Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-07
Fifty-Eighth Congress Comes Into Existence by
Fall of GaVas at Noon Today.
MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT READ
Dealing With Needs of the Nation as Seen From
the Chief Executives Standpoint.

| between different corporations, as be>
tween different 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 organized labor alike, asking moth
ing save that the interest of each shall
be brought into harmony with the in
terest of the general public and that
the conduct of each shall conform to
the fundamental rules of obedience to
law, of individual freedom and of JUS
tice and fair dealing toward all. When
ever either corporation, labor union or
individual disregards the law or acts
in a spirit of arbitrary and tyrannous
interference with the rights of others,
whether corporations or individuals,
then where the federal government has
Jurisdiction it will see to it that the
misconduct is stopped, paying not the
slightest heed to the position or power
of the corporation, the union or the in
dividual, but only to one vital fact
that is, the question whether or not
the conduct of the individual or aggre-
gate 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 prop
erty or his labor so long as he does
not infringe the rights of others.
Government Receipts and Expend-
itures.
From all sources, exclusive of the
postal service. the receipts of the gov
ernment for the last fiscal year aggre-
gated $500, O,396,674. The expenditures
for the same period were $506, ,099, ,007,
the surplus for the fiscal year being
SOD, ,297, ,667. The indications are that
the surplus for the present fiscal year
will be very small, if indeed there be
any surplus. From July to November
the receipts from customs were, ap-
proximately, $9,0O0,000 less than the
receipts from the same source for
corresponding portion last year. Should
this decrease continue at the same ra-
ito throughout the fiscal year the sur
plus would be reduced by, approxi-
mately, $3O,0OO,OOO. Should the rev.
enue from customs suffer much fur
ther decrease during the fiscal year the
surplus would vanish. 4 large sur
plus is certainly undesirable. Two
years ago the war taxes We're taken
off with the express intention of
eQualizing the governmental receipts
and expenditures, and, though the
first year thereafter still showed a
surplus, it now seems likely that a
substantial equality of revenue and
expenditure will be attained. Such be-
ing the case, it is of great moment both
to exercise care and economy in ap-
preparations and to scan sharply any
change in our fiscal revenue system
which may reduce our income. The
need of strict economy in our eXpend-
itures is emphasized by the fact that
we cannot afford to be parsimonious in
providing for what is essential to our
national well being.
Needs of Financial Situation.
The integrity of our currency is be-
yond question, and under present con-
ditionS it would be unwise and unnec-
essary to attempt a reconstruction of
our entire monetary system. The same
liberty should be granted the secretary
of the treasury to deposit customs re-
ceipts as is granted him in the depos-
it of receipts from other sources. In
my message of Dec. 2, 1902, 1 called
attention to certain needs of the finan-
cial situation. and 1 again ask for
Continued on Page Two.