Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-12-02
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


sage to Congress today. The following is tie
full text:
To the Senate and House OF Representa-
tiyes:
We still continue in period OF IN
bounded prosperity. This prosperity -
not the creature of law, but undoubtedly
the laws under which we work have been
instrumental in creating the conditions
which made 1t possible. and by unwise leg
islation 1t would be easy enough TO destroy
IL. There will undoubtedly be periods OF
depression. The wave will rccede, but the
tide will advance. This nation is seated
on a continent fanked by two great
oceans. 1t is composed Of men the ue-
scendants of pioneers or. In sense. piO-
neers themselves-of men winnowed ouI
from among the nations Of the old world
by the energy. boldness and love or ao-
venture found in their own eager hearts.
Such a nation so placed will surely wrest
success from fortune.
AS a people we have played large part
In the world, and we are bent upon max
ing our future even larger than the past.
In particular the events OF the last IouI
wears have definitely decided that Tor woe
or for veal our place must De great among
the nations. We may either fall grestiy
or succeed greatly, but we cannot aNolu
the endeavor from which either srea.
failure or great success iHuot COAic. H'N.'
III we would we cannot play a smail part.
If we should try, all that would lollon
would be that we should play a large parl
ignobly and shamefuily. 20
But our people, the sons OF tne ilioil W
the civil war the sons OF the men WIN
hod iron In their blood, rejoice IN the
present and face the future hlgn Oh he,I'
"a resolute of will. ours is not .iio
creed of the weakling and the cowa ~
ours is the gospel OF hope anu t shrink
on1hant endeayor. We do not shiIiIh
Srn1, the struggle before US lnere az
many problems for US 10 race az snS ,,rch
sat ~ the twentieth century - ~
iarns abroad and still graVer al NOME ~
n Jnou that we can solve them, anu
eoIpa them well, provided oniy lhsie
hiring 10 the solution the Guaht.es VI 49, 49,
and heart which were SHOWN py tie liiei
who in the days OF W ~ tha days of Lin
this government anu III eiS N~'
coin preserved il.
No country has ever occupied higher
nlane of material well being than ours az
The Dresent moment. This Wen being ~
do 10 no sudden or accidental causes, put
IN The play of the economic forces III .nlS
country for over century; 10 Oul iams,
our sustained and continuous poilcIes,
above all. TO the high individual average
Of our citizenship. Great fortunes nave
been won by these who nave taken VI"
lead in this phenomenal industrial oSveI-
opment. and most OF these fortunes nav
been won not by dong eVli, put az al The
oluon, nj rs n whole. Never before has
material well being been 50 wlaeiy III :
fused among our people. Gdea at, io in me-
AGGREGATE these fortunes are SIndil III
deed when compared TO the wealth. Oh inc
people as whole. Inc hsvp PAN aver pJbU een be-
fore. The insurance companies, Wlici
are practically mutual beneit socleties-
especially helpful TO men OF moueIat,e
ineans-represent ACCOMMODATIONS VI ea III
the largest IN lillS
country There are more deposits IN tht
savings banks, more owners OF iari arms
more well paid wageworkefs IN this cou.i-
try now than ever before IN our hlstOlJs
~ course when the conditions have IA
yored the growth OF SO much tnat W.
good they have also favored soineWnH'
the growth Of what was eVll. II rs ei,i,r
nently necessary that we should endeavoI
10 clit out this evil, but let us keep q cue
sense of proportions; let us not IN H&!ilS
our gaze upon the lesser EVIL forget tny
greater good The evils are real, anu
Some of them are menacinS, but they are
the outgrowth not OF misery or dccadehce.
but of prosperity, OF the progress u Vui
gigantic industrial Development thlS ~
disfrial development must not be checked.
h,lf side by side with ii should go sucn
nrogressiye regulation as will diminish
the evils. We should fail IN our outy II
we did not try TO remedy the eVlis Dut "
shall succeed only if we proceed patent
Nv with practical common sense as Wen
as resolution. separating the goou from
the bad and holding on to the FORMER
while endeayoring TO get rld Oh the la,.ei,
at its first session l discussed at length
the question of the regulation OF those
big corporations commonly dong an IN
~ta.--.ate business, often with some tenuel-
CIV TO monopoly, which are popularity
known as trusts The experience OF tne
mast year has emphasized, in my opinion,
the desirability of the steps | then pro
posed. A fundamental requisite OF sociai
efficiency is a high standard OF lndiVloua'
energy and excellence. but this Is In no
wise inconsistent with power TO act III
combination for aims which cannot so
well be achieved by the Individual actihs
alone A fundamental base OF CIVILIZATION
is the inviolability of property; but this is
in nowise inconsistent with the right OF
society to regulate the exercise or the
artificial powers which it confers upon the
owners of property under the name OF cor
porate franchises in such way as 10
prevent the misuse Of these powers. Cor
porations and especially combinations OF
corporations, should be managed under
public regulation. Experience has shown
that under our system OF government the
necessary supervision cannot be obtained
by state action. Ii must therefore be
achieved by national action. Our aim is
not to do away with corporations. on the
contrary. these big aggregations are an
inevitable development Of modern indus
trialism and the effort to destroy them
would be futile unless accomplished In
WAYS that would work the utmost mis-
chief to the entire body polite. We can
do nothing of good in the way OF regulat-
ing and supervising these corporations
until we fix clearly in our minds that we
are not attacking the corporations, but
endeaVoring TO do away with any evil IN
them. We are not hostile TO them. we
are merely determined that they shall be
SO handled as to subserve the public good.
81 fpc f misconduct not
against wealth. The capitalist who. alone
or in conjunction with his fellows, per
forms some great industrial feat by which
he wins money is welldoer. not wrong
doer, provided only he works in proper
and legitimate lines. We wish to favor
such a man when he does Well we wish
10 supervise and control his actions only
to prevent him from doing i'll. Publicity
can do no harm TO the honest corporation.
and we need not be overtender about
sparing the dishonest corporation.
In curbing and regulating the combina-
lions of capital which are or may become
Injurious TO the public we must be care
full not to stop the great enterprises which
have legitimately reduced the cost OF pro-
duction, not to abandon the place which
our country has won in the leadership OF
the international Industrial world. not to
strike down wealth with the result or
closing factories and mines, OF turning
the wageworkerr idle in the streets and
leaving the farmer without n market for
what he grows. Insistence upon the i'm
possible means delay in achieving the pos
sible exactly as. on the other hand, the
stubborn defense alike OF what is good
and what is bad in the existing system,
the resolute effort to obstruct any at
tempt at betterment, betrays blindness to
the historic truth that wise evolution Is
the sure safeguard against revolution.
No more important subject can come
before the congress than this of the regu
1ation of interstate business. This country
cannot afford to sit supine on the plea
that under our peculiar system of govern
ment we are helpless In the presence Of
the new conditions and unable to grapple
with them OF 20 cut out whatever of evil
has arisen in connection with them. The
power of the congress to regulate inter
state commerce is an absolute and I'M
qualified grant and without limitations
other than those prescribed by the consti-
tuition. The congress has constitutional
authority 10 make all laws necessary and
proper for executing this power, and am