The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-04

| .f'.- III Inc aSSeTuO
OF the conviction that the Government ca
control hr law the encroschment of cap
itai Fi!l be generally accepted. and is Il
Line With tke vot. OF the Missouri Demo
Gratis in the last Congress.
| fakea as whole the message is ex
, Tr.sse! in plain terms and simple Ian
. siaSe- II yinlicates. in part the Presi
! dents courage. ard shows a shrewdnes
which he was not supposed TO possess. ir
avoiding specific recommendation on many
, questions about which his party is now di
viced In opinion
As 4 WHOLE THE MESSAGE
APPEALS TO SHACkLEFORD.
Representative Shackleford:
Taken as a whole the message IL a sirone
document bristling with the individuality
of its author.
Il am pleased with its vigorous assertion
o. me Monroe Doctrine ard fully agree with
! MN as To its importance though I DO not
| quite concur in his construction Of 1t.
also believe with him that We should
! strengthen Our navy. To assert the Mon
| roe Doctrine and secure our own peace we
mist be strong at sea. The President puts
II IN admirable phrase. We desire the peace
"h'ch comes as oc right TO 4 just man
si"eo: not the peace granted on terms of
! isnomihy to the craven and the weakiing.'
HIS statement that there is no need OF an
increase in our standing army is to be COM
l ..'sNN.' s'1iu II 10 De regretted that he
uid not recommend a reduction. No inyad-
ing army could come against us which
coaid not be easily repelled by a volunteer
.ofce called into the field for that purpose
we therefore need but a small army.
| on the subject of trusts the message is
| s.ieFousiy disappointing. From previous
| n..etances. the people had expected the
rresieeht to deal with monopolies in a
vigorous manner. but he shows himself to
nave neeh suppressed by his party leaders.
ilue, IN general terms he discusses the
e'Hs OF trusts. nut he inserts enough saving
cause to assure the plutocrats that they
nave nothing TO fear. He says: The
mechanism of modern business IL 80 deli
cate that extreme care must be taken M.
10 interfere In a spirit of rashness and ig-
Horance. which means that the questions
WIZ be handled very gently. The character
CT trust legislation which he does propose
Is most unfortunate. 1t would virtually
take away from the States all right 10 reg
uiate and put the whole matter in the hands
OF the FEDERAL courts. which would differ
very little from putting II in the hands of
.he trusts themselves. The message gives
Out little room for hope for relief from
tarin tyranny. The President discusses
In vague way our merchant marine with.
out Offering any definite plan for its better
ment This sauzy generalization drives us
to the conclusion that he has surrend.,.d
the ship-subsidy looters"
WITHOUT STUDYING MESSAGE
JUDGE KICKER Is IMPRESSED.
Judge Rucker:
4 have had no opportunity to studv the
Presidents message. but followed its read
ing. and am impressed with the idea that
II IS plausible. strong and able paper,
freer from criticism than expected.
1t does not recommend tariff LEGISLATION
as forcibly as l was led to hope. but I
CClbf if the mil
tafns will be followed
1t deals with the trusts very tenderly
and Is almost pathetic in its admonitions Of
prudence In legislation on this subpect
These admonitions Will likely be needed,
and no bills passed to protect the peopIe
from the avarice and greed Of Combines
The Republican party dare not antaeonixe
the money power. and the President has
carefully avoided doing 30 in his message.
Referring to the Philippine problems the
message outlines a policy OF rank imperia!-
Ism. and says: As an earnest of what We
Intend TO do. We point to what We have
done This declaration will fail to inspire |
the Filipinos with increased respect for !
this country as liberty-lcving, liberty |
giving nation. or give them hope Of ulti- |
mate freedom.
Il am well pleased with those part. of
the message which recommend the re-en-
actment of the Chinese exclusion act and
the enactment Of a Law which will make It
impossible for an anarchist to land on
American soil"
DuTLER CHARACTERIZEs IT As
on THE WHOLE.
Representative J. J. Butler:
Stripped Of its verbiage and euloev II
is an otherwise able document. 1t is rhe-
torically and classically suggestive of the |
II is analytic. but lacks bold /
ness More feariessness In suggesting rene
dies for existing evils was looked for.
His treatment OF the trusts is mildly
and entirely too soothing for
quick results. He has touched but lightly
on the money question. and in manner
rot 10 seriously antagonize at this time.
any great element of the people.
His views on immigration are clear and
or Chinese exclusion and inpcrta-
ion of foreign labor. prudent and sensible
His conclusions on the questions Of arid
lands and irrigation. the protection Of the
forests and streams Of our land. are logical
and just. and deserve the support of both
parties.
His Philippine policy Is that Of his party
and is unamer.can.
His position on the army and navy Is
patriotic. ard. in the main. correct.
His reassurirg on the tariff question - !
Illogical. and. while his theory that labor
when employed In better paid under the
system OF protection may IN
ONE instances be correct. he entirely ig-
lores the fact that the cost Of living is |
loudly increased thereby. and that a panic
,r wholesale failure in the agricultural
" commercial world at any moment would
,lurge large element Of our wage-earners
nto want and misery.
'On the whole. the message is conserva-
I'VE. gives no serious offense to any one, J
md. unlike similar documents OF the past.
rakes pleasant reading
Mr.. Robb:
lOBB Is NOT PLEASED WITH
on TRUSTS.
without undertaking to comment on the +
residents message as a whole. I will say u
nat his recommendations as to anti-trus. 4
.s;sIaf.oa faI! short Jf the mark Govern
rental supervision, and. within reasonable Z
niiis. control. coupled with publicity, might
ford some relief, but the Government
nouli not enter into the trust business. A 1.
rust is now and always has been an ille- Z
Al combination and the Government should 4
ct by any act leSaiize it. Anarch .sts strike q
tine Government. and anarchy is an evil II
hich We would prohibit and blot out for n
rer. Tnc trust strikes at the liberties OF
,e people; 1t is an evil recognized by all
It the trust benehciaries: I. forces the pso-
e TO enter the market where competition
restricted. IL not destroyed entirely. The :. y
forts Of the national and State govern Vi
ents should be to prohibit trusts entirely. a
I'd 1 regret that the President did not rec !
nmend vigorous legislation along that line.
canno. believe that the message win give v
le trusts any great uneas1ness.
81 would infer that the President favorS
e ship subsidy. This will be great dis
opoiBtment to the many who had been led y