And State Papers 653 



shall be brought into harmony with the interest of 

 the general public, and that the conduct of each shall 

 conform to the fundamental rules of obedience to 

 law, of individual freedom, and of justice and fair 

 dealing towards all. Whenever either corporation, 

 labor union, or individual disregards the law or acts 

 in a spirit of arbitrary and tyrannous interference 

 with the rights of others, whether corporations or 

 individuals, then where the Federal Government 

 has jurisdiction, it will see to it that the misconduct 

 is stopped, paying not the slightest heed to the posi- 

 tion or power of the corporation, the union or the 

 individual, but only to one vital fact that is, the 

 question whether or not the conduct of the individual 

 or aggregate of individuals is in accordance with the 

 law of the land. Every man must be guaranteed 

 his liberty and his right to do as he likes with his 

 property or his labor, so long as he does not in- 

 fringe the rights of others. No man is above the 

 law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any 

 man's permission when we require him to obey it. 

 Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not 

 asked as a favor. 



We have cause as a Nation to be thankful for the 

 steps that have been so successfully taken to put 

 these principles into effect. The progress has been 

 by evolution, not by revolution. Nothing radical 

 has been done; the action has been both moderate 

 and resolute. Therefore the work will stand. There 

 shall be no backward step. If in the working of the 

 laws it proves desirable that they shall at any point 



