Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-12-02
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
Read to the Congress of the United States in Both
Houses Assembled Today.
COMPLIMENTS COUNTRY on ITS PROSPERITY
Treats Upon the Trusts and Asks Appropriation Enforce Antitrust Law
-Dwes at Length on the Relations Of Capital and Labor
Heartily Approves Of Arbitration.
COUNTRY ON ITS PROSPERITY


ty to make all laws necessary and proper
for executing this power, and am satis-
fled that this power has not been ex-
hausted by any legislation now on the
statute books. 1t is evident, therefore.
that evils restrictive of commercial free
dom and entailing restraint upon ma
tional commerce fall within the regula-
tive power of the congress, and that
wise and reasonable law would be
necessary and proper exercise of congress
sional authority to the end that such
evils should be eradicated.
l believe that monopolies, unjust dis
ordinations, which prevent OF cripple
competition, fraudulent over-capitaiiza-
ton, and other evils in trust organiza-
tions and practices which injuriously af-
feet Interstate trade can be prevented
under the power of the congress to "regu-
late commerce with foreign nations and
among the several states" through regu-
lations and requirements operating di-
rectly upon such commerce. the instru-
mentalities thereof, and those engaged
therein.
/ earnestly recommend this subject to
the consideration of the congress with a
view TO tho passage OF law reasonable
In Its provisions and effective in its opera
tions, upon which the questions can be
finally adjudicated that now raise doubts
as to the necessity of constitutional
amendment. If it prove impossible to ac-
complish the purposes above set forth by
such law, then, assuredly, we should
not shrink from amending the constitu-
ton so as to secure beyond peradventure
the power sought.
Enforce Antitrust Law.
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
department of justice in securing the en-
forcement of this law, but much more
could be done IL congress would make a
special appropriation for this purpose, to
be expended under the direction of the
attorney general.
One proposition advocated has been the
reduction of the tariff as a means of
reaching the evils of the trusts which fall
within the category l have described
Not merely would this be wholly ineffec-
tive, but the diversion of our efforts in
such direction would mean the aban-
donment Of all intelligent attempt to do
away with these evils. Many OF the larg-
est corporations, many OF those which
should certainly be included in any proper
scheme Of regulation, would not be af-
fected In the slightest degree by n
change In the tariff, save as such change
interfered with the general prosperity of
the country. The only relation Of the
tariff to big corporations as a whole is
that the tariff makes manufactures pro-
fitable. and the tariff remedy proposed
would be in effect simply to make manu-
factures Improbable. To remove the
tarin as punitive measure directed
against trusts would inevitably result I'm
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-
tion to give domestic competition a fair
chance; and this end can not be reached
by any tariff changes which would affect
unfaVorably all domestic competitors,
good and bad alike. The question of
regulation of the trusts stands apart from
the question of tariff revision
Counsels Caution in Traffic Matters.
Stability Of economic policy must al
ways be the prime economic need of this
country. This stability should not be
fossilization. The country has acquisced
in the wisdom Of the protective tariff
principle. 1t is exceedingly undesirable
that this system should be destroyed or
that there should be violent and radical
changes therein. our past experience
shows that great prosperity in this coun-
try has always come under a protective
tariff; and that the country can not
prosper under htful tarin changes at
short intervals. Moreover, if the tariff
laws as a whole work weh. and IL busi-
ness has prospered under them and Is
prospering. it is better to endure for a
time slight Inconvenience and in
equalities In some schedules than to up
set business by too quick and too radical