The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-03
THE PREsIpENT.s MESSAGE.

scented and the arguments in support
OF them, although brief. are vigorous.
There is a commendable absence of
long extracts from the reports Of the
various departments and the different
topics are touched upon in a way to
make them interesting.
But few words are given to prelim-
inaries and after a short statement
that the country is prosperous and
that, although there are many great
fortunes, the people generally are bet
ter off than ever before. attention is
given to trusts and the tariff. The
Presidents views in regard to trusts
have undergone no change. He is not
against them. That is, he does not
want to destroy them, because he be
lieves they are powerful factors in the
development Of the country's resources
and comm erce-that they are neces-
sary for the solution of the business
and commercial problems which now
confront the country. but he is against
the evils in them. He believes in SUI
pervislng and controlling them so that
they may be made to contribute the
! greatest possible good to the country
He says: I'VE are not hostile TO
them. We are merely determined that
they shall be so handled as to sub
serve the public good. We draw the
line against misconduct, not against
wealth"
But how are trusts to be controlled?
That is the all important question. The
President is satisfied that Congress-
under it's constitutional authority to
regulate interstate commerce, has all
the power that is needed TO restrain
the evil tendencies of trusts, and he
calls upon it to exercise that power.
He has no sympathy with the sugges-
ton that trusts be punished, for pre-
venting competition and raising prices
beyond what is reasonable, by reduc-
ing the tariff on trust-made goods, be-
cause the innocent would be injured
as well as the guilty, and because the
weak corporations would be destroyed.
while the trusts. being strong. might
be able to thrive, Notwithstanding such
drastic measures to force them TO
abandon their purpose to monopolize
trade. And such policy. in the Pres
ident's opinion, would result in wide
spread dis aster. Mills would be closed,
business would become stagnant and
wage-workers would be without the
means of earning a livelihood. 1t is
clear that the President is in touch
with his party In his determination to
oppose interference with the protec-
tive principle of the tariff. If trusts
cannot be reached by Congress, with
the power it now has, he believes in
amending the constitution, thus CIV
ing 1t more power.
From the Presidents point OF view
the tariff stands apart from trusts. 1t
must be treated by itself. He objects
to tariff tinkering. What the coun-
try wants is stability in all matters
which affect business. The Presidents
/ idea is that all the readjustment of.
| the tarif that is necessary can be
brought about by means of reciprocity
! treaties, and II II is found impossible
/ TO get the Senate to ratify such
treaties, then separate schedules can
be taken up by Congress and read
Justed to the new conditions. How
ever the President seems to have a
liking for a commission of experts, if
Congress-, through it's committees can
not reach a satisfactory conclusion as
to what ought to be done in the way
of reforming the tariff. He favors
tariff changes, however, for the pur-
pose of extending our commerce.
Experience with reciprocity treaties
during the last few years ought TO be
sufficient to convince anybody that
there Is nothing to be hoped for from
them. The administration undertook
to have Congress authorize reciprocity
with Cuba last winter and failed, and
II is going to try the same thing this
winter. The outlook is that it will
fail again. Indeed, the President
makes a strong plea for reciprocity
with Cuba, and points out that the ma
ton has not dealt with that republic
fairly in commercial matters, nor in
a way that is for it's own interests.
There is nothing in the message that
gives a ray Of hope that there will be
changes made in the tariff In the near
future. What the President says on
the subject sounds WELL but it will
not be productive of any result. The
one tariff recommendation he makes
is that the duty on coal be removed.
The only way the people will ever get
the tariff reformed is the election of
Congress- that believes In putting the
tariff on a revenue basis.
The President doesn't want our
financial system reconstructed. but he
recommends legislation that will give
greater elasticity to the currency 1t
is easy enough to recommend legisa-
tion of this kind, but 1t is a most diff
cult thing to get Congress to agree to
any changes which have for their OBJ
ject the remedying of the currency
evils of which there is so much and
such constant complaint Conditions
will have 10 be much worse than they
are before it will be possible to get
Congress- to act in this matter.
The President is particularly happy
over the condition of affairs in the
Philippines. He seems to think the ISL
ands are on the highway to prosper
ity, and that the American people are
to be congratulated that so much has
been accomplished for the Filipinos in