Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-12-08
Meeting of Congress.

monumental DuncneS OF pO5leS On the
desks. and the same everything except
ing the few new faces that appeared on
the floors Of the two rooms to take the
places Of the those of members who had
passed away.
In the Senate Chamber Mr.. Knox ap-
psared, was sworn in. and was assigned
q seat in what is called the Cherokee
strip" as there was no seat vacant in
tbe Republican side; there We're no de-
monstrations excepting for Senator
Fairbanks; Senator Penrose offered a
resolution regarding Senator Quay, and
the Senate adjourned until next day.
In the House six new members were
sworn in without protest. resolutions
regarding Senators Quay and Hoar
were adopted; a committee was named
to wait upon the President, and the
House adjourned until next day.
THE MESSAGE
<On Tuesday the Presidents Message
was read in both houses of Congress. and
IL Is an unusually strong, complete and
common-sense document He makes no
reference to the proposed revision of the
tariff rates. except the indirect one in
the opening sentence which is as fol-
lows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:-
s.The Nation continues to enjoy note
worthy prosperity. Such prosperity Is
Of course primarily due to the high IN
dividual average of our citizenship.
taken together with our great natural
resources; but an important factor
therein Is the working or our long con-
tinued governmental policiee. Tee peo-
ple have emphatically expressed their
approval of the principles underlying
these policies, and their desire that
these principles be kept substantially
unchanged, although of course applied
ID a progressive spirit to meet changing
conditions. The enlargement of scope
of the functions of the National govern
ment required by our development as Q
nation involves, of course, increase OF
expense; and the period of prosperity
through which the country il passing
iustifies expenditures for permanent
improvements far greater than would
he wise in hard times. Battleships and
forts. public buildings and improved
WATERWAYS are investments which
should be made when we have the mon
ev: but abundant revenues and q large
surplue always invite extravagance,
and constant care should be taken to
Guard a4ainst- unnecessary increase or
the ordinary expenses OF government.
The cost OF doing government business
should be regulated with the same rigid
scruting as the cost of doing a private
business.
His next sentences deal with capital
and labor. he approves the organiza-
tion of labor for legitimate purposes,
but condemns lawlessness, grants the
benehence of corporations, but urges
control of their tremendous power that
they may not infringe upon the rights
OF the whole people. To these ends he
recommends the largest measure OF pub
licity, believing that public sentiment
u ~ powerful an agency for control as
direct Intervention OF the law. But ne
adds recommendation for the amend
ment ofthe interstate commerce law to
prevent rebates or discrlmipations and
70 the law creating the department Of
commerce and labor to enlarge its pow
ers
he considers the ever increasing list
Of Casualties upon our railroads to be a
matter Of grave Importance, and re-
commends the enacting of q law requir-
INK al railroads to adopt and use some
form Of block signal system to secure
the safety Of employees and passengers.
Another law In proposed for the regUla-
tiuu Of the interstate operations of in
eursnce companies, and third in line
with the plea Of the attorney general to
enable the arrest and presentation at
the place appointed by the Constitution
for their trial of persons indicted in the
federal courts. All Of these are inn
portant and necessary to the public
welfare. The business of insurance has
passed the bounds Of state control and
re absence OF federal law opens the
way for injustice to the policy holders
On the one hand and for interference
with the legitimate business of the com
panies by state departments on the
other.
he says the bureau of corporations
has made careful preliminary investiga-
ton Of many important corporations.
It win make special report on the
beef industry.
The policy of the bureau is to ac-
complish the purposes Of its creation by
cooperation, not antagonism; by max
INK constructive legislation, not des-
tructive prosecution, the immediate OBJ
iects Of It's inquiries; by conservative
; Investigation Of law and fact, and by
refusal to issue incomplete and hence
necessarily inaccurate reports. Its
policy being thus one of open inquiry
INTO. and not attack upon, business, the
bureau has been able to gain not only
the confidence. but. better still. the co
operation Of men engaged in legitimate
business.
He thinks the government must in in
creasing degree supervise and regulate
the workings Of the railways engaged
In interstate commerce.; and such in
creased supervision il the only alterna-
tive to an increase OF the present evils
on the one hand or still more radical
policy on the other. In my judgment
the most important legislative act now
needed as regards the regulation OF cor
porations is this act to confer on the
power to revise rates and regulations.
the revised rate to at once 20 into ef-
feet, and to stay In effect unless and
Steamship companies engaged in in
terstate commerce and protected in our
coastwise trade, should be held to q
strict observance OF the interstate COM
merce act.
His next paragraphs treat of munich
pal improvement and sanitary condi-
tions, the work of the Department of
Agriculture, reclamation of the arid
lands of the west, and the forest and
game preserves.
Regarding pensions he says: The
veterans of the Civil War have q claim
upon the nation such AZ no other body
Of our citizens possesses, The pension
bureau has never In its history Been
managed in more satisfactory man
ner than Is now the case.
He then refers to the celebration of
the tri-centennial Of the settlement of
Jamestown. Va. in 1907; says the p. o.
Department has increased in efficiency
gives the total receipts of the Depart
ment for the past year at 143 millions
and the total expenses at 152 millions;
says our consular system can be i'm
proved; advises the enactment Of a
proper Quarantine law, and calls atten-
tiou to the extravaganza in government
publications and the defects in the cur
rency system. He recommends the en-
couragement Of our merchant marine;
calls attention to the growing impor-
tance of the Oriental markets, and re-
cauimends the revision Of our immigra-
tion and naturalization laws.
The resources, needs and government