What are we to do about wealth? Teddy Roosevelt says let's not go to extremes.

Governor Roosevelt says that some people want government to confiscate all the wealth from corporations. They seem to think that "it is the duty of all railroad corporations to carry everybody free and give him a chromo." And then there are those other people — "scarcely less primative" — who don't think corporations should pay any tax at all. This is an especially stupid position because it "inevitably tends to produce the man who occupies the first position." So "the worst enemy of property" are those who think property is untouchable by government. Worse of all are the legislators, those who say:

"I am against corporations; ain't going to give them any powers."

And those who say:

"The corporations — they want this? What will they pay for it?"

Let's hope the New York governor gets his way.

THE YEAR THAT BLOG FORGOT IS: 1899.