The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-04
THE MESSAGE.

. E1E1 N1EE9SEAGhs
When Theodore Roosevelt says any
thing there IS never any doubt as to
what he means He does not couch his
utterances in that language Of diplo-
macy that admits Of several interpreta-
tions. He says exactly what he means
and give his reasons. and there Is no
mistaking his ideas.
The grasp which the president has on
the multitude of important questions
which he must meet shows his great
breadth Of intellect. He does not dis
cuss them in roundabout and superb
cial way, but he goes right at the meat
OF the matter. giving expression to ideas
/ Of his own.
For instance, there is the japanese
question which is just now uppermost
in the public mind. The president dis
cusses the moral aspect of the trouble
under the heading. international Nor
atty" Incidentally he takes the Japa-
nese side OF the controversy, handing
the San Francisco agltators nice, juicy
lemon. All natioralities must be treat
ed alike. he says, and then he points
out the wonderful history and progress
OF japan
But here and there" continues the
president. "a most unworthy feeling
has manifested itself toward the Japa-
nese-the feeling that has been shown
in shutting them out from the common
schools in San Francisco. and in NUT
terings against them in one or two 9TH
er places. because Of their efficiency as
workers. To shut them out from the
public schools is a wicked absurdity.
when there are no flrst-class colleges
in the land, including the universities
and colleges of California, which do not
gladly welcome Japanese students and
on which Japanese students do not re-
fleet credit We have as much to learn
from Japan as Japan has to learn from
us; and no nation is fit to teach unless
it is also willing to learn. Throughout
Japan Americans are well treated, and
any failure on the part OF Americans
at home to treat the Japanese with
like courtesy and consideration is by
lust so much a confession of inferiority
in our civilization"
That shows both San Francisco and
Japan what President Roosevelt thinks
about T.
There is no direct reference to the
Brownsville affair in the message, but
the negro question as whole is dis
cussed at length. Very likely the presi-
dent anticipated the need for a special
report concerning the Brownsville mat
ter. The only utterance in the mes
sage that has any bearing on the trou-
Bile at Brownsville is where the presi-
dent says, in discussing the army: '.Ail
possible encourag cement to the enlisted
men should be given, in pay and other
wise. and everything practicable done
to render the service attractive to men
of the right type. They should be held
to the strictest discharge of their duty,
and in them a spirit should be eneour
xr-,ioh daroaudz MT ha marc nor
Torrance of duty, but the performance
Of far more than duty, If it conduces to
the honor and the interest of the Ameri-
can nation; and in return the amplest
consideration should be theirs"
But the discussion of the negro ques-
ton as a whole is complete. In it the
president denounces in emphatic terms
all mob law, but he says there should
be speedy punishment for the negro
who is guilty of the unspeakable crime,
which, he states incidentally, should be
a capital offense. He says the white
race owes it to itself to give the negro
every possible opportunity for educa
ton and advancement, while the color
ed race should put forth an extra effort
to punish the guilty Of their race. in
stead of shielding them.
In discussing capital and labor, the
president points out that true Ameri-
canism occupies the ground between the
wealthy corruptionist who overrides
laws and seeks to debauch the govern
ment. and the demagogue who tries to
arouse class hatred against the wealthy
simply because they are rich.
He urges that La FoIlette's bill to
shorten the hours of railway employees
be passed. and says that we should
work towards an eight-hour day for all
labor wherever possible.
The question of injunctions, especial
~ as applied by the federal courts to
strikers, is discussed at length. The
president says that the right Of injunc-
ton should be left to the courts, but
that it must be exercised with great
care that no injustice shall be done. He
states very plainly that the right has
been abused in the past, and that fed
eral courts ought to see to 1t that
injunctions are not issued on every pre-
text. At the same time he makes it
plain that lawlessness and disorder
must not be tolerated in the least.
Another recommendation which has
a bearing on the enforcement of the
trust laws is that the government
should be given the right to appeal in
criminal cases that are not decided on
their merits This recommendation is
brought out by the beef trust decision
in Chicago, by which the packers
escaped punishment. and which Presi-
dent Roosevelt criticised severely at
the time.
An utterance which will be noted
with great interest Is that in which the
president says the national govern
ment must take supervision OF all cor
porations which do business in more
than one state.