New-York tribune., 1906-12-05
THE MESSAGE.

The Presidents message is no perfunctory
document IT is not merely official. but dis
tinctly personal 1t expresses Mr.. Roosevelt 5
views on every large topic of public debate.
His interests are as broad the country. and
everything which interests him interests him in
tensely. The message is more tnan a report ::
it bristles with recommendations TO Congress
for legislation. II is more than mass of legis-
lative recommendations ii is full OF the dis
cussion Of subjects regarding which no legisla-
tive suggestions are formulated. 1t is message
TO Congress, but II Is still more a message TO
the people. for the Presidents state papers to-
day are addressed chiefly through the news
papers TO the public
The President earnestly recommends the pas
sage of a law prohibiting campaign contribu-
tons from corporations. He renews his sugges-
ton for legislation giving the United States the
right OF appeal in criminal cases. which would
specifically help the government in lis anti
trust prosecutions He favors an eight hour
day for labor so far as that is practicable
federal commission of inquiry and publicity
looking TO arbitration in strikes, amendment
10 the employers liability law placing the en-
tire risk of the trade upon the employer. and
some restriction Of injunctions in labor disputes
He advises legislation for currency reform and
the passage Of a shipping bill. though in neither
case does he explicitly advocate any specific
measure. There are recommendations for legis-
lation regarding foreign and insular affairs of
which we treat in another article on this page.
This makes q considerable bulk of Sugges-
tons for important progressive legislation. but
the most interesting portions of the message are
those which the President aims beyond Con-
gress, at the nation at large. There is no ex-
pectation that these ideas will be Incorporated
Immediately into legislation. That, indeed. is
not suggested. They are left for the indefinite
a<,,tT7
economic and social problems. and he takes this
opportunity again 10 invite public consideration
OF them.
The Presidents convictions concerning q grad
uRted Inheritance tax and a graduated income
tax are now for the first time formally an
nounced though il has been known to the coun-
try since his recent Harrisburg speech that he
was prepared TO advocate such measures. They
are presented in the message for consideration
when next our tax system IS revised" Mr.
Roosevelt is aware that the subject needs long
"and careful study in order that the people may
"become familiar with what is proposed TO be
done and may clearly see the necessity of
proceeding with wisdom and self-restraint"
He would have all inheritances taxed, the rate
OF the tax increasing as the size of the property
Increases. This should be done not with the
idea Of cOnfscation but 'fn a spirit of entire
justice and moderation" and .'to distribute the
burden Of supporting the government more
"equitably than at present" The proposal of q
graduated Income tax encounters at once a stiff
obstacle, for the income tax passed in the last
Cleveland administration declared unconstt-
tutional by the Supreme Court. It was then held
fore, must be apportioned among the various
states according 10 their population. Mr. Roose-
welt has no suggestion for obviating this consti-
tutional difficulty. He recalls, however that the
decision OF the court was reached by major
ity Of only one, and he surmises that a law
might be SO drawn as 10 be acceptable to the
court Those who have done the President the
Injustice TO suppose that he would assume a
defiant attitude and pronounce a rasping iuds-
ment on these grave and complicated questions
should take particular note of his moderation
and Of the explicit terms in which he enioins
thorough study and extreme caution in dealing
with them.
This is by no means all that the President
has TO say upon the economic questions which
are to-day uppermOst In his mind. He is
greatly pleased with the results of the Rail
way Rate law. alluding 10 the extent 10 which
its operation has "amusingly falsifed" the dire
predictions Of its opponents. He favors enlarg-
ing the powers Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission and federal license for CORPORA,
tons. but enlarged powers by no means prom
ise a policy of running amuck Mt combined
wealth. He observes:
O1ten railroads would like 10 combine for the
purpose OF preventing big shipper from main
talnlng improper advantages at the expense OF
small shippers and Of the general public. Such
computation, instead Of being forbidden by
law, should be favored In other words II
should be permitted 10 railroads 70 make agree
nlents. provided these agreements were sane
toned by the Interstate Commerce Commission
and were published. With these TWO conditions
complied with, It is impossible to see what harm
such combination could do to the public at
large.
The message is characterized throughout by
that courage with which the President habit
ually faces public questions. The policy of the
administration Indicated by 1t will be to pro-
ceed along the lines initiated so successfully
last winter. with constant solcitude to remedy
the evils from which ali suffer directly or in
directly, and scrupulous regard for the rights
OF all