第71章

Idonotforamomentbelievethatouractionshavebroughtonbusinessdistress；sofarasthisisduetolocalandnotworld-

widecauses，andtotheactionsofanyparticularindividuals，itisduetothespeculativefollyandflagrantdishonestyofafewmenofgreatwealth，whonowseektoshieldthemselvesfromtheeffectsoftheirownwrongdoingsbyascribingitsresultstotheactionsofthosewhohavesoughttoputastoptothewrongdoing。

Butifitweretruethattocutoutrottennessfromthebodypoliticmeantamomentarychecktoanunhealthyseemingprosperity，Ishouldnotforonemomenthesitatetoputtheknifetothecancer。Onbehalfofallourpeople，onbehalfnolessofthehonestmanofmeansthanofthehonestmanwhoearnseachday’slivelihoodbythatday’ssweatofhisbrow，itisnecessarytoinsistuponhonestyinbusinessandpoliticsalike，inallwalksoflife，inbigthingsandinlittlethings；uponjustandfairdealingasbetweenmanandman。WearestrivingfortherightinthespiritofAbrahamLincolnwhenhesaid：

“Fondlydowehope——ferventlydowepray——thatthismightyscourgemayspeedilypassaway。Yet，ifGodwillsthatitcontinueuntilallthewealthpiledbythebondsmen’stwohundredandfiftyyearsofunrequitedtoilshallbesunk，anduntileverydropofblooddrawnwiththelashshallbepaidbyanotherdrawnwiththesword，aswassaidthreethousandyearsago，sostillitmustbesaid，’ThejudgmentsoftheLordaretrueandrighteousaltogether。’

“Withmalicetowardnone；withcharityforall；withfirmnessintheright，asGodgivesustoseetheright，letusstriveontofinishtheworkwearein。”

Sincerelyyours，THEODOREROOSEVELT。

BythetimeIbecamePresidentIhadgrowntofeelwithdeepintensityofconvictionthatgovernmentalagenciesmustfindtheirjustificationlargelyinthewayinwhichtheyareusedforthepracticalbettermentoflivingandworkingconditionsamongthemassofthepeople。Ifeltthatthefightwasreallyfortheabolitionofprivilege；andoneofthefirststagesinthebattlewasnecessarilytofightfortherightsoftheworkingman。ForthisreasonIfeltmoststronglythatallthatthegovernmentcoulddointheinterestoflaborshouldbedone。TheFederalGovernmentcanrarelyactwiththedirectnessthattheStategovernmentsact。Itcan，however，doagooddeal。MypurposewastomaketheNationalGovernmentitselfamodelemployeroflabor，theeffortbeingtomaketheperdiememployeejustasmuchastheCabinetofficerregardhimselfasoneofthepartnersemployedintheserviceofthepublic，proudofhiswork，eagertodoitinthebestpossiblemanner，andconfidentofjusttreatment。OuraimwasalsotosecuregoodlawswherevertheNationalGovernmenthadpower，notablyintheTerritories，intheDistrictofColumbia，andinconnectionwithinter-Statecommerce。Ifoundtheeight-hourlawamerefarce，thedepartmentsrarelyenforcingitwithanydegreeofefficiency。ThisI

remediedbyexecutiveaction。Unfortunately，thoroughlyefficientgovernmentservantsoftenprovedtobetheprimeoffenderssofarastheenforcementoftheeight-hourlawwasconcerned，becauseintheirzealtogetgoodworkdonefortheGovernmenttheybecameharshtaskmasters，anddeclinedtoconsidertheneedsoftheirfellow-

employeeswhoservedunderthem。ThemoreIhadstudiedthesubjectthemorestronglyIhadbecomeconvincedthataneight-hourdayundertheconditionsoflaborintheUnitedStateswasallthatcould，withwisdomandpropriety，berequiredeitherbytheGovernmentorbyprivateemployers；thatmorethanthismeant，ontheaverage，adecreaseinthequalitiesthattellforgoodcitizenship。Ifinallysolvedtheproblem，asfarasGovernmentemployeeswereconcerned，bycallinginCharlesP。Neill，theheadoftheLaborBureau；andactingonhisadvice，Ispeedilymadetheeight-hourlawreallyeffective。

Anymanwhoshirkedhiswork，whodawdledandidled，receivednomercy；slacknessisevenworsethanharshness；forexactlyasinbattlemercytothecowardiscrueltytothebraveman，soincivillifeslacknesstowardstheviciousandidleisharshnesstowardsthehonestandhardworking。

WepassedagoodlawprotectingthelivesandhealthofminersintheTerritories，andotherlawsprovidingforthesupervisionofemploymentagenciesintheDistrictofColumbia，andprotectingthehealthofmotormenandconductorsonstreetrailwaysintheDistri