Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-12-07
HIS ANNUAL MESSAGE
Synopsis of the Presidents Rec
omm endations to Congress.
He Touches Upon Many Important
Questions Among Them Trusts,
Irrigation Works, Isthmian
Canal and Other Things.

The following is a brief synopsis of
President Roosevelt's message to con-
greSS, giving a resume of his comments
and recommendations upon the topics of
greatest interest to the American people:
The message opens with an official no
tice of the death of the late President
Mckinley, and a eulogy of him in which
the president says:
at is not too much to say that at the
time of President McKinley's death he
was the most widely-loved man in all the
United States, while we have never had
any public man of his position who has
been so wholly free from the bitter ami
mosities incident to public life. His po-
Htlcal opponents were the first to bear
the heartiest and most generous tribute
to the broad kindness of nature, the
sweetness and gentleneSS of character
which so endeared him to his close asso-
ciates. To a standard of lofty integrity
in public life he united the tender affec-
tons and home virtues which are all
important in the makeup of national
character. A gallant soldier in the great
war for the union, he also Shone as an
example to all our people because of his
conduct in the most sacred and intimate
personal hatred of him, for he never act
ed with aught but consideration for the
welfare of others No one could fail to
respect him who knew him in public or
derous criminals who seek to excuse their
criminality by asserting that it is eXer-
c1sed for political ends inveigh against
wealth and irresponsible power. But for
this assassination even this base apology
cannot be urged
In the same connection he recommends
legislation for dealing with anarchy
recommending a law that will permit the
federal courts to handle any man guilty of
taking or attempting to take the life of the
chief magistrate or any person IN the line
of succession to the presidency. Another
is for a law that will prevent the preaching
or teaching OF anarchiStic doctrines within
our boundaries, and another is for one that
will prevent the landing upon our shores
of any person with anarchiStic tenden"
cieS.
The Trusts.
He deals with the trust proble>l at con-
siderable length, citing both the advan-
tages and disadvantages of these great
corporations to the nation. He does not
protective tariff, but to natural causes
that operate in other countries as we'll as
Dur own.
He claims that to them the nation owes
much of it's present degree of prosperity
and commercial and industrial advance
ment; that it is the great corporations
who have driven the railroads across the
continent, and made us world power in
the markets of the world.
He asks for legislation that will control
and regulate them, but at the same time
counsels congress to act with caution in
enacting such legislation, and assigns
number of reasons for the necessity for
caution, and of this problem he says:
THE process has aroused much antago-
without warrant. 1t is not true that as
the rich have grown richer the poor have
grown poorer. On the contrary, never be-
tore has the average man, the wage
been so well off as in this country and
at the present time, There have been
abuses connected with the accumulation
of wealth, yet il remains true that for
tune accumulated in legitimate business
can be accumulated by the person spe-
cially benefited only on condition OF con-
ferring immense incidental benefits upon
others. Successful enterprise of the type
which benefits all mankind can only ex-
list if the conditions are such as to offer
great prizes as the rewards of success"
Artificial bodies, such as corporations
and joint stock or other associations de-
pending upon any statutory law for their
existence or privileges, should be subject
to proper governmental supervision, and
full and accurate information as to their
operations should be made public regu-
larly "a reasonable intervals
Among his reasons for caution he en-
phaszes the fact that in whatever legis-
lation is enacted it should not, any fur
Their than can be avoided, hamper the
strong and forceful men upon whom the
success of business operations inevitably
rests.
Another of his reasons for caution is
to be found in the international commercial
conditions of to-day as the same business
conditions which have produced the great
aggregations of corporate and individual
wealth have made them very potent fac
tition. AS we have only just begun to as
sumo that commanding position III the in
ternational business world which We be-
fieve will be more and more ours, it is of
the utmost Importance that this position
be not jeopardiZed at the present time.
Under such conditions it would be most
unwise to cramp or fetter the youthful
strength of the nation"
But while ne recognizes these conditions
as reasons for caution in enacting trust
legislation, he believes there are evils
which need be remedied. and believes also,
that remedies may be applied which will
not hamper our present position.
OF the evils he considers overcapital-
iZation the worst and of the remedy for
these evils he says:
THE first essential in determining how
to deal with the great industrial COM
binations is knowledge of the facts
publicity: In the interest Of the public
inspect and examine the workings of
the great corporations engaged in inter
state business. Publicity is the only sure
remedy which we can now invoke. What
further remedies are needed in the way
of governmental regulation or taxation
can only be determined after publicity
in the course of administration. The first
requisite is knowledge, full and complete
knowledge which may be made public
to the world.
called trusts. though organized in one
state, always do business in many states,
often doing very little business in the
state where they are incorporated. There
is utter lack of uniformity in the state
laws about them, and as no state has
any exclusive interest in or power over
their acts it has in practice proved i'm
through state action. Therefore in the
interest of the whole people the nation
should, without interfering with the pow
er of the states in the matter itself, also
assume power of supervision and regula-
ton over all corporations doing an inter-
state business. This is especially true
where the corporation derives portion
of it's wealth from the existence OF some
monopoliStic element or tendency in its
business. There would be no hardship in
such supervision. Banks are subject to
it, and in their case it is now accepted
as a simple matter of course Indeed it
is probable that supervision of corpora
lions by the national government need
not go SO far as is now the case with the
supervision exercised over them by so
conservative state as Massachusetts in
order to produce excellent results"
The president believes that it will he
possible to secure the needed remedies
for the trust evil under the constitution
as it now exists. but If congress thinks
otherwise he recommends that a conSttu-
tional amendment be subm tied that will
COZ fer the poH necessary.
In connection with she trusts he rec
ommends legislation creating a cabinet Of
fiCer. to he Known SIS Seci etary OF :cnl-
II e.oe, whose di ties wou1 be to deal
with all on tstionS concerning commerce,
lstcr and the merchant maine.
Chinese Exclusion Necessary.
He recommends the immediate reen-
actment of the Chinese exclusion act as a
necessary protection for American work
men, and in the same connection recon-
mendS such amendments to the Interstate
commerce law as will enable the various
states to protect their laborers from the
competition of prison labor of another
state, and also that the government aid
the movement for the lettering of the
workingmen's condition by not permitting
women or children to work excessive
hours or at night upon goods made for
government use
He asks for amendments to the immi-
grafton laws that will prevent the land
ing of undesirable immigrants, and such
as will enable the immigrant officials to
apply seVerer tests both mentally, moral
ly and physically to those who seel, a
landing upon our shores.
The Tariff.
He counsels against any change in the
present tariff laws. but urges the adon-
ton of the reciprocity idea as a means
of opening the doors of the world to orr
commerce. In this connection he saws: