The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-12-09
THE PRESIDENT
TO CONGRESS-.
Roosevelt Sends His
Annual Message to
Lawmakers.
MANY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS
Sees a Pressing Need for
Labor and Trust Leg
islation.
NO WORD ABOUT TARIFF.
Leaves the Subject for Special Mes
sage Which He Promises at
LatereDate.
MANY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS
NO WORD ABOUT TARIFF.

O.. sage !" A4CA nc 1GOUl1SSS
Later>Date.
Shows Good Results from the Work
OF the Agricultural Departments
u Outlines Our Relations with For
" eign Countries and with the Phil
ippines-UrEes Need Of Adequate
Naval Force a. Guarantee Of Peace
and Asks for Revision of Immi-
Eration Laws.
; Washington, Dec. s. - President
Roosevelt's annual message to con-
gress makes some $4,000 words. In &C.
cordance with established, custom con-
siderable space is devoted to re-
sumo of the year in the administrative
departments Of the government, but
much of the message is given up to a
discussion of those subjects which are
considered of vital interest to the ma
ton, and upon many of which he
deems legislation needed. 1t is this
portion of the message which we give
: below.
d. To the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives: The nation continues to enjoy note
worthy prosperity. Such prosperity is of
course primarily due to the high individ-
ual average of our citizenship, taken to-
Eether with our great natural resources;
but an important factor therein is the
working of our long-continued govern
mental policies. The people have en-
phatically expressed their approval of
the principles underlying these policies,
and their desire that these principles be
kept substantially unchanged. although
of course applied in a progressive spirit
to meet changing conditions.
&, Caution Against Extravagance.
The enlargement Of scope Of the func-
lions of the national government required
by our development as a nation 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. Bat
tleships and forts, public buildings, and
improved waterways are Investments
which should be made whom wa have-the
money; but abundant revenues and q
large surplus always invite extravaganza,
and constant care should be taken to
guard against unnecessary increase J. of
the ordinary expenses of government.
The cost Of doing government business
should be regulated with the same rigid
scrutiny as the cost Of doing q private
business.
Capital and Labor.
In the vast and complicated mechanism
Of our modern civilized life the dominant
note Is the note of industrialism; and the
relations OF capital and labor, and es-
pecially of organized capital and organ
lied labor, to each other and to the pub
lie at large come second in Importance
only to the intimate questions Of family
life. Our peculiar form Of government,
with It's sharp division OF authority be-
tween the nation and the several states.
has been on the whole far more advan-
tageous to our development than q more
strongly centralized government. But it
IS undoubtedly responsible for much of
the difficulty of meeting with adequate
legislation 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 unanimity of
wise action among the various states on
these subjects. From the very nature of
the case this is especially true of the laws
affecting the employment Of capital In
huge masses.
With regard to labor the problem Is no
less important, but 1t Is simpler AS long
as the states retain the primary control
of the police power the circumstances
qure interference by the federal author
tiles, whether in the way of safeguard.
ing the rights Of labor or In the way of
seeing that wrong ts not done by un-
ruly persons who shield themselves be-
hind the name Of labor. If there IS re-
sistance to the federal courts, interior
ence with the mails. or interstate COM
merce, or molestation Of federal proper
~, or IL the state authorities In some
crisis which they are unable to face call
for help. then the federal government
may interfere; but though such interior:
encc may be caused by q condition of
things arising out Of trouble connected
with some question of labor, the interior
ence itself simply takes the form of re-
storing order without regard to the ques-
lions which have caused the breach or
order-1or to keep order Is primary
duty and in time Of disorder and vio-
lence all other questions sink into abey-
ance until order has been restored. In
the District Of Columbia and in the ter
ritories the federal law covers the entire
field of government; but the labor ques-
ton is only. acute in populous centers OF
commerce, manufactures or mining.
Nevertheless, both in the enactment and
In the enforcement OF law the federal
government within its restricted sphere
should set an example to the state gov
~ernments, especially In 4 matter so vital
rs this affecting labor. I believe that un-
DER. nOQeGus lUQUSlgAAA CVAAOAttOtAo. ~ -
often necessary, and even where not
necessary it 10 yet often wise, that there
should be organization Of labor in order
better to secure the rights Of the individ-
ual wage-worker. All encouragement
should be given to any such organiza-
ton, SO long as it is conducted with q
due and decent regard for the rights Of
Others There are in this country some
labor unions which have habitually, and
other labor unions which have often.
been among the most effective agents in
working for good citizenship and for up
lifting the condition Of those whose vel
fare should be closest to our hearts. But
when any labor union seeFs improper
ends or seeks to achieve proper ends by
improper means, all good citizens and
more especially all honorable public serv-
ants must oppose the wrongdoing as
resolutely as they would oppose the
wrongdoing Of any great corporation. O1
course any violence, brutality. OF corrup-