The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-12-05
HIS ANNUAL MESSAGE
President Roosevelt's Communica.
tion to Congress.
He Gives the Greatest Attention to
the Subjects of the Trusts and the
Tarin-Many Re concentration
Along Various Lines.


Along Various Lines.
President Roosevelts second annual
message to the Fifty-seventh congress is
unusually brief for an annual presidential
message. The trusts and the tariff are the
two subjects to which the greatest atten-
ton Is given OF the trusts the president
says in part:
at its first session L discussed at length
the question of the regulation of those
terstate business, often with some ten
known as trusts, The. experience Of the
ion. the desirability of the steps I then
proposed A fundamental requisite of
Individual energy and excellence; but
this is in no wise inconsistent with pow
er to act in combination for aims which
Viduai acting alone. A fundamental base
of civilization is the inviolability of prop
with the right of society to regulate the
exercise of the artificial powers which it
s GePff fBs the he Of un
Of the powers. Corporations, and espe-
should be managed under public regula-
ton. Experience has shown thatunGer our
ne the 6S
action. 1t must therefore be achieved by
national action. Our aim is not to do
55nese Dig asgregatlons are an inevitable
UeVebopment of modern industrialism, and
the effort to destroy them would be futile
unless accomplished in ways that would
work the utmost mischief to the entire
BODY polite. We can do nothing of good
IN the way of regulating and supervising
these corporations until we fix clearly in
our mines 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
nnhltR Unnn ha limo
against MISCONDUCT, not against wealth.
The capitalist who. alone or in conjunc-
great industrial feat by which he wins
money IS a wellGoer, not a wrongdoer,
legitimate INES We Wish IN to aTor s ac6
a man when he does we'll. We wish to
prevent him from doing ILL., Publicity
can do no harm to. the honest corpora
ton; and we need not be overtender
ABOUT sparing the dishonest corporation.
believe that monopolies, unjust
dlscriminations, which prevent or cripple
competition, fraudulent capitalize ton.
and other evils IN trust organizations and
practices which injuriously affect inter
state trade can be prevented under the pow
er of the congress to regulate commerce
with foreign Iduons ano among the sew
eral states through regulations and re-
qulrements operating directly upon such
commerce, the instrumentalities thereof,
and those engag ed therein.
Il earnestly recommend this subject to
the consideration of the congress with
view TO the passage of law reasonab BILE in
its provisions and effective in its opera
tons. upon which the questions can be
finally adjudicated that now raise doubts
as to the necessity of constitutional amend
ment. If it prove impossible to accomplish
the purposes above set forth by such law,
then, assuredly, We should not shrink from
amending the constitution so as to secure
On the subject of the tariff the president
SAYS II mas Deen adyocaIeo that the pre-
reaching the evils of the trust problem, but
CT TINS he says:
Ineffective, but the diversion of our efforts
in such a direction would mean the aban-
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 a change in the tariff,
save as such change interfered with the
general prosperity of the country. The
tions as a whole is that the tariff makes
manufactures profitable, and the tariff
10 make manufactures Improbable. To
remove the tariff as a punitive measure
suit in ruin to the weaker competitors who
are struggling against them. Our aim
should be not by. unwise tariff changes to
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
ton of tariff revision"
On the subject of changing the present
schedules in our tariff system the presi-
Stability of economic policy must al
ways be the prime economic need of this
silization. The country has acquiesced in
the wisdom of the protective-tariff princi-
system should be destroyed or that there
should be violent and radical changes
therein. Our past experience shows that
h.
come under a protective tariff; and that
the country cannot prosper under fitful tar
if changes at short intervals. Moreover,
If the tariff laws as whole work well, and
If business has prospered under them and
IS prospecting, it is better to endure for a
in some schedules then to upset business by
too quick and too radical changes. 1t is
most earnestly to be wished that we could
treat the tariff from the standpoint solely
of our business needs. 1t is, perhaps, too
much to hope that partisanship may be en-
tirely excluded from consideration of the
subject, but at least it can be made second
airy to the business interests of the country
that Is, to the interests of our people as a
whole. UnQuestlonably these business in
terests will best be served if together with
combine a system which will permit us
from time to time to make the necessary
ing national needs. y We must take scrn-
puious care that the reapplication shall be
MADE m Such way that NAT It WI! not amount
threat of which mot to speak Of the per-
formance) would produce paralysis in the
business energies of the community. The
first consideration in making these changes
would, of course, be to preserve the prin-
ciple which underlies our whole tariff sys-
tem-that is, the principle Of putting Amer
lean business interests at least on a full
equality with interests abroad, and of al
more than cover the difference between the
labor cost here and abroad; The well-be-
ing of the wage-worker, like the well-be
ing of the tiller of the soil, should be treat
ed as an essential in shaping our whole
economic policy. There must never be any
change which will jeopardize the standard
American wage-worker.
wherever the tariff cop6itions are such
vantage be made by the application of
the reciprocity idea, then il can be made
STtrIghT by lGTgTpg Of duties on
should be made only after the fullest
by practical experts, who
ness standpoint, having in view both the
particular Interests affected and the com
m 11S1fa r TSeI = OF the people as
careful investigation can readily be sup
Piled The executive department. has al
ready at its disposal methods OF. collect
gress desires ADDITIONAL 4 Consideration n c0n to
that which will be given the subject by
Of business experts can be appointed
whose duty. 1t should be to recommend
action by. the congress after a. deliberate
scSedGies as tey aae a S by fSs
unhurrtee and unbiased report Of ,this
should be made in the various. schedules, |
and how far these changes could go with |
Witch this cp1ary soW ss5oyias SS 81 up
setting its fixed economic policy,