HOME-BUILDING FOR THE NATION 523 



understand what the real problems are. good. The great oppressive trusts ex- 



The great things are few and simple, ist because of subservient lawmakers 



but they are too often hidden by false and adroit legal constructions. Here 



issues, and conventional, unreal think- is the central stronghold of the money 



ing. The easiest way to hide a real power in the everlasting conflict of the 



issue always has been, and always will few to grab, and the many to keep or 



be, to replace it with a false one. win the rights they were born with. 



The first thing we need in this coun- Legal technicalities seldom help the 

 try, as President Roosevelt so well set people. The people, not the law, should 

 forth in that great message which told have the benefit of every doubt, 

 what he had been trying to do for the Equality of opportunity, a square 

 American .people, is equality of oppor- deal for every man, the protection of 

 tunity for every citizen. No man the citizen against the great concen- 

 should have less, and no man ought to trations of capital, the intelligent use 

 ask for any more. Equality of oppor- of laws and institutions for the public 

 tunity is the real object of our laws good; and the conservation of our nat- 

 and institutions. Our institutions and ural resources, not for the trusts, but 

 our laws are not valuable in them- for the people ; these are real issues and 

 selves. They are valuable only because real problems. Upon such things as 

 they secure equality of opportunity for these the perpetuity of this country as 

 happiness and welfare for our citizens, a nation of homes really depends. We 

 An institution or a law is a means, not are coming to see that the simple things 

 an end a means to be used for the are the things to work for. More than 

 public good ; to be modified for the pub- that, we are coming to see that the 

 lie good, and to be interpreted for the plain American citizen is the man to 

 public good. One of the great reasons work for. The imagination is stag- 

 why President Roosevelt's administra- gered by the magnitude of the prize 

 tion was of such enormous value to the for which we work. If we succeed, 

 plain American was that he understood there will exist upon this continent a 

 what St. Paul meant when he said : sane, strong people, living through the 

 "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth centuries in a land subdued and con- 

 life." To follow blindly the letter of trolled for the service of the people, its 

 the law, or the form of an institution, rightful masters ; owned by the many 

 without intelligent regard both for its and not by the few. If we fail, the 

 spirit and for the public welfare, is very great interests, increasing their control 

 nearly as dangerous as to disregard the of our natural resources, will thereby 

 law altogether. What we need is the control the country more and more, and 

 use of the law for the public good, and the rights of the people will fade into 

 the construction of it for the public the privileges of concentrated wealth, 

 welfare. There could be no better illustration 



It goes without saying that the law of the eager, rapid, unwearied absorp- 

 is supreme and must be obeyed. Our tion by capital of the rights which be- 

 civilization rests on obedience to law. long to all the people than the water- 

 But the law is not absolute. It re- power trust, not yet formed, but in 

 quires to be construed. Rigid con- rapid process of formation. This state- 

 struction of the law works, and must ment is true, but not unchallenged. We 

 work, in the vast majority of cases, for are met at every turn by the indignant 

 the benefit of the men who can hire denial of the water-power interests, 

 the best lawyers and who have the They tell us that there is no community 

 sources of influence in lawmaking at of interest among them, and yet they 

 their command. Strict construction appear year after year at these con- 

 necessarily favors the great interests as gresses by their paid attorneys, asking 

 against the people, and in the long run for your influence to help them remove 

 cannot do otherwise. Wise execution the few remaining obstacles to their 

 of the law must consider what the law perpetual and complete absorption of 

 ought to accomplish for the general the remaining water-powers. They tell 



