Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-04-17
TOM MARSHALL,S
STRONG SPEECH
Declares Desire of People Is for Far
Greater Equality of Opportunity
and Enjoyment.

A>SSAsAASo OSoAAS Va ECVPAC 40 AVA + dA
Greater Equality Of Opportunity
and Enjoyment.
New York, April l2.-Vice President
Tom Marshall served warning tonight
on men of vast wealth and on Especial
that the temper of the Amer
lean people had reached point where
it no longer would brook oppression.
He told the members of the National
Democratic club that the spirit of un-
rest was such that unless reckened with
the institutions of the government
might be jeopardized and the country
revert to paternalism or turn to social
ism.
Current opinion holds. justly or un-
justly, Z he said. "uhat the welfare of;
the people of this country depends not
a little upon the conduct of certain men
in this city of New York. l have con-
cluded, therefore, to beard the lion in
his denim the hope that he may hear.
Present advantage shuts our eyes
to the permanency of our institutions.
Not what we are nor what we stand for
but what we can make has come to be
the measure of governmental duty and
individual conduct. And, yet, despite
this theory of life, Carl Marx and hun
ger and longing for happiness are
abroad in the land. They are sitting as
unknown guests at every frugal meal.
They are peturbing the waking hours
and coioring the dreams of millions of
Americans who, after all, have the
right to say what shall or shall not be.
The vice president OF the United
States declared his warning was the re-
suit of observations in twenty-seven
northern states during the recent presi-
DENTAL campaign. Swollen fortunes
and the accumulation of great wealth
through governmental privileges grant
ed, he held, had much to do with the
discomfort.
Along with general prosperity has
come a marvellous piling up of colossal
private fortunes. Notwithstanding
CHARGES against me that have freely
assaulted the possessor of these for
tunes, | know in my own heart that
such view of my public utterances is
a mistaken one. Myassaults, if have
made any, have not been directed at the
possessor of the fortunes but at the
principles of government which contrib
ute. directly or indirectly, to the accu-
mutation of fortunes. The piling up of
colossal fortunes, supplemented by diff
fusion of knowledge, has made large
bodies of people restive.
''The desire of the people is for
greater quality of opportunity and
enjoyment More and more, men
are coming to the belief that social
ism alone will open up and guaran-
tee this equality. If were the pos
SCISSOR of a vast and growing fortune
and had made up my mind that the
government should continue to help
me make it grow, or if were a So
cialict, / would frown down upon the
educational system of America.
Have backward looking and in
ward-looking men ever stopped to
consider what might happen to them
here in the great state of New York
if those who have not, should take it
into their heads to make common
cause against those who have? The Y
talk about vested rights and in their
talks assume they have both an in
herent and constitution right to pass
their property down from generation
until some reckless decendent shall
have dissipated it. Suppose COVER
nor and general assembly in the
state of New York should repeal the
statute Of descents for real and per-
sonal property and the statute with
reference TO the making of wills, on
their death, how much vested interest
would any relative have in the prop
erty which fell from their nerveless
hands at the hour of dissilution? The
The right to inherit and the right to
devise are neither inherent nor con
stitutional but upon the contrary,
they are simply privileges given by
the state to it's citizens.
Let backward looking and inward
looking men read the returns of the
last election. Let them put ON masks
go down into the east side and hear
what people are saying about them.
Let them not close their eyes and
dream that what has been, forever
will be. All that man hath will he
give for this life and he is not wise
who, having plenty, risks it all to get
little more.
The belief that there is an unequal
distribution of wealth in this country
has been supplemented by the belief
that much Of it has been obtained
through special privilege, that 1t did
not come by labor, skill, industry,
barter OF trade. but through corners
- - "A =, ~ - :.