And State Papers 



whether we like these new conditions or whether 

 we dislike them; whether we like the creation of 

 these new opportunities or not. Many admirable 

 qualities which were developed in the older, simpler, 

 less progressive life have tended to atrophy under 

 our rather feverish, high-pressure, complex life of 

 to-day. But our likes and dislikes have nothing to 

 do with the matter. The new conditions are here. 

 You can't bring back the old days of the canalboat 

 and stagecoach if you wish. The steamboat and 

 the railroad are here. The new forces have pro 

 duced both good and evil. We can not get rid of 

 them even if it were not undesirable to get rid of 

 them ; and our instant duty is to try to accommodate 

 our social, economic and legislative life to them, and 

 to frame a system of law and conduct under which 

 we shall get out of them the utmost possible benefit 

 and the least possible amount of harm. It is foolish 

 to pride ourselves upon our progress and prosperity, 

 upon our commanding position in the international 

 industrial world, and at the same time have nothing 

 but denunciation for the men to whose commanding 

 position we in part owe this very progress and pros 

 perity, this commanding position. 



Whenever great social or industrial changes take 

 place, no matter how much good there may be to 

 them, there is sure to be some evil; and it usually 

 takes mankind a number of years and a good deal 

 of experimenting before they find the right ways in 

 which so far as possible to control the new evil, with 

 out at the same time nullifying the new good. I am 



