Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-20
WORK OF PRESENT BODY
In Communication to Representative
Watson.
EXPLOITS PROTECTION POLICY
Declares That More Than Mere Parti-
san Issues Enter Into Congress
sional Campaign This Year.

| NEW YORK. August 2o-A letter written
| by President Roosevelt to Representative
| James E. Watson Of Rushville Ind, review
Ing and approving the work of the present
Congress and declaring: ITO change the
leadership and organization of the House
| at the time means to bring confusion upon
| those who have successfully engaged in the
! steady working out Of great and compre-
hensive scheme for the betterment of our
social and civic conditions" was made pub
sional campaign committee.
The President also declared that such q
change would result in hurtful oscillation
between the extreme radical and the ex-
treme reactionary. The President said also
that he hopes the present Congress will en-
act laws prohibiting political contributions
by corporations, lowering the duties on i'm
ports from the Philippines and limiting the
number Of hours for railways employees.
OF the tariff Mr.. Roosevelt says
1--WE stand unequivocally for protective
tariff, and we feel that the phenomenal in
dustrial prosperity which we are now en-
5oying is not lightly to be jeopardized; for
1t would be to the last degree foolish to Sc
cure here and there small benefit at the
cost of general business depression. But
whenever a given rate or schedule becomes
evidently disadvantageous to the nation be-
cause of the changes which go on from
year to year in our conditions, and where
1t is feasible to change this rate or sched-
ule without too, much dislocation Of the
system 1t will be done; while general re-
vision of the rates and schedules will be
undertaken whenever 1t shall appear to the
sober business sense of our people that on
the whole the benefits to be derived from
making such changes will outweigh the dis
advantages; that is, when the revision will
do more good than harm. Let me add one
word Of caution, however. The question Of
revising the tariff stands wholly apart from
the question of dealing with the so-called
trusts-that Is, with the control of mo-
nopolies and with the supervision Of great
wealth in business. especially in corporate
FORM. The only way in which 1t is possible
to deal with those trusts and monopolies
and this great corporate wealth is by ac-
tion along the line Of the laws enacted by
the present Congress and its immediate
predecessors. The cry that the problem
can be met-by any changes in the tariff
represents, whether consciously or uncon-
sciously, an effort to divert the public at
tention from the only method Of taking
effective action"
All Good Citizens Interested.
Mr.. Roosevelt says that If only partisan
Issues were involved in this contest he
should hesitate to say anything publicly in
reference to 1t, but he does not feel that
this is the case. He feels that 'all good
citizens who have the welfare Of America
at heart should appreciate the immense
amount that has been accomplished by the
present Congress organized as it is, and
the urgent need of keeping this organiza
ton in power" The President declares
that with Mr.. Cannon as Speaker the
House has accomplished a literally phe-
nomenal amount Of good work. 1t has
shown a courage, good sense and patriot
ism such that 1t would be a real and seri-
GUS misfortune for the country to fail to
recognize"
Mr.. Roosevelt then enters on a review
of the work of the Congress. and the i'm
portant measures passed by 1t, measures
which, he declares, are important not in a
partisan sense, but are important because
they subserve the welfare Of the people as
a whole. OF the Panama canal he ex-
presses the opinion that IT Is the e. colossal
for the acquisition Of the canal strip is
given to Congress.
The interests banded together to oppose
the canal, says the letter. ''are numerous
and bitter, and most Of them with q pc
culiarly sinister basis for their opposition
Had Congress been either ttmid or corrupt,
and had not the leaders OF Congress shown
the most far-sighted resolution in the mat
ter, the work of building the canal would
never have been begun, or, II begun, would
now have halted
The Panama Canal Issue.
1.-THE opposition to the adoption Of the
treaty by which our right to build the Pan
ANA canal was secured: part at least Of
the opposition even now being made to the
ratification Of the Santo Domingo treaty,
which is one more step In the effort to
make peace and secure the waters through
which the route of the canal leads; the
constant effort to delay on one pretext and
another the actual work on the canal-all
prove how essential 1t Is that If the Amer
lean people desire the Panama canal to be
built in speedy and efficient fashion they
should uphold the hands OF those who In
the present congress have so effectively
champ.oned this work"
Strong approval is expressed OF the atti-
tude of Congress toward the upbuilding Of
the navy and then the President takes up
the measures dealing with government reg
cial and industrial changes In our nation"
he says, "have rendered evident the need
of larger exercise by the national gov
ness use of wealth, and especially OF cor
porate wealth, in interstate business. 1t is
not too much to say that the course OF Con-
gress within the last few years, and the
and legislative departments of the nation in
taking the needed action each within its
sphere, have resulted In the nation for the
first time definitely entering upon the career
of proper performance OF duty in these
matters.
"The task is peculiarly difficult because
1t Is one in which the fanatical or foolish
extremist and the reactionary whether
honest or dishonest. play into one anothers
hands, and they thereby render 1t especially
hard to secure legislation and executive
action which shall be thoroughgoing and
effective; and yet which shall not needless
ly jeopardize the business prosperity which
we all share, even though we do not all
share it with as much equality as we are
striving to secure.
Easy to. Play Demagogue.
sTt is a very easy thing to play the DEM
agogue in this matter. to conflne oneself
merely to denouncing the evils of wealth
and to advocate, often In vague language,
measures 80 sweeping that. while they
would entirely fail to correct the evils
aimed at. they would undoubtedly succeed
in bringing down the prosperity Of the na-