New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-06
THE MESSAGE-

THE MESSAGE.
The supreme emphasis of the Presidents mes
sage is placed as was expected, on the relations
of the government to corporations. Various
| phases of this subject are discussed at great
| length and with many characteristic expressions
of sociological and moral convictions From the
point of view of those who seek in message
! merely chronicle of progress and an outline OF
specific measures this seems academic and super
| fuous President Roosevelt, however, is not
making merely conventional recommendations.
| He evidently feels that he has issues TO zeal
/ with profoundly affecting the moral hDre ana
the social life of the people, and that the small
est part of his mission is to tell Congress what
| bills should in his opinion be passed. He must
also appeal to the people, show them the reason
| ableness Of what they might otherwise consider
| dangerous innovations and argue the veXed ques-
lions out in their larger aspects. Some OF his
| suggestions involve, If not novel conceptions OF
| the function of the federal government far
reaching efforts to adapt its insrumentalities to
the new conditions under which, with the evolu-
ton Of our business life, they must work.
The President wisely lays stress on the TACT
that at the present day much work which was
formerly done by state authorities can no longer
efficiently be performed by them. The consolida-
ton and extension of business operations have
made restraints on corporations which extend
only 10 a state line quite ineffective for the pro-
lection not only OF the country in general, but
of the citizens Of the state supposed to be IN con-
troll Consequently, he proposes policy Of I'D
eral use of federal powers to regulate what has
long been a legal no mans land Of refuge for
corporate abuses with which authority has
seemed competent to deal. Speaking of corpora
tons he says
The laws of the Congress and of the several
states hitherto as passed upon by the courts,
have resulted more often in showing that the
fiar
the national government has power; so thaI
there exists very unfortunate CONDITION OF
things, under which these great corporations
doing an interstate business occupy the posltlon
of subjects without a sovereign. neither any
state government nor the national government
having effective control over them. Our STEADY
aim should be by legislation. cautiously and
| carefully undertaken. but resolutely persevered
in to assert the sovereignty of the national GOV
i eminent by affirmative action
This sovereignty the President would exercise
to restrain trusts 10 prevent insurance abuses
and to secure the operation of common carriers
in a manner fair to all, and he points out that
the exercise of this sovereignty IS not essentially
an innovation, but merely restoration OF Ell
fective authority over matters which have es-
caped from restraint with changed conditions.
On the subject of rate regulation he IS not con-
tent with sweeping prohibitions. He wants af-
firmatiye legislation, and would be glad TO dis
criminate between good and bad combinations.
public would in some cases be served by reason
able cooperation, which is forbidden; but
such a scheme would be almost impossible Of
enforcement. He outlines plan for the fixing
of rates on complaint and after a hearing by the
present or a reorganized Interstate Commerce
Commission with power to put its findings into
effect He agrees with Attorney General Moody
that a rate granted as discriminating favor
| might well be enforced for the benefit of the
Tl1Ibli il 10 SIG 10
| action by the government against shippers taking
! rebates as a measure TO protect railroads from
blacknail The present inadequate laws psnaliZe
honest railroad men by failing to protect them
from rivals who violate the law, and almost
force them to discriminate in spite of them
selves. The President discusses the rate ques-
ton with moderation and makes it clear that
he is not unfriendly to the railroads, but seeks
measure of regulation to cure such abuses as
inevitably create demand for government own
ership to which he is firmly opposed. He favors
better safety appliances and the limitation of
hours of railway labor on interstate commerce
lines; and, on the other hand emphatically dis
approves the taking away from the courts of the
power of injunction in labor disputes
The President makes no recommendation for
| tariff revision. but notes that changes can come
only through general agreement among citizens
| of all sections and not at the demand Of any
| one locality. He advises economy and makes
| practical suggestions to that end. Last years
! recommendation of publicity for federal cleo
| ton expenditures is renewed and supplemented
| by call for the prohibition Of corporate contri-
| buttons. A large number of other topics are in
/ spiringly discussed. The message is long, but it
will repay the careful study of every intelligent
| citizen 1t is full of suggestions of vital inter-
! est Some of its proposals are certain to excite
| controversy. but nobody can honestly say of any
one of them that it is not the straightforward
attempt of a right thinking TO get down to
| the essential clements of a problem and solve it
with the general welfare as his sole aim.