The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-06
Thousands In Omaha Cheer
When Chief EGecutipe Tells
of Results Secured Under
Democratic A dminiS-
trdtion--- Many Dem
OnStrQtiOnS En- Route

who wanted to exploit the world. 1t has
got to be done now in a way that will
deserve the confidence OF the world.
American character as well as American
enterprise is going to be put to the test.
American ideals are for the first time
to be exhibited on a worldwide scale
American purposes are going to be tested
by the purposes Of mankind and not BY
the purposes of national ambition. ] say
lat 1t Is pity not TO be young in these
days.
Bliss it Is in these days for an Aemr-
lean to he alive. and to be young must be
very heaven, because all the destiny into
whose great fruititions America has
promised to lead the world is now open
to be achieved under her leadership il
she will see and take the way. All Of
this gentlemen, is in the abstract, but
in the concrete it means a very inter-
esting variety of things, and ! want you
to know that it ought not, that ii does not
in my conception, make any difference
who does these things. provided you see
to it that they are done. But America
will never forgive herself If she doesn't
do them. And I want you to believe me
when l say that certain things that have
recently been accomplished by legislation
have been accomplished with these ideals
and purposes in mind.
RECENT VIEWS
Until very recently, / venture to say,
most American business men spoke 3f
the antitrust laws with curse under
II cir breath-just as men think of shack
les, Just as men think of being deprived
o. opportunity And we heard great
deal of talk about big business getting
no sympathy. That was not the trou-
Bile Big business had plenty of SYM
pathy but bad business ought not TO
have had any sympathy and what our
laws stood in need of was the definition
of what was good and what was bad.
What they stood in need of was distinct
expression of the idea that was back
of them. That idea was merely this, up-
fair competition is intolerable. But IL
the competition is fair the scale upon
which it is carried on is not only of no
concern to the lawmakers, but the bigger
the scale the more splendid the result
always provided it is conducted with fair
ness and honor and openness. Therefore,
| ar attempt was very properly made to
| define what was fair and what was un-
| fair competition, to provide tribunals
which would distinctly astermine What
was fair and what was unfair cornpeti-
| ton and to supply the business connu-
, nifty not merely with lawyers in the de-
! partment of justice who would crop
stop but with men in such tribunals
as the federal trade commission who
would say go on. who could warn where
things were going wrong and assist in
! stead of check
YOU WILL LOOK BACK"
Some OF these days, gentlemen,
when the great tides of business are
running free in this country you viii
| look back on the last three years and
say that was when the channels were
dug for this great time As compared
with the verdict of the next 25 years.
I do not care a peppercorn about the
verdict of 1916 because | know he-y
those laws were conceived. / knt1
their purpose. and / know they are
already serving their purpose, and /
call you to witness that, never before
| in your lifetime was credit so in
Individually available in this country as
at this time. Individual credit-not cor
lnered credit--credit that could be had
| If you had assets and good commercial
paper; credit that could be had with
out favor; credit to which the volume
of currency could instantly respond
credit which could be sustained by re-
sources, by gold reserves which could
be modified anywhere in the. coun-
TRY.
! america is to be congratulated
upon having achieved business eman-
lcipation. Now it is UP to you men and
lit is up to all business men in the
United States to make something OF II
land If it cannot be made something of
! in this part of the country. in parts of
Continued rage Nine)