The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-12-07
Presidents Annual Communi-
cation Delivered to Congress
at Washington.
STRONG FOR RATE REFORM
Makes Many Suggestions. but This 10
the Chief one-would Supervise
insuranee-Not Ripe for
Tariff Reform.

Roosevelt delivered his annual message
TO today. The document was
a lengthy one OF more than $4,000
words. II breathcs reform from first
10 last. Chief and foremost Is the
demand for rate legislation which he
goes into in great detail. lie also rec
ognizes the Insurance evils and urges
federal supervision OF Insurance and
of other great corporations. Ho falls
10 recommend revision OF the tariff.
saying IL Is not required as set. His
message In part follows:
To the senate and house OF representa-
tives:
The people OF this country continue 90
enjoy great prosperity. Undoubtedly there
will be ebb and now In such prosperity.
and this cbb and How will be felt more or
less by all members OF the community,
both by the deserving and tho undcscrvfng
Against the wrath OF tho Lord tho wisdom
OF man can not avail: In times OF Hood or
drought m ingenuity can but partially
repair tho disaster. A. general failure OF
folly OF man mars the general wcll-bcing.
then those who are innocent OF the folly
will have 10 PAY part OF the penalty IN
CURED by those who are guilty OF the folly.
A panic brought on by tho speculative folly
OF part of the business community would
hurt the whole business community. But
such stopplge OF welfare. though IL might
DO severe, would not bc lasting. In the
long run the one vital factor In the pcrma-
ncnt prosperity OF the country IL the high
n0lNlUuAA NlANNNAtN VI NlN aNNNNk nAAAN
lean worker. the average American citizen.
no matter whether his work BE- mental or
manual. whether he DO farmer or wage
worker. business man or professional man.
Centred Of Corporations.
The fortunes amassed through corporate
organization are now so large. and vest
such power In those that WELD them, as TO
make u a matter OF necessity TO xiv 10
the sovcrctgn-tha Is. TO the government.
which represents the people as n whole
some effective power OF supervision over
their corporate use. In order 10 insure a
healthy social and Industrial life. every
big corporation should be held responsible
by, ana be accountable 20. some sovereign
strong enough 10 control It's conduct. ! am
IN no fcnse hostile TO corporations. This
Is an nge OF combination. and any effort
20 prevent all combination will be not only
useless. but In the end vicious. because OF
enforce law ineyItably produce. The cor
poration has come to stay. Just rs the
trade union has come to stay. Zach can
do and has done great good. Zach should
BIO favored so long as Il does good. But
each should be sharply checked where II
acts against law and justice.
State Legislation impotent.
Experience has shown conclusivciy that
~ Is useless TO try 60 yet any adequate
regulation and supervision o: these great
corporations BY state action. Such rcgu-
lation and supervision can only be ciicc-
;urisdIction h co EXTENSIVE with Inc nsid Of
work OF the superintendent is, by the
national government. I believe that this
rsgulation and supervision can be ootained
IL u proves impossible. IL viii certainly he
necessary ultimately TO confer in fullest
form such power upon the national govern
ment by "A proper amendment OF the con-
stitution. IL would obviously be unwise to
cndcavor to secure such an amendment
until II IN certain that the result can not
be obtained under the constitution as II
now IL.
What Is needed Is not sweeping prohibit
ton OF every arrangement. good or bad.
/ which may tend TO restrict competition.
but such adcquat supervision and Tcgu-
lation as will prevent ans restriction OF
competition from icing to the dctrim"ut OF
regulation as will prevent other abuses in
petition.
Abuse OF Overt capitalization.
or these abuses. perhaps the chief, al
though by no means the only one. IL over
equalization generally Itself the result
OF dishonest OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF the
myriad evils IL brings la It's train; for such
oySrcapitalizatIan often means an imitation
that invites business panic. IL Away con-
ccals the true relation OF the proit earned
90 the capital actually Invested, and IL
creates a burden of Interest payments
which is n fertile cause OF improper rcduc-
ton In or Limitation OF wagcs: Il damages
the small investor. dlscoutagpA THRIFT. and
while perhaps worst OF all IL the thickness
and dlshoursty which " impiiJa-for harm
"a 70 luulAla - NotE" IMAM Aiis pnaNib4e Marin
% material Interests. aud tho dcbauchcry
Of politics and business by great dishonest
corporations ~ TAR worse than ans actual
material evil they do the public.
Railroad Rate Legislation.
The FIRST th.nE 20 DO i TO deal with the
"A great corporations engaged Iva tile busi-
ness OF interstate transportation. as I
tald In my message OF December q last. the
immediate anu most pr,ssinE need. so far
as legislation * concerned. Is the enact
mcnt into law OF some scheme To secure
TO the agents OF the government such Su-
?eryision ard regulation OF the rates
charged 10y the railroads Of the country
engaged In interstate traffic IA shall SUM
martly md effectively prevent the imposi-
Ton OF unjust or unreasonable rates. II
must include putting a complete stop 90
rebates In every shape gai form. This
power 10 rvEylAsc rafcs. Ike all similar
powers over he business world. should b."
exercised wish moderation. caution. aud
self restraint. bat II should exist. 30 that
can bt cticsiNcly cNcsciS,d when Ihc
Lred arises.
Commission Must 30 Administrative.
TIL FIRST consideration 20 bc kept IN
mind IN THAI the Iuwrr should bc gfnma
i've aud shou.d bc R.Ecn To scin" ajm.ais.
trauNc body rrcLsci by the congress. ~
given TO the present Interstate Camwcrc"
commission or 20 q rcorganiEcl Interstate
'omm'rcr co'u WlT4Itu. such commission
tive.
supsests She Terms.
II iS net my ptoN iuCc 20 iEdI ate the *.
act terms OF the law UhiCh should lc en-
lact~l. hut | call the lttvut.on "T thc con-
Gress to ccriHtn existing conditions with
which u n IL, isghip ,s lea. ~ my JuIg-
mcnt the mCrt Important provision wh!Cu
Auch law FAoJ!d contain "a that comforting
upon some competent administrative body
tHe power 90 Ir'i-c. upon the Gaze being
brought bcrurr o. whether a given rat,
prescribed by q "a l.'sd ~ r,igu: abe and
Just. ana Or Il So fslnl To u" uur, aSounb.,
4hd unjuSt. ll'rE. after Iuil Investigation
The complain, To prescribe ~" liiui,
the rate beyond wa.,h 10 shall not b
IaWfui to H0-fhc suaNliaIm REASONABLE,
Fatg. as 20 tH conn monty C~aiicd-thls lie.
c.aion 20 80 Int" effect Within q REASONABLE,
Vine aud 70 Obtain from thence onward
AabJcct 10 review by the courts.
Prohibis Teo Low Rates.
II sometimes happens ai present, not tina
a rate = too hlg lrt that a favored ship
Ter IL givrn too low a rate. In such case
she commiTEi1a would have the right q
nS this already established minimum rate
- tho rnXimum; ana u would need only
quo or,t.1o such decisions by the commits
zion TO cure railroad cp:npaalCs 81 ih'
practice 81 g.NiIs i:IprOIrr minimum
rates.
call your EttsEion to the fact that m.
toposa. T. not - sivv .nc commission
power Ia Initiate CT originate rates gen
Eraily, but 10 rtguia tc q rate already nxes
originated by tie roads. upon com
laint and after hives ,'Iation. A hcavI
AHN .AaN - AAW A0&