Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


the congress this year reads very
largely like an extended Roosevelt
sermon on the great social problems of
our times, the labor problem, trust
problem, etc, but in the condensed
form as printed on the fifth page of to-
days issue, will be found very interest
ing to all. The presidents words as
to rate regulation, of course, constitute
the center of interest in the whole doc
ument, but even in this there is moth
ing surprising. The .'most pressing
need" in legislation he says to be a
law to permit agents of the govern
ment to regulate railroad rates. He
wants authority given to review an I'M
reasonable rate and to fix a new rate
that snail replace one found to be un-
reasonable.
Aside from this the presidents
are routine. He sug-
gests that some scheme should be de-
vised to give the federal government
greater supervision over large corpor-
atoms to the end that injurious COM
petition and monopoly may be prevent
ed instead of prosecuted. He would
include the insurance companies under
mends changes in our currency laws
to give elasticity to our bank currency.
He would have all campaign co1ltri-
buttons by corporations forbidden by
law He would have more money spent
on army maneuvers 80 as to keep the
army in preparedness for war and he
advises that something be done to build
up merchant marine so as to have
American ships and American seamen
to call upon in times of war.
AS to the Panama canal the presi-
dent wants another appropriation to
be made out of the $135, 100000 au-
thorized in the Spooner act, for the
promotion of Panama canal work.
Theodore Roosevelt is very much of
a politician as we'll as a statesman OF
rare judgment. He has always been a
man Of single purpose and just now
his whole energy is centered on rail-
road rate regulation. In order that
nothing shall interfere to distract pub
lie attention from this one subject or
to turn votes away from support of the
pet project the other very possible
issue Of the tariff is treat
ed almost in silence. The president
opens his message with a eongratula-
ton that these times should be so pros
porous, but in the sape sentence he
warns the country that the tide must
turn sooner or later. Then, in referring
to revenue, he asserts that there is
more need OF stability than of the at
tempt to attain an ideal perfection in
the methods of raising revenue" His
fear seems to be that the backward
swing Of the pendulum Of prosperity
Is about due ana ne IS AFRAID 10 SPEAK
very loud for fear Of precipitating the
change. However, he does think that
the question of maximum and mini
mum schedules so as to secure reci-
proc1ty should be considered at this
session. If this much were done the
great majority of revisionists would be
satisfied but unless the president puts
himself at the head Of the movement
'or REIMBURSEMENT of schedules admit
sedly wrong and injurious, it is not
likely that reciprocity, maximum and
minimum rates, or any other kind OF
. tariff change will be considered by
he present congress. AS the president
says, "there must be something like a
general agreement among the citizens
If the several states that the change
$ needed" before reciprocity will re-
,eive serious legislative attention.
The message will repay any man for
1alf an hours tilne in the reading
# it.