Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-12-06
HIS ANNUAL MESSAGE
President ROOsevelt's commuuiea-
tiOn TO Congress.
He Gives the Greatest AHeRtsoR 60
the subiects OF the Trusts and the
TArif-Many Hecemme Rdattons
Along Narlaes Lines.

two subjects to which the greatest attea-
tion Is given. OF the trusts the prts.deht
SAYS in part;
I'm my message to the present congress
at its first SESSION ] discussed al length
the question Of the rtkuiation OF those
big corporations commonly doing an In
terstate business, often with some ten-
deney TO monopoly, which are popularity
known as trusts. The experience OF the
past year has emphasized, In my opsn-
ion, the, desirabillty OF the steps. ! then
social efficiency is a high standard. OF
individual energy and excellence, but
this is in no wise inconsistent with pow
er to act in combination Tor aims which
vldual acting alone, A fundamental base
OF civilization Is the invlolahility OF prop
erty; but this Is In no wise inconsistent
Win the right OF society to regulate the
exercise of the artificial powers which II
eonfers upon the owners Of property, un-
DER the name OF corporate franchises, IN
such way as to prevent the misuse
eially combinations OF corporations,
should be managed under public regua-
ton. Experience has shown ,thatuneer our
supervision cannot be obtained by state
action. 1t must therefore be achieved hy
national action. Our aim Is. not to 90
away with corporations on the contrary,
lhese big aggregations are an inevitable
development of modern industrlallsm. and
the effort to destroy them would be futile
unless accomplished hi ways that would
work the utmost mischief 10 the entire
bodX polite We can 90 nothing OF good
In the way Of regulating and supervising
these corporations untH we fix clearly in
eur minds that We are not attacking the
corporations, but endeaverlng TO do away
with any evil In them, We are not hostile
70 them; we are merely determined that
they shall be so handled as 10 suhserve
the. public good. We draw the line
against misconduct, not against wealth
Inc CADitdMgt WIN Dinrn or In
ton with his fellows, performs some
great industrial feat by which he wins
money a welldoer. not a wrongdoer.
legitimate lines We wish TO favor such
a man when he does well. We wish to
supervise. and control his actions only to
prevent him from doing Ill. Publicity
can DO no harm TO the honest corpora
tion; and we need not be overten6er
about. sparing the dishonest corporation.
] believe that monopolies un just
discriminations, which prevent or cripple
competition, fraudulent overcapitalization.
ana other evils In trust organizations and
practices which inturiously affect inter-
state trace can be prevented under the pow
er OF the congress to regulate commerce
with foreign ,lduons ana among the sew
eral states through regulations and re-
qurements Operating directly upon such
commerce, the lnstrnmentalites thereof,
and those engaa led therein
Il earnestly recommend this subject TO
the consideration of the congress with a
view 10 the passage OF a law reasonable In
its provisions and effective in its opera
ions, upon which the questions can be
finally adjudicated that now raise doubts
as to the necessity of constitutional amend
ment. II 1t prove impossible TO accomplish
the purposes above set forth by such law
then, assuredly, we shoui not shrink from
amending the CONSTITUTION so as to secure
beyond peraeventure the power sought
On the subject Of the tariff the president
says 1t has been advocated that the pre-
vailing duties be reduced as a means OF
reaching the evils OF tile trust problem, but
OF this he says:
" - Not merely would this be wholly
inenecttve. but the diversion OF our efforts
In such direction would mean the aban-
Comment of all intelligent attempt to DO
away with these evils Many Of the largest
corporations, many Of those which should
certainly be included In any proper scheme
Of regulation, would not be affected In the
slightest degree by change In the tariff,
rave as such change interfered with the
only relation OF the tariff to big corpora
tions as a whole Is that the tariff makes
manufactures profitable, and the tariff
remedy proposed would be In effect simply
TO make manufactures Improbable. TO
remove the tariff as a punitive measure
directed against trusts would inevitably re-
suit In ruin TO the weaker competitors who
are struggling against them. Our aim
should be not by unwige tariff changes 10
give foreign products the advantage over
domestic products. but by proper regula-
ton to give domestic competition a fair
chance; and this end cannot be reached by
any tariff changes which would affect un-
faVorably all domestic competitors, good
and bad alike. The question OF regulation
Of the trusts stands apart from the ques-
tion of tariff revision"
On the subject of changing the present
schedules in our tariff system the presi-
dent says:
ways be the prime economic need Of this
country. This stability should not be ros.
ftlization. The country has acquiesced in
the wisdom Of the protective tariff princl.
pie. 1t Is exceedingly undesirable that this
system should be destroyed or that there
should be violent and radical changes
| therein. Our past experience shows thai
great prosperity In this country has always
come under a protective tariff; and that
! the country cannot prosper under fltful tar.
| IN changes at short intervals. Moreover
| II the tariff laws as Whole work well. ant
| II business has prospered under them and
| time slight inconveHiences and inequalities
In some schedules then to upset business By
too quick and too radical changes. II Il
most earnestly TO be wished that we coult
treat the tariff from the standpoint solely
OF our business needs II is perhaps tot
/ much to hope that partisanshlp may be en-,
tirely excfuded from consideration OF the
subject, but at least IL can be mace second
airy to the business interests Of the country
that is, to the interests Of our people as
whole. Unquesnonably these buslBess IN.
teftsls Will pest DC kSEFeu ~ LObeLHeT VIII
hxity OF principe as regards the tariff vs.
combine a system which VIII permit ui
from time TO time to make the Necessary
Teapplise3atioTn Of the principle to the shit
| pulous care that the reappNcation shall bt
| made IL such way that II will Tot amour
| TO dislocatioh of our system, the mere
l threat Of which mot to speak OF the per
\ formanee) would produce paralysis In tn,
/ business energies OF the community Tn,
first eos slderation In making these changes
would. Of course. be to preserve the prin
ciple which underAes our whole tariff sys
tenl-that is the principle Of putting Amer
| ican business Interests at least on a ful
/ equality with interests abroad. and Of al
ways allowing a sufficient rate Of Guty Il
more than cover the difference between thu
/ labor cost here and abroad. The weli-be
\ ing Of the wage-worker, like the well-be
! ing OF the tilier OF the soil should be treat
ed as an essential In shaping our who'll
economic policy. There must never be am
change which will jeopardize the STANDARD
I OF comfort. the standard Of wages of tn
American wage-Worker.
wherever the tariff conditions are gucl
\ that a needed change cannot with ad
vantage be made by the application o
the reeiproeiiy idea. then i can be mad
I outright BY a lowering OF duties or
( given product II possible, such chang
should be made only after the fulles
consideration by practical experts. VII
shouI6 approach the subject from a busi
ness standpoint. having in view both tn
| particular interests affected and the com
| mercial weli-belng o. the people as
whole. The machinery for providing sucl
! careful Investigation can readily be sup
piiee. The executive experiment. has al
| ready at It's disposal methods Of collect
| ing facts and figures; and II the con
| gress desires additional consideration 4
/ that which Will be given the subject b.
| iss own committees. then q commission
| Of business experts can be apponte'
whoex duty :. should be 70 recomInen
action by the congress after 6eHberat
and scientific examination Of the varl0u
| schedules as they are affected By tn
| changed and changing conditions. TT
unhurriec and unbiased report OF ,thi
commission would show what change
ard ho1 far these changes could 20 with
Oft allo changing the great prQEperit
which thla courtry snow erjoylnRs or up
| AAlllrg Ia hxeo 2QqEemle pal.cy.