The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-12-07
HE MI S. CO.
DRESIDENT RGOSEVELT'S first
+ message to Congress. was read
"A before both branches of it. on


Monday.
1t is long, but by no means tedious
state paper. On the contrary. it is for
ciblr and interesting. dealing with its
numerous subjects. in Il direct and CON
vcrSational, rather than in prdnntic
and conventional manner
| The message opens with an admirable
eulogy of the late President Mckinley.
| His language, indicates deep feeling on
the subject of anarchiSm. and carries
with ii an irrrsiStablc conviction of his
sincerity. TIL" assaSsin'S blow was aimed
not mt this President. but at all Presi-
dents. mt every symbol of Government
No man will ever be restrained from be-
coming President by any fear as To his
personal safety. If the risk to the presi-
dents life became great the office would
! moro and moro come to be filled by men
Of spirit, which would make them
rcsoutc and mcrcilrss in dealing with
every friend of disorder No man or
body Of men preaching AnarchStic doe
trinc should he allowed mt large any more
than if preaching the murder of some
specified private individual No matter.
says the President. calls more urgently
for the wiscSt thought of the Congress-
The message then treats of Trusts. the
multiplication of which. is not due in the
Presidents opinion to the tariff or to any
other governmental action. but to ma
tional causes in the business world.
operating in other countries rs in our
own. 1t is not true. that as the rich
hav" grown richer, the poor hay" grown
poorer. On the contrary never before
has the average man, the wage worker
| the farmer, the small trader been 50
well off as in this country. and at the
present time. The fundamental rule in
Our national lif"-'thc rule which under
| lies al othcrS-is that on the whole. and
in tn" long run. we shall 20 up or down
| together. The President therefore eau
tionS Congress. against thoughtcSS legiS-
lation, against industrial corporations.
and thinks that publicity, and Govern
mcnt supervision of them should be cX-
"",iSrl. in this connection fnTormg. the
creation of Il Department of Commerce
and Industries. the head of the Depart
nlcnt to be- Il Cabinet officer
President Roosevelt next makes a
warm plea for the welfare of wage earn
crs. favors an ci"ht-hour law in all in
duStrics in which the Government is
direct or indirect employer of labor, the
abolition of competition of convict con
tract labor in the open labor market. and
til" protection of women and children
from excessive hours of labor. from night
work. and from work under unsantary
conditions.
While fayorin@ reciprocity. the prcsi-
dent thinks it our first duty to see. that
the protection granted by the tariff in
tanned. On the revenue system he ad-
viSrs Congress to hastcn slowly. but ad-
vocatc$ it, regulation, to avoid the ne
| emulation of large SURPRISES while he
urges prudence in appropriations, and
condemns in vigorous language cxtrava-
gJncr by Congress.
The President issues Il warning word
against the destruction of our great for
cstS, and thinks the preservation of them
an imperative business necessity.
Discussing our acquisition of the Phil
ippimcs. he hopes to see this country do
| for them what has never before been
dome for any people in the tropicS-to
the fashion of the really free nations.
The development of Cuba and Porto
Rico. under the influence of our Govern
mrnt, is pointed to with qualification.
In the strongest language he urges leg
islation for m Isthmian Canal, to be
built by this country, advocates II strong
Navy, and suggests that instead of
Cadets our Navy boys at Annapolis
he termed "AIidshipmcn." He does not
favor as necessary the increase of the
Army, but wishes Il higher efficiency in
| it.
The amendment of the Interstate com
mercc act, the permanent creation of Il
Census Bureau and the revision of the
! immigration laws are recommended by
him, and the necessity for maintaining
and improving the merit system in the
Civil Service of the Government vigor-
! ously urged.
! In all its material features, and in its
strong Anglo-SaXon language. the mes
| sage is an admirable state document. and
| will be read with universal interest by
| the country ut large.