Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-04

encouraged by foreign governments in
this very field of competition?
"From Missouri"
american merchants feel that they
are at a very considerable disadvant-
age in contending against that. The
matter has been many times brought
to my attention. and I have each time
suspended judgment because In this
matter I am from Missouri and
want to be shown this. want to be
shown how that combination cap be
made and conducted in way that
wont close it against the use Of every
body who wants to use it.
A combination has a tendency to
to exclude new members. When a
group Of men get control Of good
thing they do not see any particular
point in letting other people into the
good thing. What l would like very
much to be shown, therefore, is a
method Of Cooperation, which is not
a method of combination, not that the
two words are mutually exclusive, but
We have come to have special mean
ing attached to the word 'combina-
ton Most of our combinations have
safety lock and you have to get the
combination to get in. want to know
how these cooperative methods can
be adopted for the benefit of every
body who wants to use them, and I
say frankly, if I can be shown that, I
am for them.
IF I cannot be shown that. I am
against them and I hasten to add
that I hopefully expect that 1 can be
shown"
The President said that he hoped
the organization would take steps to
obtain the opinion of small mer-
chants and bankers in the country
districts on the subject.
"As matter of fact" he continued,
"you do not have time to think in a
city: you can get what you call opin-
ions by contagion in a city and get
them very quickly but you do not al
ways know where the germ came
from. you have no scientific labora-
tory method by which to determine
whether it is a good germ or bad
germ.
There are thinking spaces in this
country and some of the thinking done
is very solid thinning indeed, = the
thinking of the sort Of meh shat we
love best, who think for themselves,
who do not see things as they are told
to see them, but look at them and see
for themselves and If they are told
they are white men they are not white
plainly say that they are black; men
with eyes and with a courage back
~ 10 ali
1.-The country is full of those men.
They have been singular1y reticent
some times, singulerly silent; but the
country is full of them, and what I
rejoice in is that you have called them
into the ranks Your methods are
bound to be democratic in spite Of you.
l did not mean Democratic with a big
D. though l have a private conviction
that you cannot be Democrats with a
small d. long without becoming Dem
ooratic with a big d. Still that is
just between ourselves The point is
that when we have concensus. of
opinion, when we have this common
counsel, then the executive processes
Of this government will be infinitely
Illuminated
Experience has taught him, the
President said not to try to dominate
any conference called to get the best
solution Of problem because com
mon counsel" always brings the best
results. Many millions dollars are
necessary to compound workable
method Of life in various and popu-
lous country" he said. "As I think
about the whole thing and picture the
purposes which we must conceive and
carry out, not only does 1t minister
to my own modesty, hope, Of opinion,
but it also fills me with a very great
enthusiasm.
ut is splendid thing to be part of
a great wide awake nation; it is a
splendid thing to know that your own
strength is infinitely multiplied by the
strength of other men who love the
country; it is a splendid thing to feel
that the wholesome blood of a great
country can be united, in a common
purpose and by frankly looking one
another in the face and taking coun-
sci with one another prejudices will
drop away and handsome understand
lngs will arise and a universal spirit
of service will be engendered and with
this increased sense Of community of
purpose will come a vastly enhanced
individual power of achievement, for
it will be elevated by the whole mass
of which we constitute a part"