The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-12-06

- ~ tAS 0SAN0S u q 1S "
who would be made beneficiaries BY
tearing down the structure which has
contributed SO much to the nations
greatness and prosperity. He believes
in reciprocity, but only as an incident
to protection, the same as did Presi
dent Mckinley, and declares that pro
tective duties must never be reduced
below a point that will cover the diff
ference between the labor cost here
and abroad. The we'll being of ou1
wage earners is of prime Importance
Without advocating the enactment OF
a subsidy law such as it has been
sought to have passed by some of the
senators, the president points out the
necessity for rehabilitating our mer.
chant marine and urges the adoption
of some remedy calculated to cure the
unfortunate conditions now obtaining
in our foreign carrying trade.
In respect to the conditions existing
in the railroad world, which just now
are exercising the people of the north
west to a degree never before heard
of, the president says:
''The railway is a public servant. Its
rates should be just and open to all
shippers alike. The government should
e to it hat within it's jurisdiction
this is so and should provide a speedy,
inexpensive and effective remedy to
that end. At the same time it must
not be forgotten that our railways
are the arteries through which the
commercial lifeblood of this nation
flows. Nothing could be more foolish
than the enactment of legislation
which would unnecessarily interfere
with the development and operation
of these commercial agencies. The
subject is one of great Importance and
calls for the earnest attention of the
congress-"
The people of Montana and the
other western states will appreciate
the fact that such urgent
recommendations are made in
favor of the irrigation of the arid
lands of the western states as to any
other subject. The president says
in this connection that "the western
half of the United States would sus-
tain a population greater than that of
our whole country today if the waters
that now run to waste were saved and
used for irrigation. The forest and
water problems are perhaps the most
vital internal questions of the United
States"
The subject of irrigation is treated
from the same broad, comprehensive
point Of view that would be expected
from a western man. Plainly the pres
ident shows how utterly impossible
it is for the reclamation of the arid
lands to be brought about by private
or state effort and says it is a matter
for national enterprise. The govern
ment should undertake the task of
storing the now waste waters and
regulating the use of the waters from
the streams and rivers for the use Of
the husbandman who may settle those
lands when they shall have been e
dered fit for occupancy. The benefits
to the entire nation by the adoption
of some comprehensive and rational
system of national irrigation are clear
ly and suscinctly set out.
Labor is made the subject for ex-
tensive treatment in the message and
the recommendations in this connec-
ton are all marked by the same hon
est seriousness and intent as are be-
slowed upon the other subjects treat
ed. That the president is in favor
of organized labor when devoted to
legitimate purposes is made very ap-
parent by his plea for the recognition
of "fair" labor in the awarding of all
contracts.
The recommendations in regard to
the isthmian canal, the navy, army,
breaking up of tribal relations in deal
ing with the Indians, our insular re-
lations and the various other subjects
which are made a part of the message
are all such as everybody a and
must endorse in the heartiest and
most unreserved manner
Altogether President Roosevelt's
first message is one that does honor
not only to it's author, but to the great
nation whose head he is.
WISE AND TIMELY.
1t is the opinion of The Gazette that