Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1903-12-09
recommendations of Mr.. Roosevelt
TO Congress.
THE COUNTRY IS PROSPEROUS.
Suggestions Touching Upon Our
Public poIicy-The Departments
The Isthmian Canal and Treaty
With Pauama-Other natters.
Intro duction.

Introduction.
To the Senate and House OF Represen-
tatves:
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 nation as with a 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
by another law il has secured equal
treatment to all producers in the trans
portation OF their goods, thus taking
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 ali 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 Sea-
ate. Since then the work OF organiL "a
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 desi gned 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 ESQ employees In Washing
ton and S,S36 In the country at large
The scope OF the Departments duty
and authority embraces the commercial
and industrial interests of the Nation.
1t is not designed to restrict or control
the fullest liberty of legitimate bust
hNSo aSeiOhs Uut W SECURE exact ana du-
thentic information which will aid inc
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 ns it has the power
is to hold in check the unscrupulous
man, whether emplo.'er or employee:
but to refuse to weaken individual ini-
ti7tive or to hamper or cramp the in
du rial development of the country.
We '9cognize that this is an era of fed
el. ion and combination, in which
grc capitahstic corporations and la
Dor ions have become factors OF tie
mendcus importance in all Industrial
centers. Hearty recognition is given the
far-reaching, beneficent work which
has been accomplished through both
corporations and unions. and tie line
as between different corpoy yations. as be-
tween unions. is drawn as it is between
different individuals; that is. it is
drawn on conduct, the effort being to
treat both organized capital and Or
ganized labor alike; asking nothinr-
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
damentai rules Of obedience to law, of
Individual freedom. and OF justice and
fair dealing towards all. Whenever
either corporation. labor union or in
dividual diSregards the law or acts in n
spirit of arbitrary and tyrannous inter
ference with the rights of others
whether corporations or individuals
then where tie Federal Government
has Jurisdiction, 1t will see to il that
the misconduct is stopped. paying not
the slightest heed to the position or
power of the corporation. the union or
the individual, but only to one vital
fact-that is. the question whether or
not the conduct Of the individual or
aggregate of individuals is in accord
ance with the law of the land. Ever
man must be guaranteed his liberty
and his right to do as he likes with his
property or his l-bo:. so long as ne
does not infringe the rights OF Others.
NO man is above the law and no man
is below 1t; nor do we ask any man. S
permission when we require him 10
OBEY it. Obedience to the law is dc
manded as right; not asked as a fav-
or.
We have cause as a nation % hc
thankful for the steps that have been
80 eucce ssfully taken to put these prin
ciploS into effect The progress has
been by evolution. rot by revelation
Nothing radical h1s Deen done: the ae-
tion has been both moderate and Icsa
Iute. Therefore the work VIII staIs
'1here shall be no backward step.