The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-21

| at least as great an enemy OF social
advancement as the crooked cham.
pion Of business and political priv
ilege," Mr.. Roosevelt said. 'Califor-
mia, under Governor Johnson, has
tried to do justice to the railways
as well as to exact justice from them.
This effort has been partially nulli-
fed by the fact that in direct con-
prevention Of one of the main pur-
poses which the United States con-
stitution was designed to put into
effect. we have permitted interstate
commerce largely to pass under the
control Of the states instead of keep
ing 1t under the control Of the ma
ton. When, for instance, Califor-
mia, approaching the fact that rail-
roads cannot possibly be successful
ly operated unless they are allowed
business opportunities which will
enable them to make a reasonable
profit. acted accordingly, the action
was nullified by certain neighbor-
ing state commissions. CALIFORNIA;
experience has shown that it is i'm
possible permanently to secure good
results in dealing with the instru-
mentalities of interstate commerce,
the railroads. doing an interstate
business. through the commissions of
forty-eight different states, and that
the only way is to have the whole
business of interstate commerce and
everything pertaining to it handled
by the administrative officers at
Washington.
81 believe in a national incorpara-
ton law for corporations of any
size engaged in interstate business"
One of the greatest drawbacks in
dealing equitably with corporations
is the determination of professional
antitrust men to punish the cor
porations for past abuses, the speak
er said He advocated laws for the
benefit of farmers, workers and ship
pers, but asserted that if these laws
make it impossible for the shipping
interests. for the railroads, or for
any of the great business interests
concerned, to do business at reason
able profit, they create a situation
far more intolerable than that which
they endeavor to remedy. No COM
merce commission or railway COM
mission, he said, "is worth its salt
unless it stands unfiinchingly against
any popular clamor which prevents
the corporation from getting ample
profits. exactly as it stands against
the corporation which, having Sc
cured ample profits, fails to render
proper service to the public, to do
justice to it's employees and to act
honestly toward all men,"
Discussing Germany, Colonel
Roosevelt said:
For the last eighteen months |
have borne testimony with all my
strength against Germany because
of its cynical disregard of the obli-
cations of international humanity,
alike in it's dealings with Belgium.
in the outrages committed on non
, combattants of other nationalities
r and in its assaults on our own peo-
Pile. 1t has been to our deep dis
credit as a nation that we have not
actively and effectively interfered
against the callous brutality. But
l exactly as | hold it to be an abhor'
rent thing to show timidity or weak
d ness in dealing with Germany where
Germany is wrong-where she
o wrongs either ourselves or others
so l hold it an unspeakable foolish
n thing to refuse to pay heed to thu
> German example where this example
: should be followed by other nations
q Germany offers striking ex
ample Of national efficiency on 81
n gantic scale. Germany has been fa
g in advance Of us in securing indus
= trial assurance, old age pensions ant
- homes, a reasonable fair division o
~ profits between employer and employ
ed, and the like. She has also beef
= far in advance of US in the way sh
n has both controlled and encouraged
q industry. Above all, she has beef
= far in advance. of us in securing
- national cohesion, in requiring boil
" the great employer and from tn
A man who tolls with his hands TIL
% fullest and most complete loyalty t.
), the nation. She has not had to i'm
10 lprovisc methods of meeting crises il
"a industry any more than of meeting
n crises in war. 1t would be we'll TO
\ our mere business materiality t.
ponder the fact that her success il
peace has been due to her insistenc
e. yNV1NTVIN2ETVZNINNEEIggEEgTNsNgNW