The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1902-12-05
THE ANNUAL MESSAGE
Congress Has Power to Pass
Laws Governing Trusts.
Tariff Needs No Reyision-Can,,.,
ana Lsbor-Reciprocity With
Cuba-The Philippines.

President Roosevelt's message went 70
congress Tuesday at l O'Clock. II is an
able state paper and deals with pverv
phase OF our national life to some eytan+
or other. The president commitments
the people upon the unbounded prosner-
lty OF the nation. He saws: "There will
undoubtedly be periods of depression
The wave will recede: but tho lido 1r;Ii
advance. In particular tho aro,,t,
OF the last four years have definitely IA
cided that, for woe or for veal onr nIoco
must be among the great nations We
may either tall greatly or succeed great
~; but we can not avoid the endpavor
from winch either great failure or great
success must come. Even if we would
we cannot play small part"
President Roosevelt deals at some
lehgCh upon the subject of trusts He
CONTENDS that congress has sufficient
power 10 pass laws governing combina-
IIobs' tndI the present antitrust laws
are good, but should be amended so as
10 cover greater scope; that our aim
snouiu not be to do away with corpora
tlons, but that they should be governed
ana regulated as any other great insti
tutIon Is goVernrd and regulated The
president says that no more impOrtant
SUBJECT can come before congress than
this OF the regulation of interstate busi-
ness. The president, however, does not
ADVISE the reduction of the tariff as a
means OF reaching the evils OF the trusts.
ms would not only be merely ineffpct-
I've, but the peversiOn Of our efforts in
that direction would mean an abandon
ment OF all intelligent attempts to do
away with those evils. Dealing with
tarlH the president says that "Our past
experience shows that great prosperity
10 this country has always come under
the protective tariff; and that the conn
TRY cannot prosper under fi.ful tariff
changes at short intervals. Moreover
II the tarlh laws as a whole work we'll
ana II business has prospered under
them and Is prOspering, it is better to
endure Tor time slight incOnveniences
ana inequalities in some schedules than
TO upset business by too quick and too
radical changes"
Regarding reciprocity the president
says that lone way in which the read
lustment sought can be reached is bv reri.
proclty treaties. Ii is greatly to he de-
sired that such treaties NAV be adOpted
Ihey can be used to widen our markets.
duu 10 give greater field for the activi-
ties OF our producers on the one hand
and on the other hand to secure in prac.
tlcal shape the lowering of duties when
they are NO longer needed for protection
among our own people,"
The president recommends that the
tariff on anthracite coal should be re.
moved. A suggestion is made regarding
the present financial system and saws
that it appears both unwise and unneces-
sary to attempt to reconstruct it at this
time.
He calls attention to the immigration
laws and dwells at some length upon the
subject OF capital and labor. He also
urges that secretary of commerce NAV
be created with a seat in the presidents
cabinet Mention is made regarding
reciprocity with Cuba, arbitration, the
lsthmian canal, Porto Rico, the condi-
tlons in the Philippines. The needs of
the army and navy are discussed; the
work OF the postal department is shown
and also information regarding public
lands given. Legislation for Alaska. for
the Indians and for the District of Co.
lnmbla. The work of the agricultural
department is discussed, and the propo-
sltlOn urged that public lands should be
held for the home builder.