Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-08-20
The Presidents Letter o MIR. watson

New 1Ork, aug. zV-Fresiient
Roosevelt today made public from Oyster
Bay letter TO representative James f.
Watson, of Nashville, Ind in which he
discusses the issues of the present con-
eressional campaign, and which. reads in
part as follows
"My dear Mr. Watson I hear
through Speaker Cannen and Represent
alive Sherman that you have volunteered
to give your services to the COMPRESSION
al committee for the entire campaign,
and / feel like writing you word OF
congratulation. With Mr. Cannon as
Speaker, the House has accomplished
literally phenomenal amount OF work.
10 affairs outside of our own coun-
try our great work at present is
the digging OF the Panama canal.
Had Congress been either timid or cor
rupt, and had not the leaders of Congress
shown the most far sighted resolution
in the matter, the work of building the
canal would never have been begun, or
if begun, would now have halted. The
opposition to the adoption Of the treaty
by which our right to build the Panama
canal was secured by 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 peaceful aud 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 oil prove how essen
tial il is that if the American people
desire the Panama canal to be built
10 speedy and efficient fashion, they
should uphold the Hands of those
who in the present Congress have
so effectively champioued this work.
No less praiseworlhy has been the atii
tude of this Congress in continuing to
maintain on high plane of efficiency
the United States navy, This country
is irrevocably committed to the main
tenance of the Monroe doctrine, and pO-
Icing the canal route, but both would
be absurd on their face il The nation
failed to its duty in maintaining a
thoroughly efficient navy. No other
Congress for many Yeas has, as regards
the betlermeut of our internal stialrs, so
much and such excellent work do its
credit. The tremendous socisl and In
dustrial changes in our nation have rem
dered evident the era of larger exer-
else by the national government of It's
power to deal with the business use
of wealth, especially of corporate
wealth, in interstate business. II is
not too much to say that the course
of Congress Within the last few years,
and the hearty agreement between the
executive and legislative department Of
the nation in takiug he needed action
each within its own sphere, have resulted
in the natl n for the first time definitely
entering upon the career of performance
of duty in these matters. he task is
peculiarly difficult, because it is one in
which the fanatidsl or foolish extremists
and the reacliOnary, whether honest or
dishonest play into one another's hands;
and thereby render ii hard to secure
action which shall be effective, and yet
not needlessly jeopardiza the business
prosperity which we all chase even
though not with equality ss We are
striving % secure. 1t is very
easy thing to play the demagogue
in this matter, to eOnfiue ones self merely
to denouncing the evils of wealth. 1t
is also easy 10 play Tho part of a mere
obstructiopis,, 10 decline to recognize
the great evils Of the present system,
aud thereby Strengthening the banda OF
those who advocate extreme aad foolish
measures. it is sol easy to do as the
present Congress and its immediate pre-
decessors have done; that is, sterniy to
disregard alike the self interest of those
who have prolited by the psesent evils,
and the wild elamaE of those who care
less &C. do away with them than to make
a reputation with the unthinking of
standing 10 exterme opposition to taem.
But this is precisely whs, tnis Congress
has done. Instead Of enacting antitrust
laws Which we're either 50 vague or
sweeping as completely to defea! ;heir
own objects, it has given us an interstate
commerce law, which viii enable us to
exercise in thorough fashion a super
vision over the cOmm0n carriers OF this
country, so as, while scrgpupusly safe
guarding the nraPer interests to prevent
ther rom charging excessive rates. to
prevent their iavOring one man al The ex
pense of another. and % require them to
Re fully accountable to the public for the
service which TO their own profit they
render tho public"
The President then refers to the Elk
ins law and the creation OF the Depart |
ment OF Commerce. and Labor. He then
calls attention to the employers liability
Law, and says he shall ask Congress to
put in the permanent iOpn OF law, the
provision he Ass made by executive or
dee ios securing 10 the wage workers
under the government half b. lidays dur
ing the summer mouths, just as regular
holidays are now secured By law for the
salaried clerical workers in the classified |
service.
The President further on says:
We are anxious to help. alike bg IsW and !
by executive action, 80 iar IS ~ our power |
lies, every honest man, every right dealing |
corporation. Bat, the fact that we heartily |
reeogBiSs an organization or kind OF or |
ganization as useful will not prevent our |
action to control it or to prevent its commit |
ting abuses
Arrests Of Anarchists.
NIn.no,Ilnn ~. On M...o arrnnin In L