The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-12-13
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

President ROOSevelt's message tC
congress fully sustained his reputation
for being wordy. To speak his mind
to the national lawmakers required a
document that filed four pages of a
newspaper.
The message deals with many sub
iects, and deals with them frankly.
Apparently the president thinks the
railroad rate question, about which
there has been so much discussion
during the past year or two, is the
most important one that will come be-
fore congress at this session. He has
modified his views on it in some i'm
portant particulars since his annual
message last year. At no time has he
wanted railroad rate legislation for
the purpose of depressing the rail
roads or of injuring them in any way.
He doesn't want such legislation for
the purpose of bringing about re-
duction of railroad rates. Of course
in his message he deals wholly with
interstate railroads. The national
government hasn't anything whatever
to do with rates that affect interests
wholly within state. What the pres
ident wants is that the railroads shall
be compelled to be absolutely impair
tial in dealing with shippers and
with towns and cities. They shouldn't
be allowed to grant rebates or to make
determinations against towns and
sections.
The president has something to say
about the great life insurance compa-
MES that are now being investigated.
He thinks congress should consider
whether or not they couldn't be put
under federal control to the extent of
preventing them from being the prey
of men who make small note ''of the
ethical distinction between honesty
and dishonesty" and who "draw the
line only this side of what may be
called law-honesty, the kind OF hon
6SJY u6CGSSd I w oFOAS AoAAAA1SH AASC
the clutches of the law
The president is profoundly interest
ed in the labor question, especially in
the question of child labor. He rec
ommends that the department of COM
merce and labor investigate it thor
oughlv, with the view of having laws
passed by all of the states in regard
to it that will be uniform, and which
will be upon a high plane and for the
general good of the race. In connec-
ton with the labor question the fact
that there are now 5000, 900 women in
this country engaged in gainful occu-
pations is dwelt upon, and its effects
upon society considered.
The tariff question is lightly touched
upon. He goes only so far as to say
that sit should he considerd whether
it is not desirable that the tariff laws
should provide for applying against
or in favor of any other nation, maxi
mum and minimum tariff rates estab-
lished by congress, so as to secure a
certain reciprocity of treatment be-
tween other nations and ourselves"
The president has modified his views
in respect to the navy. There was a
time when he wanted a great navy
built. 1t seemed as if he was ambi-
tious for this country to have the big
gest navy in the world. Now he
thinks the navy is large enough, and
all that should be done is to build
enough ships to keep it at its present
eficiency-say, one battleship, a year.
The president doesn't say whether he
favors a sea level or lock canal, but
he does say he wants some more mon
ey right away, because the approPria-
ton is about exhausted. He thinks
that bv the middle of next year the
work of excavating the canal will be
begun.
According to the presidents view
China has been badly treated in the
matter of the exclusion act, and that,
therefore, her people have some ex-
cuse for the boycott they have put on
American goods.
1t is a safe statement that the presi-
dents views in respect to free trade
with the Philippines, an elastic cur
rency, care for the confederate dead
in northern graves, the corruption OF
the electorate and the settlement Of in
ternational differences by means OF
arbitration will be generally approx
ed.
OUR NEXT WAR.
General Chaffee of the United States
army thinks our next fight will be with
Japan. and says that many people