The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-05
THE N ESSAGE.

Of course, the presidents message
will not please the democratic editors
Of the country, or they will pretend
that it does not please them and they
may be relied upon to dissect it and
hold it to ridicule. But the people
will view it in a different light and
like it because of it's very conserva.
tive tone and the genuine ring of pa
triotism that marks it. Because he
does not advocate the adoption of rad
ical measures in dealing with certain
conditions and institutions, the demo-
cratic papers will accuse the president
of being a trimmer, a shifter, a poll
tician, seeking for an extension of
power and longer lease of Office. Had
he done that for the not doing of
which they will now blame him, he
would still have come in for criticism
from them. Then they would have
declared him to be a dangerous man,
one who was unfit to be at the head
of the nation because of his desire to
upset well ordered conditions for the
mere sake of obtaining the applause
of the unthinking masses. The re-
suits so far as his critics are con-
cerned would have been the same.
The recommendations in the way of
needed legislation calculated to re-
strict and control the operation of the
trusts are sensible, timely and worthy
of the most serious consideration from
those to whom they are made. While
giving evidence that he appreciates
the dangers to the country likely to
arise from the operations of great
combinations of capital if permitted to
continue without being surrounded by
wholesome and just restrictions, he
also demonstrates that unless reason,
sense and good Judgment are employ
ed in dealing with them another dan
ger may arise in the suppression of
institutions that instead of being
harmful are really beneficial. In 9TH
er words, he advises that in legislat-
ing for the bad care be- exercised lest
harm be done to the good: that all
combinations of capital and enter
prise are not necessarily bad simply
because they are under one directing
and supervising head.
with 0%hn~c h0 hn1inunC fh0f tho
powers of the nation have
not yet been exhausted and that I'M
der the constitution congress is pos
of the authority to amend x
listing laws or pass new ones that will
give the necessary authority to the
courts and congress to regulate the
If this is considered impOssi
BILE of accomplishment then, as a last
he advises that the constitu-
ton be amended.
In this part of his recommendation
the president only repeats what has
all along been claimed by the demo
to be the only remedy. But un
like his critics, he urges that efforts
first made to pass laws under the
existing limitations Of the canstitu-
ton that will prove effective and far
reaching.
Without holding the tariff to be
sacred and not to be disturbed, he adj
vises that care be exercised in every
thing undertaken in the direction of
changing any of the existing sched-
ules, and that no matter what may be
done the principle of reasonable pro-
to American Industries should
never be lost sight Of. Above all he
p%recipitate and undue haste in making
such changes and admonishes con-
gress not to overlook the interests and
well-being Of the wage Garner and
tiller of the soil, the two classes who
have been most benefited by a protec-
tive tariff.
No change is noticeable in the atti-
tude of the president as regards reci-
procity with Cuba and he makes an
earnest plea in behalf of what he con-
siders right in that regard. The rec
concentrations in reference to the pub
lie lands, irrigation and the istthmian
canal are all such as must commend
themselves not only to congress, but
to the people and they will no doubt
receive a hearty second.
To review the entire message would
occupy more space than is at the com
mand of a newspaper article. Every
body who has IN interest in the af-
fairs of the nation should read the
message. 1t is characteristic of the
man who wrote it and as a state docu-
ooopt uuo11 uor4hv Nf rpruca1 "