Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-12-06
R00SEVaT'S MESSAGE.
His Second Annual Communication
to Congress.
us VIEWS ON THE TRUSTS AND TARIFF
a Lowering of Import Duties Would Not
Remedy Evils of Monopoiy--Labor
Unions and the Corporations--
Many Recommendations.

To the Senate and House Of Representa-:
lives: We still continue in a period OF
unbounded prosperity. This prosperity 10
the laws lave c under which w we V work have been
instrumental in creating the conditions
which made It possible, and by unwise leg
islation 1t would be easy enough TO Destroy
depression. The wave will recede; but the
tide will advance. This nation Is seated on
e continent fianked by two great oceans
II is composed Of men the descendants OF
pioneers, or IN sense, pioneers t nem,
selves; OF men winnowed out from among
the nations Of the OLD world by the energy.
boidness, and love OF adventure founu IN
placed. will surely wrest success from for
tune. -.
CONCERNING the Trusts.
In my message to the present congress
at its first session / discussed at length
the question OF the regulation Of those
big corporations commonly doing an in
terstate business. often with some ten
dency TO monopoly. which are popularity
known as trusts. The experience OF the
Ion. the desirability of the steps ! then
proposed. A fundamental requisite Of
social efficiency is high standard Of
this Is in no wise inconsistent with pow
er TO act in combination for aims which
cannot SO well be achieved by the indi-
Sd sv nstRs IS the Of ppop
erty; but this Is in no wise inconsis:e nt
with the right of society to regulate the
exercise of the artificial powers which ii
confers upon the owners of property. I'M
der the name of corporate franchises. in
such a way as to prevent the misuse
of these powers. Corporations. and espe-
s had be under pSSs
ton. Experience has shown that under our
system of government the necessary
supervision cannot be. obtained by state
national action. Our aim is not to do
away with corporations; on the contrary,
these big aggregations are an inevitable
development of modern industrialism. and
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 minds that we are not attacking the
corporations, but endeavoring to do away
with any evil in them we are mot hostile
they shall be so handled as to subserve
the public good. We draw the line
against misconduct. not AGAINST wealth.
ton with his fellows, performs some
great industrial feat by which he wins
money is a. welldoer, not wrongdoer;
only ss he ToT Msh IN to s aeS
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
tom and we need not be overtender
about sparing the dishonest corporation.
Must Exercise Care.
In curbing and regulating the combina-
lions of capital which are or may become
Injurious to the public we must be careful
not to stop the great enterprises which
have legitimately reduced the cost OF pro-
auction, not to abandon the place which
our country has won in the leadership OF
the international industrial world, not TO
strike down wealth with the result OF clos
ing factories and mines, of turning the
wage-worker idle In the streets and leav-
ing the farmer without market for what
means delay in achieving the possible, ex-
actly as, on the other hand, the stubborn
defense alike of what Is good and what Is
bad in the existing system. the resolute ell
Sbetrays blindness to the historic truth that
wise evolution is the sure safeguard against
No more important subject can come be-
fore the congress than this OF the regula-
ton of interstate business. This country
cannot AFFORD to sit supine on the plea that
under our peculiar system OF government
we are helpless in the presence Of the new
conditions and unable TO grapple with them
or to cut out whatever OF evil has arisen In
connection with them. The power OF the
is an absolute and unqualified grant, and
without limitations other than those pre-
scribeG by the constitution. The congress
has constitutional authority TO make all
laws necessary and proper for executing
this power, and / am satisfied that this
power has not been exhausted by any leg
tslation now or, the statute books. IT Is
evident, therefore. that evils restrictive. Of
commercial freedom entailing restraint
upon national commerce fall within the
regulative power Of the congress, ano that
sary and proper exercise OF congressional
authority TO the end that such evils should
be eradicated.
ordinations, which prevent or cripple
competition, fraudulent overcapitaliz
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 nations and among the sew
eral states" through regulations and re-
quirements operating directly upon such
commerce, the instrumentalities thereon,
and those engaged therein.
/ earnestly recommend this subject to the
consideration Of the congress with a view
Go the passage Of law reasonable in its
provisions and effective in its operations.
upon which the questions can be finally
the necessity OF CONSTITUTIONAL amendment
II 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
beyond peradventure the power sought.
The congress has not heretofore made
any appropriation for the better enforce
ment OF the antitrust law as II now stands.
Very much has been done by the depart
ment OF justice In securing the enforce
ment of this law, but much more could be
done II congress would make q special APP
preparation for this purpose. to be expended
under the direction of the attorney gen
eral. .t.
The Tariff Question.
one proposition advocated has been the
reduction Of the tariff as a means of reach
ing the evils of the trusts which fall with
in the category ! have described. Not
merely would this be wholly ineffective,
but the diversion Of our Efforts In such a
direction would mean the abandonment OF
all intelligent attempt 10 do away with
lions, many of those which should Ger.
tainly be included In any proper scheme OF
regulation would not be affected In the
slightest degree by a change In the tarin.
save as such change interfered with the