The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-12-06
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S
ANNUAL MESSAGE
Legislation Which He Urges the
Sixtieth Congress to Enact.

hlGSSdS0 OI Lu0 ETSSluGuC was TSdU
before the opening session of the new
Sixtieth Congress. It's reading was
followed with intense interest by the
members of the two houses and
many passages were vigorously ap-
plauded. The Message is, in part, as
follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
No nation has greater resources
than ours, and think it can be truth
fully said that the citizens of no ma
tfon possess greater energy and in
dustrial ability. In no nation are the
fundamental business conditions
sounder than in ours at this very mo-
ment; and it is foolish, when such is
the case, for people to hoard money
instead of keeping it in sound banks;
for it is such boarding that is the inn
mediate occasion of money stringency.
Moreover, as rule, the business of
our people Is conducted with honesty
and probity, and this applies alike to
farms and factories, to railroads and
banks, to all our legitimate CONNER
cial enterprises.
In any large body of men, however,
there are certain to be some who are
dishonest, and if the. conditions are
such that these men prosper or COM
NIT their misdeeds with impunity,
their example is a very evil thing
for the community. Where these
men are business men of great sagac-
ity and of temperament both unscru-
pulous and reckless, and where the
conditions are such that they act
without supervision or control and at
first without effective check from
public opinion, they delude many in
nocent people into making invest
ments or embarking in kinds of bust
ness that are really insound. When
the misdeeds of these successfully dis
honest men are discovered, suffering
comes not only upon them, but upon
the innocent men whom they have
misled. 1t is painful awakening,
whenever it occurs; and, naturally,
when it does occur those who suffer
are apt to forget that the longer it
was deferred the more painful it
would be. In the effort to punish the
guilty it is both wise and proper to
endeavor so far as possible to mini
mize the distress of those who have
been misled by the guilty. Yet it is
not possible to refrain because of
such distress from striving to put an
end to the misdeeds that are the ulti-
mate causes of the suffering, and, as
a means to this end, where possible
to punish those responsible for them.
There may be honest differences of
opinion as to many governm entail pol
icies; but surely there can be no such
differences as to the need of unfiinch-
ing perseverance in the war against
successful dishonesty.
After making a lengthy extract
from his message to Congress on De-
cember S, 1905, in which are con-
tanned his well known views on the
subject of corporation regulation the
President says that he calls attention
to these quotations because he is sat
isfed 1t is the duty of the National
Governmental embody in action the
principles thus expressed. The Mes
sage then continues:
No small part of the trouble that
we have comes from carrying to AIN
extreme the national virtue of self
reliance, of independence in initia-
tive and action. 1t is wise to con-
serve this virtue and to provide for
its fullest exercise. compatible with
seeing that liberty does not become
a liberty to wrong others. Unfortu-
nately, this is the kind of liberty that
the lack of all effective regulation
Inevitably breeds. The founders of
the Constitution provided that the
National Government should have
complete and sole control of inter-
state commerce. There was then
practically no interstate business
save such as was conducted by water,
and this the National Government at
once proceeded to regulate in thor
oughgoing and effective fashion.
Conditions have now SOL wholly
changed that the interstate commerce
by water is Insignificant compared
with the amount that goes by land,
and almost all big business concerns
are now engaged in interstate COM
merce. AS a result. it can be but
partially and imperfeetly controlled
or regulated by the action of any one
of the several States; such action in
evitably tending to be either too
drastic or else too lax, and in either
case ineffective for purposes of JUS
tice. Only the National Government
can in thoroughgoing fashion exer-
else the needed control. This does
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 an extension of
Federal activity. This is not advo-
eating Capitalization. 1t is merely
looking facts in the face, and realiz-
ing that Capitalization in business
has already come and can not be
avoided or undone, and that the pub
lice at large can only protect itself
from certain evil effects of this bust
ness Capitalization by providing bet
ter methods for the exercise of con-
troll through the authority already
centralized in the National Govern
ment by the Constitution itself.
There must be no halt in the healthy
constructive course of action which
this Nation has elected to pursue, and
has steadily pursued, during the last
six years, as shown both in the legis-
-1affon of the Congress and the admin