The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-07
(Ry the Associated Press. }

Washington, ID. c.. Dec. s.--The an
nual message Of the President to Con-
gress was read in both Houses today
the text of this document follows:
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatiVes:
The nation continues TO enjoy note
worthy prosperity. Such prosperity is
OF course primarily due to the high
individual average of our citizenship,
taken together with our great natural
resources; but an important factor
therein is the working of our long
continued governmental policies. The
people have emphatically expressed
their approval of the principles under
lying these policies. and their desire
that these principles be kept substan-
TALLY unchanged. although of course
applied i'm progressive spirit to meet
changing conditions.
Caution Against Extravaganza.
The enlargement of scope Of the
functions of the national government
required by our development as na-
ton involves, of course, increase OF
expense; and the period of prosperity
through which the country is passing
juStifies expenditures for permanent
improvements far greater than would
be wise in hard times. Battleships
and forts. public buildings, and i'm
proved waterways are investments
which should be made when we have
the money; but abundant revenues and
q large surplus always invite extrava-
gance, and constant care should be
taken to guard against unnecessary in
crease of the ordinary expense of
government The cost Of doing gov
eminent business should be regulated
with the same rigid scrutiny as the
cost of doing private business.
Capital and Labor.
In the vast and complicated mech
anisIra OF our modern civilized | fe the
dominant note is the note of indus
trialism: and the relations of cap
ital and labor, and especially of or
ganized capital and organized labor
to each other and to the public at
large come second in importance only
to the intimate questions OF family
life. Our peculiar form of govern
ment with its sharp division of au-
thority between the nation and the
several States, has been on the whole
far more advantageous to our devel-
opment than more strongly central
lied government. But it is undoubted-
ly responsible for much of the d1ffl-
Guilty of meeting with adequate legis-
lation the new problems presented by
the total change in industrial condi-
tions on this continent during the last
half century. In actual practice it has
proved exceedingly difficult and in
many cases impossible, to get unan
i'm ty of wise action among the various
States on these subjects From the
very nature of the case this is eSpe-
cially true of the laws affecting the
employment of capital in huge masses.
With regard to labor the problem
is no less important, but it is simpler
AS long as the States retain the pri-
mary control of the police power the
circumstances must be altogether eX-
treme which require interference by
the Federal authorities, whether in the
way of safeguarding the rights of la
Dor or in the way of seeing that
wrong is not done by unruly persons
who shield themselves behind the
name of labor If there is resistance
to the Federal courts interference
with the mails. or interstate COM
merce, or moleStation of Federal prop
erty. or if the State authorities in
some crisis which they are unable TO
face call for help, then the Federal
government may interfere; but though
such interference may be caused by
condition of things arising out OF
trouble connected with some question
OF labor, the interference itself simply
takes the form of restoring order
without regard to the questions which
nave caused the breach of order-for
TO keep order is a primary duty and
IN time of disorder and violence all
other questions sink into allegiance
unul order has been restowed. - the
District of Columbia and in the terri
tories the Federal law covers the en-
TIRE held or government; but the labor
question is only acute in populous CEN
tiers or commerce, manufactures or
mining. Nevertheless. both in the en-
actment and in the enforcement of
law the Federal government within its
restricted sphere should set an exam
pie to the State governments. espe-
cially in matter so vitaf-as this af
fecting labor. 1 believe that under
modern industrial conditions it is Of
ten necessary. and even where not ne
cessary it is yet often wise, that there
should be organization of labor in or
der better to secure the rights of the
Individual wage-worker. All encour
agement should be given TO any such
organization SO long as it is conducted
with a due and decent regard for the