The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-12-09
Would Materially Increase the
Powers of Interstate Com
merce Commission.
LIFE INSURANCE QUESTION
Secs Coed and Evil In Labor Unions
Asks for Immediate Appropri-
y. -atiens for Panama Canal, and
Promises Report Of Board Of En-
Rineers and Recommendations
Later---Other Matters.

Washington, Dec. 6.-The annual mes
sage OF President Roosevelt was read IN
both houses of congress to-day. IL Is doc
- ssSneat OF some 1900 words, ard con-
talRs Recommendation for much important
{ Legislation.
The subject OF federal supervision OF cor
poratfbns, and especially railroad corpora
lions. is the first subject treated OF by the
president and to 1t he gives the greatest
amount OF attention. After speaking OF tie
general prosperity OF the country. ard tic
4. power OF the corporations for good or cVii
in connection with the nations prosperity,
ne says:
?, 80 long "a the finances OF the nation
are kept upon an honest basis. no other
question of internal economy with which
the congress has the power to deal begins
20 approach In Importance the matter OF
endeayoring to secure proper Industrial
conditions under which the Individuals
and especially the great corporations
doing an Interstate business are to ac;.
The makers of our national constitution
provided especially that the regulation
OF Interstate commerce should come with
In the sphere of the general government.
The arguments in favor OF their tax ,ng
this stand were even then overwhelming.
But they are far stronger to-day. In view
Of the enormous development OF great
business agencies. usually corporate In
form. Experience has shown conclusive
ly that II Is useless to try to get any
adequate regulation and supervision Of
these great corporations by state action,
Such regulation and supervision can only
be effectively exercised by a sovereign
whose Jurisdiction is coextensiye with the
field Of work of the corporations-that H..
BY the national government. I believe
that tails regulation and supervision can
be obtained by the enactment OF law by
the congress. II this proves impossible.
1t will certainly be necessary ultimately
ITO confer In fullest form such power up1n
the national government by proper
amendment OF the constitution. II would
e..o .siy be unw.5e TO endeavor to secure
such an amendment until u is cc-.4 2
that the result cannot be obtained under
tie constitution as It row Is Thc laws
OF the congress ard of the several states
hitherto. a passed upon by the courts
have resulted more often II showing :zsi
the states have M power IN tire matter
than thar the national government Ia.
power: so tia; there nj present exists
a very unfortunate cor il.iVn OF ing
under which -sea- graz cc-pso-at.c-s { =
ing an in;s-sftt~ ee-S-nrEs cc-u2y TIE -
fitisn Of s-HI E:-s r.s1YE: ! sovs-e.--,
neither 11T I-Bhs gETsr--szt -.c- the "a
tionsI. GO 4rr a,srt hlpe1= Elective con-
troll 0Ttr z:F-7. Our 4TsItT zsz sts-si
be By ssEtgtaS.iH. rI4tb3ssafT zrE care
fully an'ts.-r.Eau. s4z rssyez.sfy ;s--
severed n. I'D EiBert tks scve-ss<r-y o.
the nrtrpuIt goTsrrneuS bT aE--zI.ve
action
Present Laws Inadequate.
Il has been a misfortune that the IA.
tionai LAYS on this subject have hitherto
n
than an Affirmative kind. and still more
that they have In part sought to prohibit
what could not be effectively prohibited
and have In part In their prohibitions
COMPOUNDED what should be allowed and
what should not be allowed. 1t Is ger
eraiy useless TO try to prohibit all re-
straint on competition, whether this re.
straint be reasonable or unreasonahie.
q nd where II Is not useless 1t Is eencr.
ally hurttul. Events have shown that n
- not possible adequately to secure TIE
enforcement OF any law Of this kind nv
tNcessarl appeal 70 the courts. The dc.
parfmrrt OF Justice has for the last four
yesIs devoted more attention to the en-
forceinent OF the antitrust lepIsIatio,
than TO anything else. Much has hcon
accomplished: particularly marked mas
tcen the moral effect OF the prosecut,ons.
but u Is Increasingly evident that tbc,e
viii be a very insufficient beneflc,aI r..
suit In the way of economic change. The
successful prosecution OF one device To
evade the law Immediately develops an
other device to accomplish the same pur-
pose. What Is needed Is not sweeping
prohibition Of every arrangement good
or bad. which may tend to restrict com
petition. but such adequate supervision
and regulation as will prevent any re-
strtctlon OF competition from being to
the detriment Of the public-as well rs
such supervision and regulation as win
prevent other abuses In no way connected
abuses. perhaps the chief. although by
no mears the only one. Is overca pitailza-
tiop-Senefally Itself the result OF dishon-
est OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the myriad
evils II brings In Its train; for such over
capitalization often means an imitation
that invites business panic; It always con-
ceals the true relation OF the profit earned
TO the capital actually Invested, and II
creates q burden Of interest payments
which II q fertile cause of Improper re-
durt1oa In or limitation Of wages; Il
dahAges the small investor. discouragcs
thrift. and encourages gambling and
specNtAtion: while perhaps worst Of all
.0s the trickiness and dishonesty which Il
lmp>its- for harm TO morals n worse than
any possible harm to material Interests.
and the dcbauchery, Of politics and bust
ness " great dishonest corporations Is
lar worse than any actual material evil
tkey do the public. Until the national
g0vernment obtains, In some manner
which the wisdom OF the congress may
suggest. proper control over the big cor
porations engaged In interstate commerce
that II. over the great majority OF the
big corporatIons-it will be impossible to
deal adequately with these evils.
Railroad Rate Regulation.
am we'll aware OF the difficulties
~ the IeuiaIatta0 TINT 4 am auRReht-