The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-12-12
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


called trusts, though organized in one
State, always do business i'll many
States, often doing very little business
in the State where they are incorpor-
ated 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 prac-
tice proved impossible to get adequate
regulation through State action There
fore. in the interest of the whole peo-
pie. the Nation should. without inter
fering with the power of the States IN
the matter itself. also assume power OF
supervision and regulation over all cor
porations doing an interstate business.
This is especially true where the cor
poration deives a portion of its wealth
from the existence of some monopo-
listic element or tendency in its busi-
ness. 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
There should be created a Cabinet
officer, to be known as Secretary OF
Commerce and Industries, as provided
in the bill introduced at the last ses-
sion OF the Congress. Ii should be his
province to deal with commerce in its
broadest sense; including among many
other things whatever concerns labor
and all matters affecting the great
business corporations and our merchant
marine.
The Farmer AMI Wage.Worker
With the sole exception of the farm
ing interest, no one matter is of such
vital moment to o"r whole people as
-. - e.
the farmer and the wage-worker are
well off, it is Absolutely certain that all
others will be well r. too 1t is there
fore a matter for hcarty congratulation
that on the whole wages are higher to-
day in the United States than ever be-
fore in our history and far higher than
in any other country. The standard OF
living is also higher than ever before.
Every effort OF legislator and admins
traitor should be bent to secure the
permancucy of this condition of things
and its improvement wherever pos
sible Not only must Our labor be pro-
tcctcd by the tariff, but it should also
be protected so far as it is possible
from the presence in this country of
any laborers brought over by contract
or of those who, coming freely, yet rep
that they can undersell our men in the
labor market and drag them to lower
level | regard il as necessary, with
this end in view, to re-enact imnedi-
ately the law excluding Chinese labor
ers and to strengthen it wherever nee
essary in order to make its enforce
ment entirely effective
Our present immigration laws are
unsatisfactory We need every honest
and efficient immigrant fitted to be-
come an American citizen, every inn
migrant who comes here to stay, who
brings here a strong body, a stout
heart, good head. and a resolute pur-
pose to do his duty well in every way,
and to bring up his children as law
abiding and God d-fearing members of
the community. But there should be
a comprehensive law enacted with the
object OF working a threefold improve
ment over Our present system. First,
we should aim to exclude absolutely
not only all persons who are known to
be believers in anarchistic principles
or members Of anarchistic societies.
but also all persons who are OF a low
moral tendency or OF unsavory reputa-
ton. This means that we should re-
quire a more thorough system OF in
spection abroad and more rigid system
of examination at our immigration
ports, the former being especially neces-
sary
The second object of a proper immi-
grafton law ought to be to secure by
careful and not merely perfunctory ed
ucation test some intelligent capacity
to appreciate American institutions
and act sanely as American citizens.
This would not keep out all anarchists,
for many of them belong to the intel
ligent criminal class. But it would do
what is also in point, that is, tend 10
decrease the sum of ignorance, so po-
tent in producing the envy, suspicion,
malignant passion and hatred OF order
ont Of which anarchistic sentiment in
cyitably springs Finally, all persons
should be excluded who are below a
certain standard Of economic fitness to
enter our industrial field as competi-
tors with American labor. There should
he proper proof of personal capacity TO
earn an American living and enough
money 10 insure q decent start under
American conditions. This woud stop
the nhux of cheap labor. and the re
sulting competition which gives rise
to so much Of bitterness in American
industrial lie.
Both the educational and eonomic
tests in wise immigration law should
he designed to protect and elevate the
general body polite and social. A very
close supervision should be exercised
over the steamship companies which
mainly bring over the Immigrants and
they should be held TO a strict account
ability for any infraction Of the law
Present Tariff System.
There is general acquiescencc in our
present tariff system as a national pol
icy. The first reqnisite to Our prosper
ity is the continuity and stability OF
this economic policy. Nothing could be
more unwise than to disturb the bust
ness interests Of the country by any
general tariff change at this time
Doubt, apprehension, uncertainty are
exactly what we most wish to avoid in
the interest OF our commercial and ma
teral well-being Our experience in the
past has shown that sweeping revisions
OF the traiff are apt to produce condi-
tions closely approaching panic in the
business world Yet it is not only pos
siblc, but eminently desirable, TO com
bine with the stability of our economic
system a supplementary system Of re-
ciprocal benefit and obligation with
other nations. Such reciprocity is an
incident and result of the firm estab-
lishment and preservation of our pres
I emf economic t,Dlirv II vvas qcDeriativ