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name Republican was split into several sections； mutually discordant if not actually hostile。 It seems no exaggeration to say that the underlying motive of the majority of the Republican Party during Roosevelt's Presidency was to uphold Privilege； just as much as the underlying purpose of the great Whig Party in England in the eighteenth century was to uphold Aristocracy。 Roosevelt's purpose； on the contrary； was to clip the arrogance of Privilege based on Plutocracy。 To achieve this he must； in some measure； compel the party of Plutocracy to help him。 I speak； so far as possible； as a historian；and not as a partisan；who recognizes that the rise of a Plutocracy was the inevitable result of the amassing； during a generation； of unprecedented wealth； and that； in a Republic governed by parties； the all…dominant Plutocracy would naturally see to it that the all dominant party which governed the country and made its laws should be plutocratic。 If the spheres in which Plutocracy made most of its money had been Democratic； then the Democratic Party would have served the Plutocracy。 As it was； in the practical relation between the parties； the Democrats got their share of the spoils； and the methods of a Democratic Boss； like Senator Gorman； did not differ from those of a Republican Boss； like Senator Aldrich。 Roosevelt relied implicitly on justice and common sense。 He held； as firmly as Lincoln had held； to the inherent rightmindedness of the 〃plain people。〃 And however fierce and formidable the opposition to his policies might be in Congress； he trusted that； if he could make clear to the average voters of the country what he was aiming at； they would support him。 And they did support him。 Time after time； when the Interests appeared to be on the point of crushing his reform； the people rose and coerced Congress into adopting it。 I would not imply that Roosevelt assumed an autocratic manner in this warfare。 He left no doubt of his intention； still less could he disguise the fact of his tremendous personal vigor； but rather than threaten he tried to persuade； he was good…natured to everybody； he explained the reasonableness of his measures； and only when the satraps of Plutocracy so far lost their discretion as to threaten him； did he bluntly challenge them to do their worst。
The Interests had undeniably reached such proportions that unless they were chastened and controlled； the freedom of the Republic could not survive。 And yet； in justice； we must recall that when they grew up in the day of small things； they were beneficial； their founders had no idea of their becoming a menace to the Nation。 The man who built the first cotton…mill in his section； or started the first iron…furnace； or laid the first stretch of railroad； was rightly hailed as a benefactor； and he could not foresee that the time would come when his mill； entering into a business combination with a hundred other mills in different parts of the country； would be merged。 in a monopoly to strangle competition in cotton manufacture。 Likewise； the first stretch of railroad joined another； and this a third； and so on； until there had arisen a vast railway system under a single management from New York to San Francisco。 Now； while these colossal monopolies had grown up so naturally； responding to the wonderful expansion of the population they served； the laws and regulations which applied to them； having been framed in the days when they were young and small and harmless； still obtained。 The clothes made for the little boy would not do for the giant man。 I have heard a lawyer complain that statutes； which barely sufficed when travel and transportation went by stage…coach； were stretched to fit the needs of the public in its relation with transcontinental railroads。 This is an exaggeration； no doubt； but it points towards truth。 The Big Interests were so swollen that they went ahead on their own affairs and paid little attention to the community on which they were battening。 They saw to it that if any laws concerning them had to be made by the State Legislatures or by Congress； their agents in those bodies should make them。 A certain Mr。 Vanderbilt； the president of one of the largest railroad systems in America； a person whose other gems of wit and wisdom have not been recorded； achieved such immortality； as it is； by remarking； 〃The public be damned。〃 Probably the president and directors of a score of other monopolies would have heartily echoed that impolitic and petulant display of arrogance。 Impolitic the exclamation was； because the American public had already begun to feel that the Big Interests were putting its freedom in jeopardy； and it was beginning to call for laws which should reduce the power of those interests。
As early as 1887 the Interstate Commerce Act was passed； the earliest considerable attempt to regulate rates and traffic。 Then followed anti…trust laws which aimed at the suppression of 〃pools；〃 in which many large producers or manufacturers combined to sell their staples at a uniform price； a practice which inevitably set up monopolies。 The 〃Trusts〃 were to these what the elephant is to a colt。 When the United States Steel Corporation was formed by uniting eleven large steel plants； with an aggregate capital of 11100；000；000； the American people had an inkling of the magnitude to which Trusts might swell。 In like fashion when the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern Railroads found a legal impediment to their being run by one management； they got round the law by organizing the Northern Securities Company； which was to hold the stocks and bonds of both railroads。 And so of many other important industrial and transportation mergers。 The most powerful financial promoters of the country； led by Mr。 J。 Pierpont Morgan； were busy setting up these combinations on a large scale and the keenest corporation lawyers spent their energy and wits in framing charters which obeyed the letter of the laws； but wholly denied their spirit。
President Roosevelt worked openly； with a definite purpose。 First； he would enforce every law on the statute book； without exception in favor of any individual or company； next； he suggested to Congress the need of new legislation to resist further encroachments by capitalists in the fields where they had already been checked； finally； he pointed out that Congress must begin at once to protect the national resources which had been allowed to go to waste； or to be seized and exploited by private concerns。
I do not intend to take up in chronological sequence； or in detail； Roosevelt's battles to secure proper legislation。 To do so would require the discussion of legal and constitutional questions； which would scarcely fit a sketch like the present。 The main things to know are the general nature of his reforms and his own attitude in conducting the fight。 He aimed directly at stopping abuses which gave a privileged few undue advantage in amassing and distributing wealth。 The practical result of the laws was to spread justice； and equality throughout the country and to restore thereby the true spirit of Democracy on which the Founders created the Republic。 He fought fairly； but warily； never letting slip a point that would te