The Dickinson press., 1901-12-07
PRESIDENT RooskvElrS FIRST MESSAGE
TO CONGRESS-.

VWkoSUE(vU WVVO@vAAs ~
10 CONGRESS-.
Those who feared a volcanic
eruption in the first message of
President Roosevelt will be Sur
prised and, we trust, gratifed by
the deliberate conservatism of
this thoroughly discreet docu-
ment. 1t proves that his three
months in the White House has
removed Theodore Roosevelt as
far from the Rough Rider of San
Jaun Hill as the Office of President
is above the petty thoughts and
tricks of ward politics. 1t pre-
sents a calm, CONSTANT and reas-
surfing review of our national af-
fairs.
Naturally it opens with a sim
cerely simple tribute to the men,
DRY of the late President. From
this it passes logically to the
question suggested by the tragic
manner of his death-what shall
we do to suppress such crimes
aimed at the head of our social
order7 He denominates anarchy
as a crime against the whole hu-
man race, and recommends that
the federal courts be given juris-
diction over any person who kills
or attempts to kill the President
or any man in the line for success
sion to the presidency.
After discussing the wonderful
development of individual enter
prise in the United States the
President advises federal super
vision of industrial combinations
and enforced publicity in regard
to their operations. He favors
the. creation of bureau of COM
merce and industry.
Touching the labor problem,
President Roosevelt says: THE
chief factor in the success of each
man-wage-worker. farmer and
capitalist alike-must be the sum
total of his own individual quail
ties and abilities. Second only to
this comes the power of acting
in combination or association with
Others"
The peace and labor of the
United States he would protect
by the exclusion of anarchists and
persons of low morality and he
would apply some practical edu-
cational test to immigrants to as
certain their fitness to become
sane American citizens. He also
favors the re-enactment of the
Chinese exclusion law and the
adjustment of contract labor.
The message refers to reciproc-
ity as the hand-maiden of protec-
ton. but does not insist on the
ratification of pending treaties, to
which the attention of the Senate
is merely asked"
President Roosevelt favors gov
eminent aid for the encourage
ment of American shipping. He
believes in strengthening the in
terstate commerce law, in the
preservation of the forests and in
government aid for the irrigation
of arid lands to assist state and
local efforts for their reclamation.
He favors putting the indepen-
dence of Cuba on q firm footing
by "a substantial reduction in the
tariff duties on Cuban imports in
to the United States"
Our aim in the Philippines
should be to help their people
upward along the stony and diff.
cult path that leads to self-gov.
eminent" I'VE hope to do TO,
them" he continues, what has
never been done for any people
of the tropics-to make them fl
for self-government after the fash
ion of really free nations"
Of course. President Roosevelt
reiterates the Monroe doctrine a.
"a cardinal feature of the foreig,
policy of all the nations of tn,
two Americas, as it is of the Unit
ed States" He makes an elo
quent plea for the strengthening
of the navy which must be adc
gate to our position in interna
tional affairs. We must not cour
disaster in the role of a natioI
"opulent. aggressive and unarm
ed" He follows the recommen
dations of Secretary Root in re
gard to the reorganization of tn
army, which he says is larg
enough for present necessities.
President Roosevelt pronounce