The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-08
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1903.
The Presidents Message.
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The Presidents Message.
President Roosevclts message, whicl,
vas sent to Congress yesterday, deals
with several questions OF public inter-
est, not the least OF which, by any means,
/ Is the Panama Canal question, On this
MONT, the President speaks frankly and
confidently and says that we have made
4 much better terms with Panama than
We could have made with either Colonl-
I bia or Nicaragua.
Tho President begins by congrntnlat-
/ jng tho country on the amount Of sub
$stentlal achievement which has mark
led the past year, both as regards our
E foreign and our domestic policy. He
thinks that the country is especially to
D DO congratulated on what has been &c
scomplished in tho direction of provid-
Ing for the exercises of supervision over
tho great corporations and combinations
Ior corporations gagged III 1nterstate
commerce He declares 1t TO- be INC
consistent policy of the national govern
amcnt so far as 1t has the power, to hold
lin check the INSCRIPTIONS man, whether
employer or employee; but to refuse to
weaken individual initiative, or to ham
#:ner or cramp the Industrial development
#of the country. I'VE recognize" says
bc in this connection, that this is an era
OF Federation and combination In which
great capltalistic corporations and labor
unions have become factors OF tremend-
Gus Importance in all industrial centers.
Hearty recognition is given the far
reaching. beneflcent work which has
Keen accomplished through both corpora
tons ana unions, and tho line rs between
different corporations, as between DIFF
$ferent unions, is drawn as it is between
different individuals; that is, it is drawn
%on8 conarct, the effort being to treat
both organized capital and organized Ia
Dor alike; asking nothing save that the
interest Of each shall be brought into
harmony with the interest OF the gen
5eral public, and that the conduct Of each
shall conform to the fundamental rules
OF obedience to law. Of individual free
idom, and of Justice and fair dealing TO-
wards all. Whenever either corpora
&tlon, labor union or individual dsre-
CARDS the law or acts In a spirit Of ar
6l,itrary and tyrannous interference with
the rights Of others whether corporations
or individuals, then where the Federal
government has jurisdiction, it will see
#toit that the misconduct is stopped. pay
Ing not the. ISL gltestr heed to the posi-
ton or power OF the corporation, the
union or the Individual, but only to one
vital fact-that Is. the question whether
sor not the conduct OF the individual or
aggregate OF individuals Is in accordance
with the law Of the land Every man
must be guaranteed his liberty and his
right to do as he likes with his property
4 or his labor, so long as he does not In
fringe the rights of Others. No man
n is above the law, and no man is below
It; nor do we ask any mans permission
4 when we require him to obey It, Obed!-
Il ence to the law is demanded as a right;
not as a favor"
PEA Mr. Roosevelt Is u Republican. but he
has here declared a great Democratic
{s principle, and We have never seen it
l& stated more clearly and concisely. 1t is
NJ we'll for representatives of corporations
v and representatives of labor unions and
s ali sorts and conditions of men TO keep
"A the Presidents saying always in mind.
and make it their rule of conduct,
M"Every man must be guaranteed his
liberty. and his right to do as he likes
with his property or his labor. SO lone
as he does not Infringe the rights OF
others" That principle must be rccog.
rxed and defended else liberty viii BIZ
no ,f
more.
* On the subject of currency, the Tresi
cent says that the integrity of our cur
rency Is beyond question. and that un
del present conditions it would be unwis
X and unnecessary to attempt a reconstruc
ton of our entire monetary system. II
recommends that the same liberty b
granted the Secretary Of the Trcusur
To deposit customs receipts as Is grant
% in the deposit Of receipts from othe
sources. If this be adopted by Congress
II will 30 very far towards enlarging III
volume Of currency by preventing III
y government from unnecessarily lioldin
money when 1t Is needed In the channel
lot trade
s3 The President speaks especially OF tn
Importance of taking steps in the inter
est OF American shipping, and recon
85 mends that Congress direct the Score
2tary If the Navy, the Postmaster Genera
lend the Secretary of Commerce and La
Dor, associated With The sanate ane
House, to serve as a commission for tn
B purpose Of investigating and reporting i
Congress at its next session what lesisa
faoE u desirable or necessary for tn