The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1905-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Continued from Page One)

men into Industry is working change
and disturbance in the domestic and
social life of the nation The decrease
IN marriage, and especially in the BIRTH
rate, has been coincident with it. We
must face accomplished facts, and the
adjustment to factory conditions must
be made, but surely it can be made
with less friction and less harmful eff
fects on family life than is now the
case. This whole matter in reality
forms one Of the greatest sociological
phenomena Of our time. It is social
question of the first Importance, Of far
greater Importance than any merely po-
itical or economic question can be.
In any great labor disturbance not
only are employer and employee inter-
ested, but also a third party-the gen
eral public. Every considerable labor
difficulty in which interstate commerce
is involved should be Investigated by
the government and the facts officially
reported to the public.
Insurance.
The great insurance companies afford
striking examples of corporations
whose business has extended so far
beyond the jurisdiction Of the states
which created them as to preclude
strict enforcement of supervision and
regulation by the parent states. In my
last annual message | recommended
stthat the congress carefully consider
whether the power Of the bureau of
corporations cannot constitutionally be
extended to cover interstate transac
lions in insurance" Recent events
have emphasized the Importance Of an
early and exhaustive consideration Of
this question, to see whether it is not
possible to furnish better safeguards
than the several states have been able
to furnish against corruption of the
fragrant kind which has been exposed.
It has been only too clearly shown
that certain of the men at the head of
these large corporations take but small
note of the ethical distinction between
honesty and dishonesty. They draw
the line only this side of what may be
called law honesty, the kind Of honesty
necessary in order to avoid falling into
the clutches of the law. OF course the
only complete remedy for this condi-
ton must be found in an aroused pub
lie conscience, a higher sense Of ethical
conduct in the community at large and
especially among business men and In
the great profession of the law, and In
the growth Of spirit which condemns
all dishonesty, whether in rich man or
An poor man, whether it takes the shape
of bribery or Of blackmail. But much
can be done by legislation which is not
only drastic, but practical. There is
need of far stricter and more uni
form regulation of the vast insurance
interests of this country. The United
States should in this respect follow the
policy Of other nations by providing
adequate national supervision of com
merciaI interests which are clearly ma
&ional in character.
I repeat my previous recommends
ton that the congress should consider
whether the federal government has
any power or owes any duty with re-
spect to domestic transactions in in.
surance of an interstate character
That state supervision has proved in
adequate is generally conceded.
The Revenues.
There Is more need of stability than
of the attempt to attain an ideal per
lection in the methods of raising rev
enue, and the shock and strain to the
business world certain to attend any
serious change In these methods rem
der such change inadvisable unless for
grave reason. 1t is not possible to lay
down any general rule by which to de-
termine the moment when the reasons
for will outweigh the reasons against
such change. No change can be
made on lines beneficial to or desired
by one section or one state only. There
must be something like general agree
ment among the citizens of the several
states that the change Is needed and
desired in the interest of the people as {
whole, and there should then be a sin
cere, intelligent and disinterested eff
fort to make it In such shape as will
combine, so far as possible, the maxi
mum of good to the people at large
with the minimum Of necessary disre
gard for the special interests Of local.
lies OF CldSStS, DLL Ill Llluc VI pcdct
the revenue must, on the average
taking a series of years together, equa
the expenditures or else the revenues
must be increased. Last year there
was deficit. Unless our expenditures
can be kept within the revenues then
our revenue laws must be readjusted.
It Is impossible to outline what shape
such REIMBURSEMENT should take, fol
it Is as yet too early to say whether
there will be need for it. It should b.
considered whether it is not desirable
that the tariff laws should provide fol
applying as against or in favor Of any
other nation maximum and minimum
tariff rates established by the congress
so as to secure a certain reciprocity OF
treatment between other nations anG
ourselves.