Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-12-11
CANAL is THE ISSUE.
MADE THE LEADING FEATURE
OF PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
President Declares Policy of United
States L. Far from Conquest-Other
Features Are Capital and Labor, In
washington correspondence:


President Roosevelt's annual message
to Congress is long document and dis
cusses with great detail the questions of
government which the executive has con-
sidered during the last twelve months
Most of his subjects have reached an
acute stage during his own administra-
ton, and the President is able to discuss
them from an inside point of view in
every case. The Panama canal and the
labor and trust topics furnish the chief
executive an abundance Of material on
which to advise Congress as to the gen
eral condition of the country.
The most interesting thing In the mes
sage is the treatment Of the isthmian
caual question: which was forced on the
administration Nov. 3 by the revolution
in Panama. The President follows the
line of the statement given out by Sec
rotary Hay at the time, showing that
the United States took not a single step
OH the isthmus beyond the line marked
out for it by it's treaty obligations.
The President justifes his course and
the policy of the administration. The
United States not only had obligations
to perform under the treaty Of New
Grenada in keeping peace on the isthmus
and providing for open and uninterrupt-
ed traffic across the neck of land, Mr..
Roosevelt says, but it had a greater
duty, on the higher ground that this gov
eminent is the trustee Of the world for
the isthmus.
Greater than any other question is
that Of the construction of the canal,
which has been in contemplation for cen
turtles and which not only the national
interests of the United States require,
but which the world demands. The Pres
ident's message is couched in language
which leaves no doubt that he regards
what has happened as final, and there
is no suggestion of retracing the steps
which have been taken.
The President endeavors to show that
this government was not particeps Grim
inis to the revolution on the isthmus.
Capital and Labor.
The events Of the last year bearing
on the right of labor to boycott and in
timidate, and the right of corporations
to annul laws Oh the statute books, give
the President an excellent opportunity to
discuss questions which are uppermost
In the minds of every business man and
every labor leader in the United States.
The treatment Of this great subject
forms large part of the message.
In the direction Of the relations be-
tween capital and labor, the President
has a good deal to report to Congress,
part of which is official and part Of
which is only incidental to the work Of
the President. Since the last message to
Congress was written the coal strike has
been completely settled by an arbitration
set on foot by the President himself and
agreed to by the owners and miners
alike. This gives the President an OPP
portunity not only to congratulate the
country on the termination of this seri-
GUS condition of affairs but to point out
this case as an evidence that the prin-
ciple of arbitration can be applied sue
cessfully to the gravest kind of disputes
between capital and labor, even those
involving the interests Of the entire
country.
In the message there is further refer
ence to the suits instituted against the
Northern Securities Company for the
purpose of testing the antitrust laws.
1t is shown, also, that under the emer-
gency legislation by the last Congress,
which provided for expediting such cases,
the issue now has been carried direct to
the Supreme Court, so that a decision
on this great question as to the power
Of corporations may soon be decided.
No Discrin ination Allowed.
Then, again, the President laid down
in the dispute which arose in the bindery
of the government printing Office the
principle that while labor organizations
had q riOht tn nyicf m
employees, those organizations had no
right to put their rules above the laws of
the land, and that no man could be
excluded from the government service
because he did or did not belong to la
Dor union. In addition to all this the
Department Of Commerce and Labor has
been created and has been preparing to
go into the large economic questions
much more fully than ever was attempt
ed before.
All these things make it fitting that
the President should state his position,
which, it Is claimed, is not one Of hostil-
ity to either business or industry, but
rather Of friendliness to both classes, so
long as they work within the law and
treat each other fairly and lawfully.
Suggestions which have been made as
to legislation are very carefully guard
ed. The President recommends no rad
ical legislation regarding the trusts, but
there is laid before Congress full state
ment as to the condition of State and
federal laws. AS no effort has yet been
made to obtain from corporations the
secrets of their business and capitaliza-
ton the President asks for no change in
the law creating the new department.
Financial legislation is not specifically
recommended. The subject is commend
ed to CongNss with view to arriving
at some agreement as to the needs Of
the banks and the business world
The postal frauds are only touched on
in general way, the Presidents COM
ment on the Bristow report having COW
cred the ground SO far as the situation