The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-17

SPOKE To Va.
GRADUATES
DISTINGUISHED STATESMAN
SPOKE TO STUDENTS OF
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Address Was on the Tendency
Of Our Times," and Was
Heard by Large Crowd.
(By Associated Press.)

plea for conservatism in politics, a
stop, look, listen" policy to guard
against hasty adoption of i'll consid-
cred proposals. was the keynote of
an address on "The Tendency of Our
Times" delivered at the University
Of Virginia today by Representative
Oscar w. Underwood, Of Alabama,
Democratic leader of the House of
| Representatives. 1t was a notable
| occasion at Charlottesville, with
many of those who have gone forth
from the university in the past re-
, assembled to pay tribute to their al
ma mater. Mr.. Underwood is prcsi-
| dent of the alumni and his son was
among the graduates.
Mr. Underwood preached the doc
trine of the political uplift. "There
are many changes" he said, taking
place today in the political, econom-
ic and industrial development of the
nation. TO the man lost in the maze
of his own business, who has not
the time or desire to climb to the
heights above his own personal de-
sires and ambitions, the way seems
dangerous and the onward march
beset with pcrils. But the man who
is not tied down by the personal
equation is able to realize that the
line of march leads to the progress
of mankind and uplift of society,""
Mr.. Underwood said the adoption
of two amendments to the constitu-
tion within the past year, one affect
ing tho political machinery of the
government and the other changing
the scale policy of the nation, clearly
demonstrated that there is a strong
sentiment In the country to break
away from the xed standards that
have conrolled the government in the
past and that an onward movement
Is leading to the adjustment of ma
tional life to new conditions AMI pro-
gressive ideals.
"No man." he added, "is 80 bold
as to declare that the recent consti-
tutional changes are not In the inter-
est of better government In the past
and that an onward movement Is
leading to the adjustment OF national
life to new conditions and progress
i've ideals.
mo man." he added, "is so bold
as to declare that the recent consti-
tutional changes are not In the inter-
est of better government for the
whole people and that they have not
equalized and strengthened our fiscal
system.
"Only few years ago political
party that contended that taxes on
consumption should be diminished
and that part OF the government
burdens should be borne by the
wealth of the country was hailed
before the bar of public opinion as
being guilty of extreme radicalism.
Yet even those who condemned the
proposal have enacted a law taxing
corporate wealth and have ceased
to protest against an equitable In
come tax that shall fairly distrib-
ute a part of the tax burdens Of the
government on incomes derived from
all classes of property. The tendency
of our times undoubtedly is toward
greater freedom OF thought, uplift
of humanity, abolishment of govern
] mental privilege, equalization OF the
| taxation burdens and an open, hon.
est administration Of the laws.
what may be regarded as radical
today may be the inner citadel Of
conservatism tomorrow. T he danger
that confronts us In the onward
march Of the nation comes from the
hasty adoption Of ill-consI1ered pro-
posals, sometimes coming from hon
est but ill-advised advocates Of real
progress, and as often coming from
the cunning hirelings of reactionary
interests who would under the name
of progress start false movement
RI rnislead and confuse in the hone
that they may delay the day when
special privilege shall be divorced
from our economic and government
tai system. We should move for
| ward with conservatism that will
avoid a reaction In public sentiment
| and abandon a radical on-rush that
may lead to disaster or delay the ac-