theodore roosevelt-第40章
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e； by which the merger of two or more competing roads was declared illegal； put a stop to the practice of consolidation； which might have resulted in the ownership of all the railroads in the United States by a single person。 Then followed the process of 〃unscrambling the omelet；〃 to use J。 P。 Morgan's phrase； in order to bring the companies already illegally merged within the letter of the law。 Probably a lynx…eyed investigator might discover that in some of the efforts to legalize operations in the future； 〃the voice was Jacob's； but the hands were the hands of Esau。〃
The laws aimed at regulating transportation； rates； and rebates； certainly made for justice； and helped to enlighten great corporations as to their place in the community and their duties towards it。 Roosevelt showed that his fearlessness had apparently no bounds； when in 1907 he caused suit to be brought against the Standard Oil Company in Indianaa branch of a monopoly which was popularly supposed to be above the lawfor receiving a rebate from a railroad on the petroleum shipped by the Company。 The judge who tried the case gave a verdict in favor of the Government； but another judge； to whom appeal was made； reversed the decision； and finally at a re…trial； a third judge dismissed the indictment。 〃Thus；〃 says Mr。 Ogg； 〃a good case was lost through judicial blundering。〃 *
* Ogg； 50。
But the greatest of Roosevelt's works as a legislator were those which he carried through in the fields of conservation and reclamation。 He did not invent these issues； he was only one of many persons who understood their vast importance。 He gives full credit to Mr。 Gifford Pinchot and Mr。 F。 H。 Newell； who first laid these subjects before him as matters which he as President ought to consider。 He had himself during his days in the West seen the need of irrigating the waste tracts。 He was a quick and willing learner； and in his first message to Congress （December 1； 1901） he remarked： 〃The forest and water problems are perhaps the most vital internal problems of the United States。〃 Years later； in referring to this part of his work； he said：
'The idea that our natural resources were inexhaustible still obtained； and there was as yet no real knowledge of their extent and condition。 The relation of the conservation of national resources to the problems of national welfare and national efficiency had not yet dawned on the public mind。 The reclamation of arid public lands in the West was still a matter for private enterprise alone； and our magnificent river system； with its superb possibilities for public usefulness； was dealt with by the National Government not as a unit； but as a disconnected series of pork…barrel problems； whose only real interest was in their effect on the reelection or defeat of a Congressman here and therea theory which； I regret to say； still obtains。'*
* Autobiography； p。 430。
The public lands saved mounted to millions of acres。 The long…standing practice of stealing these lands was checked and put a stop to as rapidly as possible。 Individuals and private companies had bought for a song great tracts of national property； getting thereby； it might be； the title to mineral deposits worth fabulous sums； and these persons were naturally angry at being deprived of the immense fortunes which they had counted on for themselves。 A company would buy up an entire watershed； and control； for its private profit； the water…supply of a region。 Roosevelt insisted with indisputable logic that the States and Counties ought them selves to own such natural resources and derive an income from them。 So； too； were the areas restored to man's habitation； and to agriculture； by irrigation； and by reforesting。 A company； having no object but its own enrichment； would ruthlessly cut down a thousand square miles of timber in order to convert it into wood pulp for paper； or into lumber for building； and the region thus devastated； as if a German army had been over it； would be left without regard to the effect on the climate and the water supply of the surrounding country。 Surely this was wrong。
It seems to me as needless now to argue in behalf of Roosevelt's legislation for the conservation of national resources as to argue against cannibalism as a practice fit for civilized men。 That lawyers of repute and Congressmen of reputation should have done their utmost； as late as 1906； to obstruct and defeat the passage of the Meat Inspection Bill must seem incredible to persons of average sanity and conscience。 If any of those obstructionists still live； they do not boast of their performance； nor is it likely that their children will exult over this part of the paternal record。
In order not to exaggerate Roosevelt's importance in these fundamental reforms； I would repeat that he did not originate the idea of many of them。 He gladly took his cue for conservation from Gifford Pinchot； and for reclamation from F。 H。 Newell； as I have said； the need of inspecting the packing…houses which exported meat； from Senator A。 J。 Beveridge； and so on。 The vital fact is that these projects got form and vigor and publicity； and were pushed through Congress； only after Roosevelt took them up。 His opponents； the packers； the land…robbers； the mine…grabbers； the wood…pulp pirates； fought him at every point。 They appealed to the old law to discredit and damn the new。 They gave him no quarter； and he asked for none because he was bent on securing justice； irrespective of persons or private interests。 It followed； of course； that they watched eagerly for any slip which might wreck him； and they thought they had found their chance in 1907。
That was a year of financial upheaval； almost of panic； the blame for which the Big Interests tried to fasten on the President。 It resulted； they said； from his attack on Capital and the Corporations。 A special incident gave plausibility to some of their bitter criticism。 Messrs。 Gary and Frick； of the United States Steel Corporation； called on the President； and told him that the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company was on the verge of bankruptcy； and that； if it went under； a general panic would probably ensue。 To prevent this financial disaster； their Corporation was willing to buy up enough of the Tennessee Company to save it； but they wished to know whether the President would allow the purchase。 He told them that he could not officially advise them to take the action proposed； but that he did not regard it as a public duty of his to raise any objection。 They made the purchase； and the total amount of their holdings in the Tennessee Company did not equal in value what they had originally held； for the stock had greatly shrunk。 The Attorney…General subsequently informed the President that he saw no reason to prosecute the United States Steel Corporation。 But the President's enemies did not spare their criticism。 They circulated grave suspicions； they hinted that； if the whole truth were known； Roosevelt would be embarrassed； to say the least。 What had become of his pretended impartiality when he allowed one of the great Trusts to do； with impunity； that which others were prosecuted for？ The public； which seldom has the knowledge； or the information； necessary for understanding business or financial complexities； usually remarks； with the archaic sapience of a Greek chorus； 〃There must be some fire where there is so much smoke。〃 But the public interest was never seriously roused over the Tennessee Coal and Iron affair； and； six years later； when a United States District Court handed down a verdict in which this matter was referred to； the public had almost forgotten what it was all about。
The great result from Roosevelt's battle for conservation； which I believe will glorify him； in the future； to heroic proportions as a statesman； is that where he found wide stretches of desert he left fertile States； that he saved from destruction； that he seized from the hands of the spoilers rivers and valleys which belonged to the people； and that he kept for the people mineral lands of untold value。 Nor did he work for material and sanitary prosperity alone； but he worked also for Beauty。 He reserved as National Parks for the use and delight of men and women forever
