The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

President Roosevelt sent his an
nual message to Congress on Tues
day Like its predecessors, it is a
voluminous affair; and while there
are many matters of great interest
to everyone, its length precludes the
probability of its being read by
everybody.
The message has the intonation of
a sermon; its good features are
bound to stand out in spite of this
glaring characteristic of all the Presi-
dents utterances, yet we think it
could have been couched in more at
tractive language. When it is re-
membered that this document is sup
posed to be directed primarily to the
brightest men of our country, it be-
ing sent to both houses of Congress,
which are supposed to contain our
brainiest men, we think that a more
respectful tone would have been in
keeping with the dignity of the occa-
sion.
Tbs message is mixture of Demo-
cratic and Republican doctrine. All
that is good in Democracy, President
Roosevelt has not hesitated to again
appropriate. While he puts forth his
original idea of hereditary tax on
swollen fortunes, yet he also urges
wish great consistency the adoption
of a graduated income tax. The
Democrats of this country have al
ways stood for a measure of this
kind, and during President Cleve-
lands second administration such a
law was passed, but afterwards de-
c1ared unconstitutional by the Su-
preme Court of the United States.
Following this thought, the Presi-
dent claims the right to criticise the
acts of our courts, and in this con-
tention he has a precedent set by
Thomas Jefferson, who did not hest
tate to fay the Judiciary whenever
he saw fit.
His utterances on lynching are far
more sane than the views of the or
binary northern man. He points
out that the great shame of the ne
gro race is its tendency to try to hide
the crime Of it's fellow members. He
believes that swift trials and quick
punishments should follow each Of
Tense, and that this is the most GER
tain preventative.
He urges the passage of an eight
hour bill for railroad employees, and
Condemns the practice of allowing
children to work in factories, which
is denounced as crime.
The Japanese question receives
serious consideration. The Presi-
dent on this point will probably ar
ray his own party in the western
states against him, as there is a
growing belief that Japanese labor is
as dangerous to American interests
as Chinese labor. He is unstinted in
his praise of the japanese and gives
them great credit for what they have
done.
The message taken as whole is
probably in keeping with a great
many of the Presidents other utter
ances. 1t will be remembered that
he was loud in his determination to
have provision for a court review
in the railroad rate law, yet when the
''powers that be" cracked the party
whip, Mr.. Roosevelt tumbled into
line with the rest of his Republican
associates.
The death of Samuel Spencer,
who was killed in railroad acct
dent on the Southern railway, of
which he was president, was great
shock to the whole country. Mr..
Spencer was on his way to North
Carolina to enjoy his annual Thanks
giving outing, and in his party were
Messrs. Frank t. Redwood and
Charles D. Fisher, of Baltimore, both
Of whom were also killed. Mr..
Spencer was one of the greatest rail-
road men that this country has ever
produced. He was president of the
baltimore and Ohio railroad when
less than 40 years of age, and after
wards became associated with the
banking firm of j. Pierpont Morgan
and Company to manage the rail-
road interests of this great corpora
ton. His place will be difficult to
fill.