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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,ofcorporationsshouldbeheldpersonaltyresponsiblewhenanycorporat
17、ionbreaksthelaw.Combinationsinindustryaretheresultofanimperativeeconomiclawwhichcannotberepealedbypoliticallegislation.Theeffortatprohibitingallcombinationhassubstantialtfailed.Thewayoutlies,notInattemptingtopreventsuchcombinations,butincompletelycontrollingthemintheInterestofthepublicwelfare.Nomans
18、houldreceiveadollarunlessthatdollarhasbeenfairtearned.Everydollarreceivedshouldrepresentadollarsworthofservicerenderednotgamblinginstocks,butservicerendered.Thereallybigfortune,theswollenfortune,bythemerefactofitssize,acquiresqualitieswhichdifferentiateitinkindaswellasindegreefromwhatispossessedbyme
19、nofrelativelysmallmeans.Therefore,Ibelieveinagraduatedincometaxonbigfortunes,andinanothertaxwhichisfarmoreeasilyllectedandfarmoreeffectve-agraduatedinheritancetaxonbigfortunes,propertysafeguardedagainstevasion,andincreasingrapidlyinamountwiththesizeoftheestate.ThepeopleoftheUnitedStatessufferfromper
20、iodicalfinancialpanicstoadegreesubstantiallyunknowntotheothernations,whichapproachUSinfinancialstrength.Thereisnoreasonwyweshouldsufferwhattheyescape.Itisofprofoundimportancethatourfinancialsystemshouldbepromptlyinvestigated,andsothoroughlyandeffectivelyrevisedastomakeitcertainthathereafterourcurren
21、cywillnolongerfailatcriticaltimestomeetourneeds.OfconservationIshallspeakmoreatlengthelsewhere.Conservationmeansdevelopmentasmuchasitdoesprotection.Irecognizetherightanddutyofthisgenerationtodevelopandusethenaturalresourcesofourland;butIdonotrecognizetherighttowastethem,ortorob,bywastefulthegenerati
22、onsthatCOmeafteru$.IasknothingofthenationexceptthatItsobehaveaseachfarmerherebehaveswithreferencetohisownchildren.Thatfarmerisapoorcreaturewhoskinsthelandandleavesitworthlesstohischildren.Thefarmerisagoodfarmerwho,havingenabledthelandtosupporthimselfandtoprovidefortheeducationofhischildren,leavesitt
23、othemalittlebetterthanbefoundithimself.Ibelievethesamethingofanation.Nothingismoretruethanthatexcessofeverykindisfollowedbyreaction;afactwhichshouldbeponderedbyreformerandreactionaryalike.Wearefacetofacewithnewconceptionsoftherelationsofpropertytohumanwelfare,chieflybecausecertainadvocatesoftheright
24、sofpropertyasagainsttherightsofmenhavebeenpushingtheirclaimstfar.Themanwhowronglyholdsthateveryhumanrightissecondarytohisprofitmustnowgivewaytotheadvocateofhumanwelfare,whorightlymaintainsthateverymanholdshispropertysubjecttothegeneralrightofthecommunitytoregulateitsusetowhateverdegreethepublicwelfa
25、remayrequireit.Nationalefficiencyhasmanyfactors.Itisanecessaryresultoftheprincipleofconservationwidelyapplied.Intheendzitwilldetermineourfailureorsuccessasanation.Nationalefficiencyhastodornotonlywithnaturalresourcesandwithmen,butitisequallyconcernedwithinstitutions.TheStatemustbemadeefficientforthe
26、workwhichconcernsonlythepeopleoftheState;andthenationforthatwhichconcernsallthepeople.Theremustremainnoneutralgroundtoserveasarefugeforlawbreakers,andespeciallyforlawbreakersofgreatwealth,wocanhirethevulpinelegalcunningwhichwillteachthemhowtoavoidbothjurisdictions.Itisamisfortunewhenthenationallegis
27、laturefallstodoItsdutyInprovidinganationalremedy,sothattheonlynationalactivityisthepurelynegativeactivityofthejudiclarinforbiddingtheStatetoexercisepowerinthepremises.Idonotaskfortheovercentralization;butIdoaskthatweworkinaspiritofbroadandfar-reachingnationalismwhereweworkforwhatconcernsourpeopleasa
28、whole.WeareallAmericans.Ourcommoninterestsareasbroadasthecontinent.IspeaktoyouhereinKansasexactlyasIwouldspeakinNewYorkorGeorgia,forthemostvitalproblemsarethosewhichaffectUSallalike.TheNationalGovernmentbelongstothewholeAmericanpeople,andwherethewholeAmericanpeopleareinterested,thatinterestcanbeguar
29、dedeffectivelyonlybytheNationalGovernment.Thebettermentwhichweseekmustbeaccomplished,Ibelieve,mainlythroughtheNationalGovernment.TheAmericanpeoplearerightindemandingthatNewNationalism,withoutwhichwecannothopetodealwithnewproblems.TheNewNationalismputsthenationalneedbeforesectionalorpersonaladvantage
30、.Itisimpatientoftheutterconfusionthatresultsfromlocallegislaturesattemptingtotreatnationalissuesaslocalissues.Iti$stillmoreimpatientoftheimpotencewhichspringsfromoverdivisionofgovernmentalpowers,theimpotencewhichmakesitpossibleforlocalselfishnessorforlegalcunning,hiredbywealthyspecialinterests,tobri
31、ngnationalactivitiestoadeadlock.ThisNewNationalismregardstheexecutivepowerasthestewardofthepublicwelfare.ItdemandsofthejudiciarythatitshallbeinterestedprimarilyinhumanwelfareratherthaninproertzjustasItdemandsthattherepresentativebodyshallrepresentallthepeopleratherthananyoneclassorsectionofthepeople
32、.Ibelieveinshapingtheendsofgovernmenttoprotectpropertyaswellashumanwelfare.Normally,andInthelongrun,theendsarethesame;butwheneverthealternativemustbefaced,Iamformenandnotforproperty,asyouwereintheCivilWar.Iamfarfromunderestimatingtheimportanceofdividends;butIrankdividendsbelowhumancharacter.Again,Id
33、onothaveanysympathywiththereformerwhosayshedoesnotcarefordividends.Ofcourse,economicwelfareisecessaryzforamanmustpullhisownweightandbeabletosupporthisfamily.Iknowwellthatthereformersmustnotbringuponthepeopleeconomicruin,orthereformsthemselveswillgodownintheruin.Butwemustbereadytofacetemporarydisaste
34、r,whetherornotbroughtonbythosewhowillwaragainstustotheknife.Thosewoopposereformwilldowelltorememberthatruininitsworstformisinevitableifournationallifebringsusnothingbetterthanswollenfortunesforthefewandthetriumphinbothpoliticsandbusinessofasordidandselfishmaterialism.Ifourpoliticalinstitutionswerepe
35、rfect,theywouldabsolutelypreventthepoliticaldominationofmoneyinanypartofouraffairs.Weneedtomakeourpoliticalrepresentativesmorequicklyandsensitivelyresponsivetothepeoplewhoseservantstheyare.MoredirectactionbythepeopleintheirownaffairsunderpropersafeguardsIsvitallynecessary.Thedirectprimaryisastepinth
36、isdirection,ifitisassociatedwithacorruptservicesacteffectivetopreventtheadvantageofthemanwillingrecklesslyandunscrupulouslytospendmoneyoverhismorehonestcompetitor.Itisparticularlyimportantthatallmoneysreceivedorexpendedforcampaignpurposesshouldbepubliclyaccountedfor,notonlyafterelection,butbeforeele
37、ctionaswell.Politicalactionmustbemadesimpler,easierandfreerfromconfusionforeverycitizen.Ibelievethatthepromptremovalofunfaithfulorincompetentpublicservantsshouldbemadeeasyandsureinwhateverwayexperienceshallshowtobemostexpedientinanygivenclassofcases.Oneofthefundamentalnecessitiesinarepresentativegov
38、ernmentsuchasoursistomakecertainthatthementowhomthepeopledelegatetheirpowershallservethepeoplebywhomtheyareelected,andnotthespecialinterests.Ibelievethateverynationalofficer,electedorappointed,shouldbeforbiddentoperformanyserviceorreceiveanympensation,directlyorindirectly,frominterstatecorporations;
39、andasimilarprovisioncouldnotfailtobeusefulwithintheStates.Theobjectofgovernmentisthewelfareofthepeople.Thematerialprogressandprosperityofanationaredesirablechieflysolongastheyleadtothemoralandmaterialwelfareofallgoodcitizens.Justinproportionastheaveragemanandwomanarehonest,capableofsoundjudgmentandh
40、ighideals,activeinpublicaffairs,-but,firstofallrsoundintheirhome,andthefatherandmotherofhealthychildrenwhomtheybringupwell,justsofar,andnofarther,wemaycountourcivilizationasuccess.Wemusthave-lbelievewehavealreadyagenuineandpermanentmoralawakening,withoutwhichnowisdomoflegislationoradministrationreal
41、lymeansanything;and.ontheotherhand,wemusttrytosecurethesocialandeconomiclegislationwithoutwhichanyimprovementduetopurelymoralagitationisnecessarilyevanescent.1.etmeagainillustratebyareferencetotheGrandArmy.YoucouldnothaveWOnsimplyasadisorderlyanddisorganizedmob.Youneededgenerals;youneededcarefuladmi
42、nistrationofthemostadvancedtype;andagoodcommissary-thecrackerline.Youwellrememberthatsuccesswasnecessaryinmanydifferentlinesinordertobringaboutgeneralsuccess.YouhadtohavetheadministrationatWashingtongood,justasyouhadtohavetheadministrationinthefield;andyouhadtohavetheworkofthegeneralsgood.Youcouldno
43、thavetriumphedwithouttheadministrationandleadership;butitwouldallhavebeenworthlessiftheaveragesoldierhadnothadtherightstuffinhim.Hehadtohavetherightstuffinhim,oryoucouldnotgetitoutofhim.Inthelastanalysis,therefore,vitallynecessarythoughitwastohavetherightkindoforganizationandtherightkindofgeneralshi
44、p,itwasevenmorevitallynecessarythattheaveragesoldiershouldhavethefightingedge,therightcharacter.Soitisinourcivillife.NomatterhowhonestanddecentweareinourprivateIrveszifwedonothavetherightkindoflawandtherightkindofadministrationofthelaw,wecannotgoforwardasanation.Thatisimperative;butitmustbeanadditio
45、nto,andnotasubstituteforrthequalitiesthatmakeusgdcitizens.Inthelastanalysis,themostimportantelementsinanymanscareermustbethesumofthosequalitieswhich.Intheaggregate,wespeakofascharacter.IfhehasnotgotItrthennolawthatthewitofmancandevise,noadministrationofthelawbytheboldestandstrongestexecutive,willava
46、iltohelphim.Wemusthavetherightkindofcharacter-characterthatmakesaman,firstofallragoodmaninthehome,agoodfather,andagoodhusband-thatmakesamanagoodneighbor.Youmusthavethat,and,then,inaddition,youmusthavethekindoflawandthekindofadministrationofthelawwhichwillgivetothosequalitiesintheprivatecitizenthebestpossiblechancefordevelopment.Theprimeproblemofournationistogettherighttypeofgoodcitizenship,and,togetit,wemusthaveprogress,andourpublicmenmustbegenuinelyprogressive.