The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Official Communication From The President is
Read in Congress

NSQu III
EIS SUGGESTIONS on LEGISLATION |
The President Makes Strong Recon-
nendations Concerning Capital and
Labor, Foreign Affairs. Army and
Navy, Commerce and Other Subjects
That Will Come Before CONGRESS.
Following is the substance of the an.
wal message Of President Roosevelt
read III both Houses Of Congress-:
Ic the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiyes:
IN" Nation continues 10 enjoy note
ro7hy prosperity. Such prosperity is
= course primarily due to the high in
nVilual average of our citizenship
l"ken together with our great natural
''sDnrc"s; but an important factor
therein Is the working OF our long
'ntinu"d governmental policies. The
Er3plc have emphatically expressed
their approval Of the principles under
lying these policies. .ld tier desire
al these principles be kept suJstan-
TALLY unchanged. although of course
'pFiIcd in progressive spirit to meet
hanging conditions.
CAUTION AGAINST EXTRAvA-
GANCE.
The enlargement Of scope Of the
Tt he
I'quircd by our development as A ma
unn Involves, Of course. increase OF
irenSc; and the period of prosperity
'hI"u2h which the country is passing
H"tlfes expenditures for permanent
m1rCvementmcpts far greater than
would be wise in hard times. Battle
ehrpG and forts public buildings, and
"rproTei waterways are investments
HHi"h should be made when we have
'he money; but abundant revenues and
large surplus always invite extrava-
@ancc, and constant care should be
taken to guard against unnecessary in
',cdSe OF the ordinary expenses OF gov
tnment. The cost of doing Government
business should be regulated with the
+ame rigid scrutiny as the cost OF
icing private business.
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
in the vast ana complicated mechan-
tem OF our modern civilized life the
'cmlnant note is the note OF Industrial
Ism; and the relations Of capital and
Labor. and especially OF organized CAPT
tai and organized labor. to each other
anu 10 the public at large come second
III Importance only TO the intimate
questions of family life. Our peculiar
IOIm OF government, with its sharr
DIVISION of authority between the Ma
ton and the several States, has been
"H the whole far more advantageous tC
cur development than a more strongly
'tLtrallZed government. But it is un
Gouhtedly responsible for much Of tht
diniculty Of meeting with adequate
legislation the new problems presented
ny the total change in industrial condi
tons on this continent during the las
half century. In actua, practice it ha
proved exceedingly difficult, and i,
many cases impossible. to get unanimit,
u wise action among the various State
In these subjects. From the very naIur
g! the case this is especially true Of tn
laws affecting the employment of capi
tdl in huge masses.
With regard to labor the problem i
hC less important, but it is simpler
IS long as the States retain the pri
mary control of the police power tn
circumstances must be altogether eX
iremc which require interference b
the Federal authorities, whether in tn
LAY OF safeguarding the rights c
labor o. III the way of seeing tha
NrCng is not done by unruly person
who shield themselves behind the nam
o. labor. Ii there is resistance to tn
Federal courts, interference with tn
mails. or interstate commerce, Or mole
station of Federal property, or if tn
State authorities in some crisis Whic
they are unable to face call for he'll
then the Federal Government may II
terfere; but though such interferent
may be caused by condition Of thins
arising out Of trouble connected wit
sCme question Of labor, the interfe
6nce itself simply takes the form
restoring order without regard to II
questions which have caused the breat
. Order-fOr to keep order is pr
mary duty and in a time of disord
and violence all other questions sill
into abeyanCe until order has be-
restored In the District of Columb
and in the Territories the Federal la
covers the entire field OF government
but the labor question is only acute
popular centers of commerce, mannfa
tures. or mining. Nevertheless, both
tie enactment and in the enfcrceme
Of law the Federal Government with
its restricted sphere should set an
ample to the State governments,
pecially in a matter so vital as tt
affecting labor. l believe that und
modern industrial conditions 1t is oft
necessary. and even where not nece
sary it is yet often wise, that the
should be organization OF labor
order better to secure the rights OF I
individual wage-wOrker. All encouras
ment should be given to any such
saniZation, so long as 1t is conduct
with q due and decent regard for I
rights of others. There are in TINS cou
try some labor unions which have
bitually. and other labor unions Whl
have often, been among the most eht
tive agents in working for good cl
zenship and for uplifting the condltl
OF those whose welfare should be cl'
est to our hearts. But when any lat
union seeks improper ends, or seeks
achieve proper ends By improI
means, all good citizens and more
pecially all honorable public serval
must oppose the wrondOing as resolu
l., as they would oppose the wroI
doing Of any great corporation.
course any violence, brutality, Or c.
rGption, should not for one moment
tolerated Wage-workerS have an
tire right to organize and by all pea
full and honorable means to endea'
To e1J. 70 SnIr