New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31


every man must in reasonable meas
ure be his brothers keeper and, sec
ond, that every citizen in such q de
mocracy must accept with his whole
heart the principle that his first duty
in war or in peace is to serve the ma
ton.
Need Business Laws.
consequently il is said by some one
blind to industrial tendencies that the
nation has no right 10 regulate the
activities of the great successful bust
ness men. Occasionally II is said by
some unworthy would-be labor leader
that the workingman owes nothing to
the country because there is not
enough Of such regulation IN his IN
terest.
Each statement must be emphatical-
" repudiated by every patriot. If any
man. whether workingman or capitalist.
believes that he owes nothing to this
country. then the sooner he gets out Of
the country the better, for he is unfit
10 do good TO himself or TO any one
else. Such a man is not entitled TO
claim companionship with you veterans
o6 the Civil War who are here to-day.
He is unfit TO live in the land which Is
proud Of the memory of your deeds.
"On the other hand, the great bust
ness men must recognize more and
more that there must be full and frank
cooperation between them and the gov
eminent 10 secure the public welfare.
On the part Of the government this CO.
operation must be given with the sin
cere desire 10 increase the efficiency OF
our Industrial organization, not TO
hamper il. and with full recognition of
the fact that much of modern industry
must be carried on by great industrial
units
The aim Of government should be
not 10 destroy these units, but, while
encouraging them, TO regulate them IN
the interests of the people as a whole.
At the same time the big business man
must with equal frankness recognize
the fact that his business activities.
while beneficial TO himself and his as
sociates, must also justify themselves
BY being beneficial to the men who
work for him and TO the public which
he serves.
"A nation 70 survive must stand for
the principles of social and industrial
justice.
at any class is here oppressed or
so neglected that the neglect becomes
in effect oppression the ideals of pa
triotism in that class will assuredly be
dwarfed and stunted. We must not let
any man think that he can shirk his
own duties or blame his own failure
and shortcomings on others; and yet
we must shape our collective action
so that as far as possible each man
shall have a fair chance 20 show the
stuff that is in him, unhelped and IN
hampered by special privilege.
Legislation 10 help the business man
is eminently proper, but only on con
dition that we show equal zeal for the
working and living rights, the social
and economic rights, of farmer and
wage Garner; in short. the rights Of all
productive citizens must be safeguard
ed with equal care.
"A protective tariff with the duties
adjusted outside of fractional politics is
essential in the industrial world Of to-
day. But the protective tariff by itself
means nothing but the rudimentary be
ginning Of the needed policy, or rather
policies, for the broadest national de-
velopment of our economic life. along
lines designed 20 secure real. substan-
tial justice.
"Our national resources must be CON
served, but the conservation must be
in the public interest, and on this, as
on all other points, the prosperity and
growth of industry must, so far as pos
sble, be made TO 60 hand in hand with
a reasonably equitable distribution OF
itg returns