Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-05
Wednesday, December S, 1906.
pres;dent RooseveIt's Message.

Elsewhere the Journal publishes this
morning the full text of the message
sent to the 59th Congress which has as
sembled this week to enter upon the
work of it's second or short session. 1t
ia an extremely long document. Most
of the messages which President Roose-
Welt has sent to Congress in the past
half dozen years have been much lon
ger than the messages averaged IN
earlier years, but President Roosevelt
has had way of making his messages
so readable that it is easy to pardon
their extreme length. The present
message is no exception to the rule,
and although it fills up many news
paper columns, no citizen who is inter-
ested in matters of national legislation.
or who prides himself upon having an
intelligent grasp of public affairs, can
afford to miss a line of it. The docu-
ment Is characteristic of it's author. 1t
deals with many subjects, and deals
sense fashion. Where there is need OF
striking a hard blow he strikes it, and
where praise and communication are
merited he bestows them with unstint-
ed hand.
The present session Of Congress is
called the short one because it closes
by Limitation next March. and it is not
generally expected that many measures
of great Importance will be passed.
Nevertheless, after praising the excep-
tional amount of good work accom-
plished by Congress at it's last session.
the President goes on to make many
recommendations for the present ses-
sion. His first recommendation is the
renewal of the one year ago against
cornoration contributions to political
campaigns, and this is followed with
recommendation for the law allowing
the government the right of appeal in
criminal cases on questions of law. He
also repeats his recommendation OF a
law to prevent the abuse of the power
Of iniunctions, and in this connection
discusses at length the public criticism
of the acts and decisions of judges. The
subject Of lynching is discussed at
much length, and although the number
of lynchings has steadily decreased IN
recent years. he makes strong appear
for the supremacy of the law as OPP
nose6 to mob rule. His denunciation
of lynching and of its effect upon those
who participate in it and upon the COM
munity is one of the most forceful
things Of the kind we have ever read.
and ne declares in CONCLUSION Tia.
"swift, relentless and orderly punish
ment under the law is the only way by
which criminality of this type can per-
manently be suppressed"
On the subject of capital and LABOR
the President says some very hard but
wholly deserved things of those agita-
tors and demagogues who are breeders
Of discomfort and who seek to arouse
class hatred. Hearst is not mentioned
hut nobody can doubt that the Presi-
dent had Hearst in mind when ne nays
the base creature "who appeals to the
lowest instincts and passions in order
to arouse one set of Americans against
their fellows" Equally vigorous is the
man whose obtuse morality furnishes
these agitators with their text and op'
portunity.
Tho President urges the passage OF
the law limiting the hours Of employ
ment of railroad employees. and agar
urges that Congress provide for
thorough investigation of the condition:
of child labor and Of the labor OF wo'
men in the United States. He also
wants a law to go farther in the matter
of the liability of employers. and makes
a strong plea for the bill now before
Congress providing for a compulsory
Investigation of controversy between
employers and employees. He praises
the steps taken at the last session OF
Congress toward government super
vision and control Of corporations, anc
says that It may be best to wait unit
the present laws have been in operation
longer before endeavoring to increase
their scope. The much discussed sub
ject Of an inheritance and income ta'
Is taken up and the President ex
presses the hope that a constitutions
income tax law can be devised. If thi:
cannot be done he plainly says that HI
hopes a constitutional amendment viii
be resorted to that this end may be Sc
cured. He does not urge the passag,
OF an Inheritance and income tax a
this session Of Congress, since the mat
ter is too intricate and delicate to b
settled hastily. but he gives this kin
of a tax his warmest endorsement an
urges the lawmakers to give the sui
3ect their most careful study.