Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-08-07

that he gets fair play that is ALL but that
is much without the watchfW iutcrfcr-
encc the rcsolute interference, of the
government, there can be no fair play
between individuals and such powerful
institutions as the trusts. Freedom to-
day is something more than being loft
alone The programme Of government
Of freedom must in these days be posi-
tive, or negative merely.
The only hope is in the release Of the
forces which philanthropic trust presi-
dents want to monopolizc. only the
emancipation the freeing and hcartcning
of the vital energies OF all the people
will redeem us. In all that I may have
to do in public affairs in the United
states I am going to think OF towns
such as 7 have seen in Indiana, towns
of the old American pattern, that own
and operate their own industries, hopeful
~ and happily NV thought is going to
he bent upon tho MULTIPLICATION of towns
~ that kind and tho prevention Of the
concentration Of industry in this country
in such fashion and upon such a scale
that towns that own themselves viii be
J impossible
You know what the vitality of Amer
lea consists Of. It's vitality does not lie
In New York, nor in Chicago II will not
he sappod by anything that happens IT
ST. Louis The vitality Of America lies
in the brains, the energies, the cnterpris'
Of the people throughout tho land, In thu
efficiency of their factories and in thu
richness of the fields that stretch heyon'
the borders of the town, In the wealth
which they extract from nature and orig
mate for themselves through the inven
tive genius characteristic of all free Am
crican communities.
THAT IS the wealth of America, and
America d,scourages the locality, tn
community. the self-contained town, sh
will Kill the nation A nation is as ric
as her free communities; she is not a
rich as her capital city or her metropo
lis. The amount of money in Wall stree
is no indication of the wealth Oh IN
American people. That indication can b
found only in the fertility of the Amer
. can mind and the productivity OF An
y crican industry everywhere throughot
. he United states. II America we're nc
" rich and fertile, there would be no none
10 in Wall Street. II Americans were NJ
Il vital and able to take care Of themselve
+ the great money exchanges would hrea
e down. The welfare, the very eXistenc
II Of the nation, rests at last upon the spir
o in which they go about their work
Z their several communities throughout tn
, broad land, In proportion as her towr
and her countrysidcs are happy and hop'
full will America realize the high amb
, ,ions which have marked her IN the eye
y, of all the world.
The welfare. the happiness, the enere
. and spirit Of the men and women who {
the daily work in our mines and factorie
on our railroads. in our offices and por
=, Of trade. on our farms and on the st
g is the underlying necessity of all pro
=. perity There can be nothing wholeson
:, unless their life IS wholesome; there ca
H. he no contentmcnt unless they are co
81 tented Their physical welfare affects Il
r soundness Of the Who'll" nation. Ho
ID would It suit the prosperity of the tr
p ted States. how would it suit business.
At have a people that went every day sad
In or sullenly to their work? How would &
a. future look to you If YOU felt that Z
r. aspiration had gone out of most men, t
r confidence of success, the hope that tn
err might improve their condition? DO "
t not see that Just as soon as the old SCI
confidence of America, Just so soon as h
old boasted advantage of individual Ii
erty and opportunity, is taken away,
the energy of her people begins TO su
side. to slacllen TO grow loose and pulp
- without fibre, and men simply cast abo
-, to see that the day does not end disa
"A trouslY with them?