ii2 Presidential Addresses 



against property when I ask that the question of 

 the trusts be taken up, I am acting in the most con 

 servative sense in property's interest. When a great 

 corporation is sued for violating the anti-trust law, 

 it is not a move against property, it is a move in 

 favor of property, because when we make it evident 

 that all men, great and small alike, have to obey the 

 law, we put the safeguard of the law around all 

 men. When we make it evident that no man shall 

 be excused for violating the law, we make it evident 

 that every man will be protected from violations of 

 the law. 



Now one of the great troubles I am inclined to 

 think much the greatest trouble in any immediate 

 handling of the question of the trusts comes from 

 our system of government. Under this system it 

 is difficult to say where the power is lodged to deal 

 with these evils. Remember that I am not saying 

 that even if we had all the power we could com 

 pletely solve the trust question. If what we read in 

 the papers is true, international trusts are now be 

 ing planned. It is going to be very difficult for any 

 set of laws on our part to deal completely with a 

 problem which becomes international in its bear 

 ings. But a great deal can be done in various ways 

 even now a great deal is being done and a great 

 deal more can be done, if we see that the power is 

 lodged somewhere to do it. On the whole, our sys 

 tem of government has worked marvelously well 

 the system of divided functions of government, of 

 a scheme under which Maine, Louisiana, Oregon, 



