西奥多罗斯福《新国家主义》节选.docx

《西奥多罗斯福《新国家主义》节选.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《西奥多罗斯福《新国家主义》节选.docx（5页珍藏版）》请在优知文库上搜索。

1、PresidentTeddyRooseveltsNewNationalismSpeechWecomeheretodaytocommemorateoneoftheepoch-makingeventsofthelongstrugglefortherightsofma11-thelongstrugglefortheupliftofhumanity.Ourcountry-thisgreatRepublic-meansnothingunlessitmeansthetriumphofarealdemocracy,thetriumphofpopulargovernment,and,Inthelongrun,

2、ofaneconomicsystemunderwhicheachmanshallbeguaranteedtheopportunitytoshowthebestthatthereisinhim.ThatiswhythehistoryofAmericaisnowthecentralfeatureofthehistoryofthev/orld;fortheworldhassetitsfacehopefullytowardourdemocracy;and,Omyfellowcitizens,eachoneofyoucarriesonyourshouldersnotOnrytheburdenofdoin

3、gwellforthesakeofyourcountry,buttheburdenofdoingwellandofseeingthatthisnationdoeswellforthesakeofmankind.Atmanystagesintheadvanceofhumanity,thisconflictbetweenthemenwhopossessmorethantheyhaveearnedandthemenwohaveearnedmorethantheypossessisthecentralconditionofprogress.Inourdayitappearsasthestruggleo

4、ffreementogainandholdtherightofself-governmentasagainstthespecialinterests,whotwistthemethodsoffreegovernmentintomachineryfordefeatingthepopularwill.Ateverystage,andunderallcircumstances,theessenceofthestrugglei$toequalizeopportunity,destroyprivilege,andgivetothelifeandcitizenshipofeveryindividualth

5、ehighestpossiblevaluebothtohimselfandtothecommonwealth.Practicalequalityofopportunityforallcitizens,whenweachieveit,willhavetwogreatresults.Firstzeverymanwillhaveafairchancetomakeofhimselfallthatinhimlies;toreachthehighestpointtowhichhiscapacities,unassistedbyspecialprivilegeofhisownandunhamperedbyt

6、hespecialprivilegeofothers,cancarryhim,andtogetforhimselfandhisfamilysubstantiallywhathehasearned.Second,equalityofopportunitymeansthatthecommonwealthwillgetfromeverycitizenthehighestserviceofwhichheiscapable.Nomanwhocarriestheburdenofthespecialprivilegesofanothercangivetothecommonwealththatservicet

7、owhichitisfairlyentitled.Istandforthesquaredeal.ButwhenIsaythatIamforthesquaredeal,ImeannotmerelythatIstandforfairplayunderthepresentrulesofthegame,butthatIstandforhavingthoseruleschangedsoastoworkforamoresubstantialequalityofopportunityandofrewardforequallygoodservice.WhenIsayIwantasquaredealforthe

8、poorman,IdonotmeanthatIwantasquaredealforthemanwhoremainspoorbecausehehasnotgottheenergytoworkforhimself.Ifamanwhohashadachancewillnotmakegood,thenhehasgottoquit.Now,thismeansthatourgovernment.NationalandState,mustbefreedfromthesinisterinfluenceorcontrolofspecialinterests.Exacttyasthespecialinterest

9、sofcottonandslaverythreatenedourpoliticalIntegritybeforetheCivilWacsonowthegreatspecialbusinessintereststoooftencontrolandcorruptthemenandmethodsofgovernmentfortheirownprofit.Wemustdrivethespecialinterestsoutofpolitics.Thetruefriendofproperty,thetrueconservative,ishewhoinsiststhatpropertyshallbethes

10、ervantandnotthemasterofthecommonwealth；whoinsiststhattheueatureofmansmakingshallbetheservantandnotthemasterofthemanwhomadeit.ThecitizensoftheUnitedStatesmusteffectivelycontrolthemightycommercialforceswhichtheyhavecalledintobeing.Therecanbenoeffectiventrolofcorporationswhiletheirpoliticalactivityrema

11、ins.Tbputanendtoitwillbeneitherashortnoraneasytask,butitcanbedone.Wemusthavecompleteandeffectivepublicityofcorporateaffairs,sothatthepeoplemayknowbeyondperadventurewhetherthecorporationsobeythelawandwhethertheirmanagemententitlesthemtotheconfidenceofthepublic.Itisnecessarythatlawsshouldbepassedtopro

12、hibittheuseofcorporatefundsdirectlyorindirectlyforpoliticalpurposes；itisstillmorenecessarythatsuchlawsshouldbethoroughlyenforced.Corporateexpendituresforpoliticalpurposes,andespeciallysuchexpendituresbypublic-servicecorporations,havesuppliedoneoftheprincipalsourcesofcorruptioninourpoliticalaffairs.I

13、thasbecomeentirelyclearthatwemusthavegovernmentsupervisionofthecapitalization,notonlyofpublic-servicecorporations,including,particularly,railways,butofallcorporationsdoinganinterstatebusiness.IdonotwishtoseethenationforcedintotheownershipoftherailwaysIfitcanpossiblybeavoided,andtheonlyalternativeist

14、horoughgoingandeffectivelegislation,whichshallbebasedonafullknowledgeofallthefactszincludingaphysicalvaluationofproperty.Thisphysicalvaluationsnotneeded,or,atleast,isveryrarelyneeded,forfixingrates；butitIsneededasthebasisofhonestcapitalization.Wehavecometorecognizethatfranchisesshouldneverbegrantede

15、xceptforalimitedtimerandneverwithoutproperprovisionforcompensationtothepublic.Itismypersonalbeliefthatthesamekindanddegreeofcontrolandsupervisionwhichshouldbeexercisedoverpublic-servicecorporationsshouldbeextendedalsotocombinationswhichcontrolnecessariesoflife,suchasmeat,Oi1.orCOa1.orwhichdealinthem

16、onanimportantscale.Ihavenodoubtthattheordinarymanwhohascontrolofthemi$muchlikeourselves.Ihavenodoubthewouldliketodowell,butIwanttohaveenoughsupervisiontohelphimrealizethatdesiretodowell.Ibelievethattheofficers,andrespecially,thedirectors,ofcorporationsshouldbeheldpersonaltyresponsiblewhenanycorporationbreaksthelaw.Combinationsinindustryaretheresultofanimperativeeconomiclawwhichcannotberepealedbypoliticallegislation.Theeffortatprohibitingallcombinationhassubstantial