The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-12-07
The Presidents Message.

President Roosevelts first message to
The Congress was transmitted to both houses
on Tuesday. 1t is unlike any document of
the kind sent to that>body for some years, in
that ii almost wholly ignores foreign affairs
and does not discuss our relations with other
governments II is essentially domestic
document, dealing with home affairs. 1t
speaks of trusts, with which the President
would deal gently, saying they have their good
sides as well as their bad, and advises against
hasty or ill-considered legislation to restrain
them. He would not have any general agita-
ton of tariff rates, which would, he says, tend
to disturb business and create uncertainty and
unrest. But he believes in reciprocity, pro-
vided no reciprocity is granted that would
disturb a single American industry, he to be
tho judge.
Several columns are devoted to the advoca-
cy Of increasing the navy until that of the
United States, ship for ship, is equal to that
of any other government, believing that a
powerful navy is a guarantee of peace.
As to the anRy he believes it is now amply
large, but ne uld increase its effectiveness
by getting ri filings among the officers,
and by hard drilling, marching, en-
barking on Y and disembarking. The
e0mmissary Transportation departments ,,. ats,
he thinks, naM active service to prevent dry
rot in them.
The death of President Mckinley is feeling
spoken of, and he roundly denounces anarch-
lists. He would have assassins of Presidents
dealt with by the Federal courts, and the i'm
migration laws so amended that anarchists and
other undesirable people could not come into
the country. And he would have the Chinese
exclusion act extended.
The ADvocATE does not hold to very many
of the views Of the President. If what he ad-
vances against tariff revision, that of disturb
ing business, were sound reasoning, there
would never be any important changes in tar
iffrates, and protection and robbery would go
on eternally. The manufacturers and trusts
would continue to rob the people of this
country by excessive charges for their pro-
ducts in order to export goods and undersell
the foreigner.
The President advocates ship subsidies,
which means taxation of all the people for the
benefit of few shipowners. He advances
the arguments SO often stated in the last
Congress, that our goods should be carried IN
American bottoms and that in the building
up of the merchant marine the boats would
be valuable adjuncts to the navy IN time OF
war. A frst-class war ship could sink all the
merchant vessels that could be brought against
her; and, besides, the fast cruisers are much
swifter than the merchant ships, and there
fore would not even be valuable as scouts. a
number were employed as scouts in the war
with Spain. yet Cervera's feet entered Santiago
harbor unobserved. Ship subsidies cannot be
defended, and the President has used the
only arguments in their defense yet relied
upon, but they are too himsy to convince, as
they were in the last Congress.
We do not propose to further consider the
message at this time. Should The Congress
undertake to enact into legislation any OF his
Objectionable recommendations, the measures
can then be discussed. Or should needed leg
islation in restraint Of trusts or for tariff re-
vision be omitted the matters can be consid-
cred at the proper time.
The message is quite long and in II the
President has, as usual, resurrected some oh
solete words and used strenuous phases.
1t is Rooseveltian and no one will dispute the
authorship