The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-12-05
Tells What is Best and
Worst In the Govern
ment of the u. s.
HIS VIEWS ON TRUSTS and TARIFF.
Lowering of I'm port Duties VIII
Not Remedy the Evils Of
Monopoly - Docur
ment in Full.

News Democrat Leased Wire Seryice)
Washington, Dec 2. - President
Theodore Roosevelt this morning sent
his annual message to the congress
of the United States. The document
as read before the legislature is as
follows:
Tc the senate and house of represen-
tativcs: We still continue in a period
OF unbounded prosperity. This prosper
ity is not the creature of law, but un-
doubtedly the laws under which we
work have been instrumental in Great
ing the conditions which made it pos
sible, and by unwise legislation it
would be easy to destroy it. There
will undoubtedly be periods of depres-
sion. The wave will recede; but the
tide will advance. This nation is seat
ed On continent flanked by two great
oceans. 1t is composed of men, the de.
sccndants of pioneers, or in a sense,
pioneers themselves; of men winnowed
oit from among the nations of the
old world by the energy, boldness and
love of adventure found in their own
eager hearts. Such a nation so placed
AS people we have played large
part in the world and we are bent upon
making our future even larger than
the past. In particular, the events OF
the last four years have definitely de-
cded that, for woe or for veal, our
place must be great among the ma
tions. We may either fail greatly or
succeed greatly; but we cannot avoid |
failure or great Success must come |
Even If we would, we cannot play o |
small part. Ii we should try, all that
would follow would be that we should
play large part ignobly and shame
fully.
But our people, the sons of the men
of the civil war. the sons of the men
who had iron in their blood, rejoice in
the present and face the future high
Of heart and resolute of will. Ours is
not the creed of the weakling and the
coward, ours is the gospel or hope and
of triumphant endeavor. We do not
shrink from the struggle before US.
There are many problems for us to
face at the outset of the twentieth
century = grave problems abroad and
still grayer at home; but we know that
We can solve them and solve them
well; provided only that we bring to
the solution the qualities of head and
heart which were shown by the men
who, in the, days of Washington, roun-
ded this government, and, in the days
OF Lincoln, preserved it. .a,
No country has ever occupied high
cr plane OF material well-being than
ours at the present moment This we'll
being is due to no sudden or accidental
causes, but to the play of the economic
forces Of this country for over Gen.
tury; to our laws, our sustained and
continuous policies: above all, to the
high individual average of our citizen
ship. Great fortunes have been won
by those who have taken the lead in
this phenomenal Industrial develop
ment, ard most of these fortunes have
been won, not by doing evil, bur as an
Incident To action which has benefited
the community as whole. Never be-
fore has material well-being been so
widely diffused among our people.
lureat fortunes have been accum-
uIated and yet in the aggregate
ahese fortunes are small indeed
when compared to the wealth
n the people as . whole.
~ plain people are bettsr on