, 1901-12-03

quate regulation through state action.
Therefore, in the interest of the whole
people, the nation should. without in
terfering with the power of the states
in the mattersitself. also assume power
Of supervision and regulation over all
corporations doing an interstate bust
ness.
Amend Constitution II Necessary.
When the constitution was adopted,
at the end OF the eighteenth century,
NO human wisdom could foretell the
sweeping changes. alike In Industrial
and political conditions, which were to
take place by the beginning Of the
twentieth century. At that time 1t
was accepted as a matter Of course
that the several states were the proper
authorities to regulate. so far as was
then necessary. the comparatively in.
significant and strictly localized cor
porate bodies of the day. The condi-
tons are now wholly different. and
wholly different action Is called for.
! believe that a law can be framed
which will enable the national govern
ment to exercise control along the lines
above indicated. protiting by the expe-
rience gained through the passage and
administration Of the Interstate COM
merce act. II, however, the Judgment
Of the congress Is that 1t lacks the %
stitutional power TO pass such an act.
then a constitutional amendment
should be submitted to confer the
power.
There should be created a cabinet Of
ficer. to be known as secretary OF
commerce and industries. as pro 7ided
In the bill introduced at the last lei
sion Of the congress. 1t should be his
province to deal with commerce In its
broadcast sense. including among many
other things whatever concerns labor
and all matters affecting the great
business corporations and Our mer-
chant marine.
Labor.
The president declares that he re-
CARDS it necessary to re-enact the Chi
nese exclusion law. In regard to labor
he says that the government should
provide in its contracts that all work
should be done under fair" conditions
and that all night work should be for
hidden for women and children as well
as excessive overtime. He continues:
Very great good has been and will be
accomplished by associations or unions
Of wagcworkers when managed with
f%orethought and when they combine in
sistence upon their own rights with
law abiding respect for the rights Of
others. The display of these qualities
In such bodies Is n duty to the nation
no less than to the associations them.
selves. Finally, there must also iE
many cases be action by the govern
ment In order to safeguard the rights
and interests of all. Under our cOnsti-
tuition there is much more scope for
such action by the state and the munic.
Ipality than by the nation. But on
points such as those touched On above
the national government can act.
He asserts that the immigration laws
are unsatisfactory and that a law
should be enacted to keep ont not only
anarchists. but persons Of q low moral
tendency o. of worry reputation
and those who are below a certain
standard Of economic fitness to enter
our industrial field as competitors with
American labor.
The Tariff and Reciprocity.
The president declares that nothing
/ could b. more unwise than to disturb
| the business interests of the country by
any general tariff change at this time.
He adds:
Yet 1t Is not only possible, but emf
| nently desirable. to combine with the
| stability Of our economic system II sup
Elementary system OF reciprocal bene-
fit and obligation with other nations.
| Such reciprocity IL an Incident and re-
suit Of the firm establishment and
preservation Of our present economic
policy. II vas specially provided for
In the present tariff law.
Reciprocity must be treated AZ the
handmaiden Of protection. Our first
duty Ii to e that the protection grant
ed BY the tariff In every q . where II
IL needed Is maintained, and that reel
nrnrltv no souuht for 70 far A. II car