Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-12-08
59TH CONGRESS OPENS
PRESIDENT RoosEvELT's AN
NUAL MESSAGE DELIVERED.

gagged in Interstate Business Strong
Iy Emphasized-His Recommends
tions-campaig Contributions.
The 59th congress met at Washing
ton at noon Monday, Dec. 4. For the
first time in years not a flower adorned
the desks. orders having been issued
forbidding bringing them in. The new
members of the senate were sworn in:
Speaker Cannon was elected in the
house and members drew their seats.
Tuesday afternoon, Dec. .. President
Roosevelt delivered his annual mes
sage. 1t first and most strongly en-
phasi2ed the matter of federal con-
troll of corporations engaged in inter-
state business The president admits
the natural and proper pre-eminence
of great corporations in our modern
economic organization and their in
dispensableness to our further pro-
gress. He points out. however, the
fact that some leaders of great corpo-
rate interests employ their large
powers in ways harmful to the general
public welfare, and the further fact
that no adequate supervision and con-
troll exists by which abuse Of corporate
power can be checked. State control,
he says, the control of the sovereignty
by which these corporations have been
created. has proved steadily more IL
lusory with the accumulation of judic-
ial decisions There remains then only
federal supervision, which Is amply
provided for by the interstate COM
merce clause of the constitution. The
defect of past national laws on this
matter has been, he says. that they
have been negative or prohibitive, and
have not distinguished between what
should and should not be allowed. The
great efforts of the department of
Justice during four years past have
shown that laws of this sort cannot
be adequately enforced. Not every
restriction of competition is bad. What
is needed, therefore, is not sweeping
prohibition, but such supervision as
will strike at the real evils not only in
the direction of harmful restraint of
competition, but the other abuses at
tached to corporate greed. such for
instance as decentralization. The
prevention of unjust and unreasonable
railroad rates in interstate traffic. in
Guiding everything in the nature OF re-
bates. is declared the most immediate
and pressing need. To this end the
president recommends the creation by
congress of an administrative board
clothed with authority to take positive
action in regard to rate abuses. Upon
complaint. and after due investigation,
he would have this board empowered,
when it finds a rate to be unjust or
unreasonable, to fix a maximum rea-
sonable rate, to go into effect after
proper notice, and to be subject to re-
view later in the courts. He makes
the suggestion, already offered by At
torney General Moody. that in the
case of a low rate to favored shipper
the board would have the right to de-
clare this minimum the reasonable
rate. A few such decisions,
he believes, would put an end TO rate
He emphasizes the fact
that he does not propose to give the
board the task of originating rates.
but merely of regulating them on the
basis put forward by the railroads
themselves. He would have the de-
cisions of the board enforcible by
heavy penalties. Ultimately the presi-
dent would allow the board to sane
ton such agreements between rail-
roads as are clearly for the public
good. Commenting on the evils of pri-
yate car lines and similar schemes,
the president advocates federal exami-
nation of railroad accounts, similar to
that of national bank accounts. the
railroads to keep only such books, ac-
counts and memoranda as should be
prescribed by law. He urges speedy
action by congress, as delay is the
chief weapon of the resisting railroads.
He remarks on the opposition OF red
eral regulation to government owner
ship. the undesirability of the latter,
and the need of securing first-class.
well-paid men to carry out federai
control. The president refers to the
insurance Investigations as showing
that such corporations have outgroWh
the state control. and by their inter-
state operations have become proper
subjects for federal supervision; and
the attention of Congress is asked for
the devising of such control as may
be possible.
Connected with this general topic Is
the matter of corporate participation
in federal elections. The president
would have congress prohibit cam
paign contributions from corporations,
and compel full and verified publica-
ton in detail of all moneys contributed
to and expended by candidates and
In federal campaigns.
Tariff revision, he thinks, is not at
present clearly demanded by the needs
of revenue or by the requirements OF
industries, nor is theNnature of possible
revision evident. He suggests the con-
sideration of maximum and minimum
schedules when revision may seem
He advocates for the pres
ent a greater development of trade
with the other peoples of this conti-
nent. The Panama canal work is
briefly reviewed. Strengthening OF the
state department by greater appro-
priations, a larger staff both at nome
and abroad the reorganization OF the
consular service making 1t entirely
American i'm personnel; the aboi1tlon
of the fee system and the raising oi
salaries is urged as required py tne
great work of the department. and our
Increased Importance in international
affairs. The president urges an ade-
ouate inspection service. He asks
of the consular service,
and power for the executive TO detali
members of each class TO posts where
they will be most effective. REPORT
ing the action taken toward a second
Hague conference. the president pledges
the support of the United States gov
arnment He suggests an international
arbitration agreement to cover as wide
a range as possible. He declares as
armament to be chimerical in the pres
emf state of international character,
and inveighs against the "demagogues
IF peace" as not less harmful to the
cause of peace than the "demagogues
If war" He refers to the Monroe doc
trine as having proved a great instru-
ment of peace through our having ap-
piled it to changing conditions. he
advises economy in appropriations put
moi 10 the sacrifice of proper mainten-
ance of the navy or army. The army
medical service should be strength