Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-12-12
ANNUAL MESSAGE
Recommendations Of Mr.. Roosevelt
TO Congress.
THE COUNTRY IS PROSPEROUS.
Suggestions Touching Upon Our
Public Policy-The Departments
The lsthmian Canal and Treaty
With Panama-Other rlatters.
introduction.

TO the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
The country is to be congratulated
on the amount of substantial achieve
ment which has marked the past year
both as regards our foreign and as re-
CARDS our domestic policy.
Corporations.
With q nation as with man the
most important things are those OF the
household, and therefore the country
Is especially to be congratulated on
what has been accomplished in the di-
rection of providing for the exercise of
supervision over the great corporations
and combinations Of corporations en-
gagged in interstate commerce. The
Congress has created the Department
OF Commerce and Labor, including the
Bureau of Corporations, with for the
first time authority to secure proper
publicity OF such proceedings of these
great corporations as the public has
the right to know. 1t has provided for
the expediting OF suits for the enforce
ment of the Federal antitrust law; and
NY duOIucI law ~ hoo oSSuA w >feN~e
treatment to all producers In the trans
portation Of their goods, thus taxing
long stride forward in making effective
the work of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Department Of Commerce and Labor.
The establishment of the Department
of Commerce and Labor, with tne
Bureau of Corporations Hereunder,
marks real advance in the direction
of doing all that is possible for the So
luton OF the questions vitality affecting
CAPITALISTS and wage-workers. The act
creating the Department was approved
on February IA, 1903, and two days
later the head of the Department was
nominated and confirmed by the SEN
ate. Since then the work of organila-
ton has been pushed as rapidly as the
initial appropriations permitted, and
with due regard to thoroughness and
the broad purposes which the Depart
ment Is designed to serve. After the
transfer of the various bureaus and
branches to the Department at the be-
ginning of the current fiscal year, as
provided for in the act, the personnel
comprised 1880 employees In Washing
ton and 1886 in the country at large.
The scope of the Departments duty
and authority embraces the commercial
and industrial interests of the Nation.
It Ia not designed to restrict or control
the fullest liberty Of legitimate bust
ness action, but to secure exact and au-
thentic information which will aid the
Executive in enforcing existing laws,
and which will enable the Congress to
enact additional legislation. If any
should be found necessary, in order to
prevent the few from obtaining privi-
leges at the expense of diminished op-
portunitles for the many.
Capital and Labor.
The consistent policy of the National
Government, so far as 1t has the power
Is to hold in check the INSCRIPTIONS
man, whether employer or employee;
but to refuse to weaken Individual ini-
tiative or to hamper or cramp the in
dustrial development OF the country.
We recognize that this Is an era of fed
Grafton and combination, in which
great Cap1taliptic corporations and Ia
Dor unions have become factors of ire
mendous Importance IN all industrial
centers. Hearty recognition Is given the
far-reaching, beneficent work when
has been accomplished through both
corporations and unions. and the line
as between different corporations. as be-
tween unions. is drawn as 1t Is between
different individuals; that is, 1t is
drawn on conduct, the effort being tc
treat both organized capital and or.
ganized labor alike; asking nothing
save that the interest of each shall be
brought into harmony with the Interest
of the general public, and that the cor
duct of each shall conform to the fun
damental rules of obedience to law. o!
individual freedom, and Of justice and
fair dealing towards ALL Whenever
either corporation, labor union or In
dIyidual disregards the law or acts In
spirit of arbitrary and tyrannous inter
ference with the rights OF others
whether corporations or individuals
then where the Federal Government
has Jurisdiction, it will see to 1t tina
the misconduct is stopped, paying no
the slightest heed to the position o.
power Of the corporation, the union o
the individual, but only to one vita
fact-that is, the question whether O
not the conduct Of the Individual aa Q
aggregate or individuals Is IN accord
ance with the law Of the land. Evei.
man must be guaranteed his libert.
and his right to do as he likes with hi
property or his labor, SO long as o.
does not infringe the rights OF Others
| No man is above the law and no MAJ
| is below 1t; nor do we ask any mar
permission when we require him U
| obey it. Obedience to the law Is dc
manded as q right; not asked as a fav
| or.
| We have cause as nation 70 D
| thankful for the steps that have bee
| so successfully taken to put these prin
ciples into effect. The progress ha
been by evolution. not by revolution
| Nothing radical has been done; the az
ton has been both moderate and rese
lutte. Therefore the work will staII
There shall be no backward step.
Neeos or Financial situation.
The integrity of our currency is be
yond question, and under present cor
ditions It would be unwise and unne
cessary to attempt reconstruction
our entire monetary system. The sam
liberty should be granted the Secretar
OF the Treasury to deposit customs RI
ceipts as Is granted him In the depos
| OF reCelptS ITOW OIueT SouICeS' III III
Message of December g. 1902, I calle
attention to certain needs Of the flnar
cial situation, and again ask the cor
sideration of the Congress for thes
questions.
immigration.
We can not have too much immigrs
ton OF the right kind. and we shoul
have none at all of the wrong kin
The need Is to devise some system
which undesirable immigration sha
be kept out entirely, while desiraO
immigrants are properly distribute
throughout the country.
Naturalization Frauds.
The special investigation Of the SUI
ject of naturalization under the dire
ton OF the Attorney-General. and Il
consequent prosecutions, reveal CO.
dition Of affairs calling for the imn
date attention of the Congress. 70
geries and perjuries of shameless al
fragrant character have been pc
petrated, not only in the dense cente
Of population, but throughout t