Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7) — John Shaqi
Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7)Roosevelt, Theodore
History
Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7)
Roosevelt, Theodore
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919; United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1909
public sentiment which shall demand of all men of means, and especially
of the men of vast fortune, that they set an example to their less
fortunate brethren, by paying scrupulous heed not only to the letter
but to the spirit of the laws, and by acknowledging in the heartiest
fashion the moral obligations which can not be expressed in law, but
which stand back of and above all laws. It is far more important that
they should conduct their business affairs decently than that they
should spend the surplus of their fortunes in philanthropy. Much has
been given to these men and we have the right to demand much of them in
return. Every man of great wealth who runs his business with cynical
contempt for those prohibitions of the law which by hired cunning he
can escape or evade is a menace to our community; and the community is
not to be excused if it does not develop a spirit which actively frowns
on and discountenances him. The great profession of the law should be
that profession whose members ought to take the lead in the creation of
just such a spirit. We all know that, as things actually are, many of
the most influential and most highly remunerated members of the bar
in every centre of wealth make it their special task to work out bold
and ingenious schemes by which their very wealthy clients, individual
or corporate, can evade the laws which are made to regulate in the
interest of the public the use of great wealth. Now, the great lawyer
who employs his talent and his learning in the highly remunerative task
of enabling a very wealthy client to override or circumvent the law
is doing all that in him lies to encourage the growth in this country
of a spirit of dumb anger against all laws and of disbelief in their
efficacy. Such a spirit may breed the demand that laws shall be made
even more drastic against the rich, or else it may manifest itself in
hostility to all laws. Surely Harvard has the right to expect from her
sons a high standard of applied morality, whether their paths lead them
into public life, into business, or into the great profession of the
law, whose members are so potent in shaping the growth of the national
soul.
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