Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 3 (of 7)Roosevelt, Theodore
History
Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 3 (of 7)
Roosevelt, Theodore
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919; United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1909
Now in the same way with our internal affairs; take what the
toastmaster was kind enough to say as to my standing for a square deal.
I want that understood literally. I do not want it exaggerated on one
side or the other. When I say I believe in a square deal I do not mean,
and nobody who speaks the truth can mean, that he believes it possible
to give every man the best hand. If the cards do not come to any man,
or if they do come, and he has not got the power to play them, that is
his affair. All I mean is that there shall not be any crookedness in
the dealing. In other words, it is not in the power of any human being
to devise legislation or administration by which each man shall achieve
success and have happiness; it not only is not in the power of any man
to do that, but if any man says that he can do it, distrust him as a
quack. If the hand of the Lord is heavy upon any man, if misfortune
comes upon him, he may be unable to win; or even if fortune favors him
and he lacks the courage, the nerve, the common-sense, the ability, to
do the best with the chance given him, then he will fail. All any of us
can pretend to do is to come as near as our imperfect abilities will
allow to securing through governmental agencies an equal opportunity
for each man to show the stuff that is in him; and that must be done
with no more intention of discrimination against the rich man than the
poor man, or against the poor man than the rich man; with the intention
of safeguarding each man, rich or poor, poor or rich, in his rights,
and giving him as nearly as may be a fair chance to do what his powers
permit him to do; always provided he does not wrong his neighbor.
This is not in the least a partisan question. It is one of those
questions that affect all our citizens, a question that goes to the
root of our citizenship; and when it comes to a question like that you
citizens of this country have the right to expect your representatives
in public life to join hands and work for the common good and without
regard to any mere party differences. As to the details of carrying out
those general principles we can not expect everybody to agree. My own
views are pretty definite, both about foreign and domestic policies.
In foreign policies, for instance, I have this strong belief, which I
am sure will appeal to every cow-man present—never draw, unless you
mean to shoot; and that implies, of course, that when you draw it shall
not be an empty gun. Do not speak impolitely, disrespectfully of other
nations. Always treat them with courtesy. Remember that nobody likes
to be insulted. One would rather be wronged than insulted; and this
is just as true internationally as among individuals. Always speak
courteously; be dead sure you are right before going into trouble;
being in, see it through.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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