Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-11-30

not merely a debating society. II
may be damned IL Il does. but it will
certainly be damned II It doesn't.
Presiden, Roosevet's first mes
sage to congress-. which Will proba-
bly, be submitted on the second day
OF the session, after the house shall
have had opportunity to re-elect I'm
Gle Joe Cannon speaker and provide
seats for, its 3ef members. will un-
questionably be the most notable
contribution TO the congressional
literature OF the entire coming perl
od of legislation and literature. II
is gen rally believed that will be
the ongest. IL not the strongest. mes
sage ever penned by Mr.. Roosevelt.
have lacked neither in length nor
strength. II will outline his legis-
lative program not only for the COM
ing year. but for years beyond, clear
ly expressing the policies which as
"my policies" have come to receive
the cordial Endorsement and hearty
support OF the country at large.
Many OF these policies will, for the
present, remain inert. unsupported
by statutory enactment. nebulous
foreshade wings of legislative per-
formances OF the dim future. But
as topics of discussion, they will not
down, and when the next Republican
national convention meets TO adopt
platform declarations. they will be
embodied In the main In the affirma-
tion of party doctrines. by which the
dominant party OF the republic ex-
poets to stand or fall. To degree.
the next presidential message may
be confidently forecasted. Because
of the unsettled financial situation
through which the country is pass
ing, the currency question is unex-
pected1y uppermost in the public
mind, and President Roosevelt's
references to II will receive the pray
erful consideration of congress. II
has been vexing topic for many
years, but never more vexing than
at present. and just az difficult, IL
not impossible of solution. III Presi-
dent Roosevelt has discovered rem
edy. he has. as yet. taken no one into
his confidence. In fact, no definite
recommendation Is expected, and II
there were definite recommends
tion, It is probiematical TO what X
tent II would appeal TO congress, un-
less supported by the practically
unanimous demand of the people,
from whom, at this time, such de-
mand Is out of the question. Con-
gress is infested with choice col
lection of currency cooks. who have
ever succeeded in spelling the broth.
There are too many conflicting opin-
ions to justify beating hopes. The
experts don't agree, and those who
are noto experts think they are.
which is just as bad, and are ready
TO propose chimerical cure-alls and
nostrums.
Tariff discussion also will be pre-
cipitated-prematu precipitated,
in the opinion of some--by the pres
ident's recommendation in this par
ticular before conlist, in order that
the arrogance OF the paper trust may
be checked. President Roosevelt
doesn't intend to put his recommen-
dation in this particular before con-
gress as a tariff revision suggestion;
he sees in it, rather, measure look
ing TO the preservation of our forest
der that theh public may be con-
stantly advise dof the progress OF
events.
Then comes the railroad question,
and the question OF further regulat-
ing the great corporations which de-
pend upon the expansion of inter-
state and foreign commerce for their
profits and the enrichment Of their
promoters. President Roosevelt
wants further strengthening of the
Hepburn railroad act, a quickening
OF the powers of the Interstate Com
merce commission. The federal in
corporation Of companies engaged in
commerce between the states will be
outlined in his message, and there
is an intImation that he goes even
farther than that. arguing that the
right to revoke a license Is a con-
comitant of the right to grant one.
The desire to bring about a valuation
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