The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-04
SATURDAY. JANUARY 4. 1896.
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH

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NHEY seek the restoration of their selfish power
Ahey oner to lead us back round the same old
corner into the same old dreary street"
III exactly rs words Franklin D. Roosevelt sums
up his case.
swinging from an attack on autocracv abroad he
oeScrlDes what he conceives as the danger of a ra
"Veo autocracy at home-the autocracv of a "nou,ar
oeeA4ls minority; domination of government bv
financial and industrial groups, numerically small
Out politically dominant in the IL years that sue
ceeoed the World War;" The u years that led lis to
the precipice of 1888
In short, those who were driven out of the terone
are trying to get back in. So:
They steal the livery of great national con-
sttutional Ideals to discreded special interests
AS guardians and trustees for great groups of in
dlVdual stockholders they wrongfully seek to carry
the property and interests intrusted to them into
the area of partisan politics. They seek-this mi
norlty in business and finance control and often
do control and for their own purposes legitimate
and highly honored business associations; they en-
gage in vast propaganda to spread fear and dscord
among the people-they would gang up against the
peoples liberties"
You don't have to stop and tell the story of the
one-eyed man in the poker game to indicate who
the President of these United States is talking about
And then having stated the case comes the chal-
lenge.
IF these gentlemen believe, as they say they be-
- leye, that the measures adopted by this Congress
and its predecessor and carried out by this Admin
istration, have hindered rather than promoted re-
covery let them be consistent. Let them propose to
this Congress the complete repeal Of these measures
The way is open to such proposal. Let action be
positive and not negative.
Shall we say that values are restored and that
the Congress will therefore repeal the laws under
which we have been bringing them back? Shall we
say that because national income has grown with
rising prosperity we shall repeal existing and
thereby put off the day of approaching balanced
budget and starting to reduce the national debt?
Shall we abandon the reasonable support and
regulation of banking? Shall we restore the dollar
to its former gold content?
Shall we say to the farmer-"The prices for your
products are in part restored now go and hoe your
own row?' Shall we say to the home owners and
the debors-We have reduced your rates of interest
we have further concern with how you keep
your home what you pay for your money; that
is your affair?'
Shall we say to the farmer-'The prices for your
ployed citizens who face the very problem of exist
ence-oI getting enough to eat-'We Will withdraw
from giving you work. we will turn you back to the
charity of your communities and to those men of
selfish power who tell you that perhaps they will
employ you if the government leaves them strictly
alone?'
"CHALL we say to the children who have worked
~ all day-'Child labor is local issue and so are
your starvation wages something to be solved or left
unsolved by the jurisdictions of AZ states?
Shall we say to the laborer-Your right to Or
ganize, your relations with your employer have
nothing to do with the public interest," if your en-
ployer will not even meet with you to discuss your
problems and his, that is none of our affair?'
Shall we say to the unemployed and the aged
Social security lies not within the province of the
Federal government you must seek relief elsewhere?
Shall say to the men and women who live
in conditions of squalor in country and in city
The health and the happiness of you and your
children are no concern of ours?
Shall we expose our population once more by the
repeal of laws to protect them against the loss of
their honest investments and against the manipu-
lations of dishonest speculators?"
In that manner are the lines of 1886 drawn, the
issues described, the opponents and the weapons
named.
And, speaking of breathing spells Sc far as the
"od order" is concerned therell be little relaxed
respiration from now until November