New-York tribune., 1919-01-07
The Life Of Coz. Roosevelt Statesman ond

ar indignation against recently dis
covered abuses, he sought and secured
me enactment of the national food and
drugs act and OF the national meat in
pectlon law that same year The rate
iAW was, Of course, supplementary 10
he antirebate law enacted in 1903.
IN April IL, 1906, he publicly expressed
his advocacy Of a national Inheritance
tax.
by two forceful veto messages Presi-
dent Roosevelt made clear to CONGRESS,
and to The nation his determination to
do all in his power TO prevent the
monopoly Of natural water power. in
his message of 1908, vetong the Rainy
River dam bill, and in a similar mes
sage dated January IS, 1909, vetoing the
James River dam bill, he laid down the
proposition that Congress should not
grant rights to water power for periods
OF longer than fifty years, and for such
periods only on the condition that
proper remuneration be made for the
power granted.
Conserved Natural Resources
Pursuing his policy of s. curing equal
opportunity for all, President Roosevelt
formally called together the Governors
ali the states, III May, 1903, to devise
methods of conserving the natural re-
sources Of the nation. How important
he regarded the work then undertaken
may be Judged from his words in trans
mtting to Congress the first report OF
the commission then created. IIe said of
it: "ls Is one of the most fundament-
ally important documents ever laid be-
fore the American people. As it stands,
it is an lrrefutable proof that the con-
servatlon of our resources is the funda-
mental question before this nation. and
that our first and greatest task is to
set our house in order and begin to live
within our means"
In accordance with this line of
thought, the President startled the
conservatives with the declaration that
in the interest of the whole people
the nation should, without interfering
with the power Of the states in the
matter, itself also assume power of
supervision and regulation over all
corporations doing an interstate busi-
ness"
At the instance Of the President, nu-
mcrous prosecutions for violations Of
the interstate commerce law were in
one hundred and thirty indictments
and something more than thirtv-fvc
convictions. SO, too, many of the
larger trusts We're prosecuted for
violations of the Sherman antitrust
law and numerous and important vic
tories gained. Notable among these
was the dissolution of the Northern
Securities Company, in 1902; the
granting of an injunction against the
beef trust and some nineteen deci-
sions against railroads. The last of
the lotteries in this country were
driven out by the activities of the De
partment of Justice, and peonage
which for time thrived in the South,
was abolished.
Settled Coal Strike
Early in the Roosevelt administra-
tion the strike of the anthracite coal
miners threatened the country with a
coal famine and untold suffering. The
President, determined if possible to
force a cessation of the strike, called
into existence the Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission, secured the appro-
val of the movement from former Pres
ident Grover Cleveland by inviting him
to membership on the commission, and
when he declined appointed Judge
George Gray, distinguished Demo
, crat, member. The mine owners were
compelled by the force of public opin-
ion to submit their case, along with the
miners, to the commission, and the re-
suit was decision which not only
commanded universal respect for its
fairness, but which ended the strike
and thus averted further suffering to
the innocent consumers.
In The summer of 1908 President
Roosevelt was startled to find that a
system Of grating had permeated the
Postofiice Department and that in some
instances it appeared to approach peril
ously near to Republicans of high
standing. He promptly ordered the en-
tire subject investigated without fear
or favor and with all the publicity con-
sistent with efficient work. The result
of the investigation was the indictment
of thirty-one persons, the removal OF
thirteen others and considerable num-
ber Of convictions.
The elimination of dishonesty from
the Postohice Department was prompt
ly followed by the discovery Of whole
sale frauds in the settlement of public
lands. Without a moments hesitation
the President ordered Investigations
and prosecutions, with the result that
S50O,00o was recovered for the govern
ment. fines amounting to $57 800 were