the undue influences of cor
lorate wealth and privilege in orr noH-
lcdI ana economic matters, there is an
,ther wide field for progressive action
nat the altruistic tendencies of the 90
-elop. N -"
Government is framed for the yrea+-
ST good for the greatest number and |
-iso Tor the greatest good of the indi
ldual and the problem presented is |
ne balancing of those two objects in |
ide by side. -
The futility of every socialistfc
which destroys the right of
property for the uplift of humanity 10
nat 1t IS impossible to find a s11ffi-
leHtly strong motive for labor or for
Equality of Opportunity.
Without this the wealth Of +ba
VorIo could not increase to meet the
'enands for the living and comfort
Ina Ina increased physical happiness of
ne growing population But while
We would not part with the right of
property, and while possibly in certain
directions we might be wilIing 70
nodlfy the character of its use who're
mas turned out to be an abuse as
n the case of the anti-trust law
Vhat We are all struggling for. What
We all recognize as the highest ideal
n society," is equality of Opportunity
or every member born into it.
or course, perfect equality of on
'ortunity is impossible. some men
re born strong and some men weak.
ONE men with strong and some men
With feeble brains. But Iegislation
an be and ought to be directed to
emoving all the artificial restraints
nd distractions that prevent this
quality of opportunity. Under the
eHersonian ideal it was thought that
ne least government of mankind was
he best, and that the more nearly the
unclonS of the government were
onhned to the admin Stration of JUS
ice and to the enforcement of law
he better.
Growth of Socialism.
But under present conditions of ]
opulation and civilization there are j
lany functions the government can
lore effectively and economically per-
orm than private enterprise, and in {
his way the individuals among the /
provision for the legislative ]
ischarge of such functions by the |
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