The Somerset reporter., 1902-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Continued from Page ~

CHECK Inc unSCrupulOuS man, Wnetner EN-
! ployer or employee, without weakening
Individual initiative, without hampering
and cramping the industrial development
9re se dinnies is propem b trapght with
the highest Importance to solve on lines
| OF sanity and farsighted common sense as
well as of devotion to the right. This is
an era of federation and combina ton
Exactly as business men find they musI
often work through corporations, and as
II Is a constant tendency OF these corpora
lions to grow larger, SO it is often neces-
sary for laboring men to work In fedora
ions and these have become important
factors of modern industrial life. Both
kinds of federation. capitalistic and labor
can do much good. and as a necessary
corollary they can both do evil OPPOSE
ton to each kind of organization should
take the form of opposition to whatever Is
bad In the conduct of any given corpora
ton or union, not of attacks upon cor
SUCH. for some of the most farreaching
beneficent work for our people has been
accomplished through both corporations
and unions Each must refrain from ar
the. rights Of others Organized capital
and organized labor alike should remem-
each must be brought into harmony with
the interest OF the general public. and the
conduct of each must conform to the
Fundamental rules of obedience to the
law. of individual freedom and of justice
and fair dealing toward all. Each should
remember that In addition to power It
healthy, lofty and generous ideals. Every
employer, every, wageworker, must be
guaranteed his liberty and his right to do
as he likes with his property or his labor
50 long as he does not Infringe upon the
rights Of others. 1t is of the highest i'm
portanee that employer and employee
alike should endeavor to appreciate each
the viewpoint of the other and the sure
disaster that will come upon both In the
ual an attitude of sour hostility and dis
trust toward the other Few people de-
serve better of the country than those rep
resentatives both Of capital and labor
and there are many such-who work con-
tlnually to bring about good understand
Ing of this kind based upon wisdom and
upon broad and kindly sympathy between
need to remember that any kind of class
luminosity In the political world is If pos
sioie, even more wicked, even more de-
structive to national welfare. than sec
tional, race or religious animosity We
can get good government only upon condi-
fion that stS we IKE keep true to the principles
judge each man not as part of q class,
but upon his individual merits. All that
we have right to ask of any man, rich
or poor, whatever his creed, his occupa-
ton. his birthplace or his residence, Is
that he shall act well and honorably by
his neighbor and by his country; We are
neither for the rich man as such nor for
the poor man as such; we are for the up
right man. rich or poor SO far as the
constitutional powers OF the national gov
eminent touch these matters Of general
and vital moment to the nation, they
should be exercised In conformity with
the principles above set forth
1t Is earnestly hoped that a secretary of
commerce may be created with a seat in
tie cabinet. The rapid multiplication OF
Questions affecting labor and capital. the
growth and complexity of the organiza-
lions through which both labor and capt.
tai now find expression, the steady tend
ency toward the employment of capital In
huge corporations and the wonderful
strides of this country toward leadership
In the international business world justify
an urgent demand for the creation Of
leading commercial bodies In this country
nave united In requesting its creation. 1t
is desirable that some such measure as
that which has already passed the senate
be enacted Into law. The creation of such
a department would in itself be an ad-
vance toward dealing with and exercising
supervision over the whole subject of the
great corporations doing an interstate
business, and with this end in view the
congress cong SIS should endow the department.
creased as experience might show the
need
hope soon to submit to the senate
reciprocity treaty with Cuba. On May 20
last the United States kept its promise to
the island by formally vacating Cuban soil
and turning Cuba over to those whom her
own people had chosen as the first officials
of the new republic
Cuba lies 1t our doors and whatever af-
fects her for good or for Ill affects us also.
So much have our people felt this that in
the Platt amendment we definitely took
the ground that Cuba must hereafter have
closer political relations with us than with
any other power Thus in a sense Cuba
has become a part of our international
political system. This makes IL necessary
that in return she should be given some Of
the benefits of becoming part of our eco
monte system. 1t is, from our own stand
point, shortsighted and mischievuus pol
Icy to ran to recognize this need. More
over, 1t is unworthy of a mighty and gen
n a hp tpE md nAGt
successful republic In history, to refuse to
stretch out helping hand to young and
weak sister republic just entering upon
its career of Independence We should al
ways fearlessiy insist upon our rights In
the face of the strong, and we should with
ungrudging hand do our generous, duty
by the weak. | urge the adoption of reel
procity with Cuba not only because Ii is
eminently for our own interests to control
the Cuban market and by every means to
foster our supremacy in the tropical lands
and waters south of us, but also because
we Of the giant republic of the north
should make all our sister nations of the
American continent feel that whenever
they will permit It we desire to show our
selves disinterestedly and effectively their
friend
A convention with Great Britain has
been concluded. which will be at once laid
before the senate for ratification provid
Ing for reciprocal trade arrangements be
tween the United States and Newfound-
land on substantially the lines OF the con
vention formerly negotiated by, the secre-
tary Of state. Mr.. Blaine believe recip-
rocal trade relations will be greatly to the
advantage of both countries.
AS civilization grows warfare becomes
less and less the normal condition of for
seen a marked diminution of wars be-
tween civilized powers. Wars with un-
civilized powers are largely mere matters
OF international police duty essential for
the welfare of the world Wherever pos
sible arbitration or some similar method
should be employed In lieu Of war to settle
difficulties between civilized nations al
though as yet the world has not pro-
crossed sufficiently to render II possible
or necessarily desirable to invoke arbitra-
ton In every case. The formation OF the
Hague Is an event of good omen from
which great consequences for the welfare
OF all mankind may flow 1t is far better
where possible to invoke such a perma-
nent tribunal than to create special arb-
traitors for a given purpose.
II Is matter OF sincere congratulation
Mexico should have been the first to use
the good offices OF The Hague court. This
was done last summer with most salts
factory results in the case of claim at
issue between us and our sister republic.
II Is earnestly to be hoped that this first
case will serve as a precedent for others,
In which not only the United States but
foreign nations may take advantage of
the machinery already In existence at
The Hague
| commend to the favorable considera-
ton OF the congress the Hawaiian fire
claims, which were the subject of careful
investigation during the last session.
me congress has wisely provided that
We shall build at once an isthmian canal,
eral reports that we can undoubtedly ac-
quire good title from the French Panama
canal csndIrs company ps Negotiations are now
sent to our building the canal. This canal
VIII be one OF the greatest engineering
feats OF the twentieth century, greater