Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-05
PRESIDENT MESSAGE

The president in his message to con.
Ercss says:
No nation has greater resources than
ours, and I think 1t can be truthfully
said that the citizens of no nation pos.
sess greater energy and Industrial abil.
ity. In no nation are the fundamental
business conditions sounder than in
ours at this very moment, and It is
foolish when such is the case for poo
pie to hoard money instead Of keeping
1t In sound banks, for il is such hoard
Ing that is the immediate occasion of
money stringcncy. Moreover, rs n
rule, the business of our people is con-
Quoted with honesty and probity, and
this applies alike to farms and fac
tories. TO railroads and banks, to all
our Legitimate commercial enterprises
In any large body of men, however
there are certain to he some who are
dishonest, and il the conditions are
such that these men prosper or commit
their misdceds with impunty their
example is very evil thing for the
oo,,,,,r,,i4,. vhoro +,oso n,o, ava
-. -,
'''
temperament both INSCRIPTIONS and
reckless, AM where the conditions are
such that they act without supervision
or control and at first without effective
check from public opinion, they deludc
many innocent people into making in.
Nestments or embarklnS in Kinds OF
business that arc really UuSouhd. When
the misdceds OF these successfully dis
honest men are discovered, suffering
comes not only upon lhe'n, but upon
the innocent whom they have msled.
1t is painful awakening, whenever 1t
occurs, ana naturally when 1T does oc-
rur those who suffer are apt TO forget
that the longer 1t was deferred the
more painful it would be. in the EFFORT
TO punish the guilty 1t is boih WISE ANA
proper to cndeayor so far as possible
To Minimize the distress OF those Wh"
have been miSled by the guilty let II
Is not possible to refrain because OF
such distress from striving TO pNt an
end to the miSdcedS that ARE the ult-
mate causes of the suffering and, rs n
means to this end, where possible t.
punish those responsible for them
There may be honest differences of
opinion as TO many governmental poll
Cios, hut surely there can lo no such
differences as to the need OF uattnch
ing perseverance IN the war against
successful dishonesty.
Interstate Con1rnerce,
M small mart Of tbe troulle that yve
have comoe from CARRYING, TO nm OK.
+ron,o tho rotionol virt,,c of Golf roll
oncc of ndonondcrco in initiative
AVID action II is wise to conserve this
,irtro and 70 nrovido for its eslIest
ovorcieo corr,fj11, with eooiDr Shat
,ihortv doos not hocon,o . 1iher+r In
vron@ others rnfortunotolv tbis is
+ho kind or ,ihartv that tbn lack Of MI
effoctiva roouIotion inevitably brcods
1,ha forndnrs Of trn constitution nro-
,.idod +ho+ +ro notion,1 coverrrnont
sborId have con,nIntc and solo control
of Interstate commerce There WAS
| then nracticollv no Interstate business
savn such os was conducted by water.
md this the national government nj
once proceeded TO rcrlllate in thorough
going and effective fashion. Conditions
have now SO wholly CHANGED that the
Interstate commerce. bv water IS iDsic-
pifcant compared with the amount
that goes bv land. and almost all big
business concerns are now engaged I'm
intersla late commerce. AS n result If can
be but partiollv and imperfectly con-
trolled or regulated bv the action of
aDv one of the several states. such ac-
zion inevitably +ondinr 10 bo either
foo drastic or else too lax and in either
case Ineffective for purposes Of Justice
Only the national government can in
thoroughgoing fashion exercise the
needed control. This docs not mean
that there should be any extension Of
federal authority, for such authority
already exists under the constitution
IN ampleSt and most far reaching form,
but it does mean that there should be
nm extension Of federal activity. This
is not advocating Capitalization. 1t IS
merely looking facts in the face and
realizing that Capitalization in business
has already come and cannot be avoid
ed or undone and that the public at