Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-12-12
ayashinotuu Stanaard
OLYMPIA. WASH.
FRIDAY EVENING. DECEMBER y. 1902.
Some Thoughts on the Message.

sage is not as long AS have been sub
mtted by some of bis predecessors,
it is noted all through for his distin-
gushing Enthusiastically. He uses
spike and sledgehammer to unite
his framework Of logic, although he
may occasionally split the timber by
SO doing.
Contrary to popular expectation the
President does not insist upon the
proposition he started out to cam
paign with, that a Constitutional
amendment was necessary to curb the
trusts, but now divides big combines
into good and bad trusts, and separ-
ates the latter from the former, in
order to deal with them under the
power of Congress TO regulate COM
merce with foreign nations and among
the several States" He thinks that
determinations which prevent or
cripple competition" and fraudulent
over capitalization" may be regulated
and restrained by act Of Congress and
with an appropriation for "enforce.
ment of the antitrust law as it now
stands." It will be noted that the
President lodges the greater evil of
trusts, the establishment OF excessive
monopoly prices, and the surmise
seems very natural that he does so to
avoid running up against that PROPOSE
Trusts - the Tariff. In fact, Mr..
Roosevelt holds that "the question Of
regulation OF the trusts stands quite
apart from the question of tariff re.
vision," although it places him in the
position of the Frenchman when told
that facts did not agree with his
statement" So much re worse for ze
facts"
Mr.. Roosevelt dismisses the subject
with the assertion, "Of couse, if in
any case it is found that a given rate
of duty docs promote monopoly which
works i'll. no protectionist would OBJ
ject to such reduction of duty as
would equalize competition! That
cot course" endows the protectionist
with degree of patriotism and self
denial which even the Presidential
arm cannot cram down the throats oil
an intelligent people.
It may be, a. the President declares
that the Monroe doctrine can only be
backed up by thoroughly good navy.
but he loses sight of the fact that il
has been backed up the greater part Of
our national history by q very poor
navy. TIE Spanish war has demon.
strated that it is sometimes not SC
much ships and armament, as the
resolution and power back Of them
which constitutes nations strength
A nation which shows It's ability ia
hastily place in commission warships
and annihilate q really fine naval
equipment Of rival power, need not
fear. with that prestige, of adapting
herself to the requirements of any
emergency likely to arise from in.
transitional complications.
While it is exceedingly distastful
to associate the idea Of quibbling with
the stalwart personality of a mar
like Roosevelt, how can we help i,
when he places capitalistic and labor
declarations in the same category, and
from the admission that both may dc
some good, holds that the assumption
naturally follows, both can do much
harmi The corporations are not a.
tackled by the public as such, but fol
the results flowing from them in
their concrete form. to monopolize
kindred interests and control competi
ton, while decorations of labor are
assailed, As such. without regard te
the effects their organizations may
have upon economic results. It j.
unjust, therefore. and den,agogic, Il
assume that both come under the
same structures. While capital organ
ICES deliberately on full stomach, u
make money, labor forms . combine
from necessity to keep the bot boilin1
for the family dinner. The one Is 9
business pastime, the other . dire
necessity; the one an impulse directed
by pride and ambition, the other Z
motive that springs from want and
woe. Opposition to EACH" Roose
welt says, "should take the form o
opposition to Whatever is bad in an,
given corporation or union, not At
lacks upon corporations as such, o.
unions as such. Such . dull platitudt
is not in keeping with the President'l
claim for sincerity and candor. It il
the plea OF the politician paving the
way for political preierment.
Everybody should applaud the Presi
dents plea for removal of commercial
barriers for Cuba. although it may b<
by the roundabout way OF reciprocity
The proper and direct way would b.
70 remove the protective tariff on hel
products. The Presidents plan fol
reciprocity has been refused our veal
sister republic. simply because tn.
sugar trust willed that it be 20.
The President admits that some
atrocities have been committed by oul
soldiery in the Philippines. but attrib
utes them to terrible provocations
which they continually received from
the foes. 1t is undoubtedly true thai
that this excuse does exist, but tn,
statement that every effort vas mad,