The pioneers stood for an extreme Americanism, in social, political, and religious matters alike.

Nevertheless the shadow of desperate war hung over the West.

Lincoln set before us forever our ideal when he stated that this country was dedicated to a government of, by, and for the people.

In the end this condition will prove intolerable, and will hurt most of all the very class which it at present benefits.

I believe that material wealth is an exceedingly valuable servant, and a particularly abhorrent master, in our National life.

But the American public does not wish to see the tariff so arranged as to benefit primarily a few wealthy men.

To aim at the accomplishment of too much usually means the accomplishment of too little, and often the doing of positive damage.

On the contrary, it means a frank recognition of the fact that combinations of capital, like combinations of labor, are a natural result of modern conditions and of our National development.

What we need is not vainly to try to prevent all combination, but to secure such rigorous and adequate control and supervision of the combinations as to prevent their injuring the public, or existing in such forms as inevitably to threaten…

The aim of the National Government is quite as much to favor and protect honest corporations, honest business men of wealth, as to bring to justice those individuals and corporations representing dishonest methods.

Most certainly there will be no relaxation by the Government authorities in the effort to get at any great railroad wrecker--any man who by clever swindling devices robs investors, oppresses wage-workers, and does injustice to the general…

But any such move as this is in the interest of honest railway operators, of honest corporations, and of those who, when they invest their small savings in stocks and bonds, wish to be assured that these will represent money honestly…

To confer upon the National Government the power for which I ask would be a check upon overcapitalization and upon the clever gamblers who benefit by overcapitalization.

There has been complaint of some of the investigations recently carried on, but those who complain should put the blame where it belongs--upon the misdeeds which are done in darkness and not upon the investigations which brought them to…

The Administration is responsible for turning on the light, but it is not responsible for what the light showed.

To a standard of lofty integrity in public life he united the tender affections and home virtues which are all-important in the make-up of national character.

There could be no personal hatred of him, for he never acted with aught but consideration for the welfare of others.

The defenders of those murderous criminals who seek to excuse their criminality by asserting that it is exercised for political ends, inveigh against wealth and irresponsible power.

Wealth was not struck at when the President was assassinated, but the honest toil which is content with moderate gains after a lifetime of unremitting labor, largely in the service of the public.

It was aimed at one of the strongest champions the wage-worker has ever had; at one of the most faithful representatives of the system of public rights and representative government who has ever risen to public office.

He had just been reelected to the Presidency because the majority of our citizens, the majority of our farmers and wage-workers, believed that he had faithfully upheld their interests for four years.

They felt that he represented so well and so honorably all their ideals and aspirations that they wished him to continue for another four years to represent them.

When we turn from the man to the Nation, the harm done is so great as to excite our gravest apprehensions and to demand our wisest and most resolute action.

The wind is sowed by the men who preach such doctrines, and they cannot escape their share of responsibility for the whirlwind that is reaped.

This applies alike to the deliberate demagogue, to the exploiter of sensationalism, and to the crude and foolish visionary who, for whatever reason, apologizes for crime or excites aimless discontent.