districts were transformed into two hostile armed camps. Violence
was common. At this time Roosevelt coupled the name of a giant
among American railroad financiers, with those of Moyer and
Haywood, and described them all as "undesirable citizens." The
outbursts of resentment from both sides were instantaneous and
vicious. There was little to choose between them. Finally the
President took advantage of a letter of criticism from a
supporter of the accused labor leaders to reply to both groups of
critics. He referred to the fact that certain representatives of
the great capitalists had protested, because he had included a
prominent financier with Moyer and Haywood, while certain
representatives of labor had protested on precisely the opposite
grounds. Then Roosevelt went on to say:

"I am as profoundly indifferent to the condemnation in one case
as in the other. I challenge as a right the support of all good
Americans, whether wage-workers or capitalists, whatever their
occupation or creed, or in whatever portion of the country they
live, when I condemn both the types of bad citizenship which I
have held up to reprobation . . . . You ask for a 'square deal'
for Messrs. Moyer and Haywood. So do I. When I say 'square deal',
I mean a square deal to every one; it is equally a violation of
the policy of the square deal for a capitalist to protest against
denunciation of a capitalist who is guilty of wrongdoing and for
a labor leader to protest against the denunciation of a labor
leader who has been guilty of wrongdoing. I stand for equal
justice to both; and so far as in my power lies I shall uphold
justice, whether the man accused of guilt has behind him the
wealthiest corporation, the greatest aggregations of riches in
the country, or whether he has behind him the most influential