And State Papers 141 



itself honestly and squarely. What I am saying 

 ought to be treated as simple, elementary truths. 

 The only reason it is necessary to say them at all is 

 that apparently some people forget them. 



I believe something can be done by national legis 

 lation. When I state that I ask you to note my 

 words. I say I believe. It is not in my power to say 

 I know. When I talk to you of my own executive 

 duties I can tell you definitely what will and what 

 will not be done. When I speak of the actions of any 

 one else I can only say that I believe something more 

 can be done by national legislation. I believe it will 

 be done. I think we can get laws which will increase 

 the power of the Federal Government over corpora 

 tions; if we can not, then there will have to be an 

 amendment to the Constitution of the nation con 

 ferring additional power upon the Federal Govern 

 ment to deal with corporations. To get that will be 

 a matter of difficulty, and a matter of time. 



Let me interrupt here by way of illustration. 

 You of the great war recollect that about six weeks 

 after Sumter had been fired on there began to be 

 loud clamor in the North among people who were 

 not at the front that you should go to Richmond; 

 and there were any number of people who told you 

 how to go there. Then came Bull Run, and a lot 

 of those same people who a fortnight before had 

 been yelling "On to Richmond at once," turned 

 around and said the war was over. All the hysteric 

 brotherhood said so. But you didn't think so. The 

 war was not over. It was not over for three years 



