The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-19
Of His Annual Com.
municatiOn to Congress
Will Be Laid Before Cabinet by
Roosevelt Next Week.
ALSO FIVE SPEECHES
Which He Will Deliver on His
Western Trip.
Still Insists That He Will Not
Run Again.

Washington. Sept. 19.-Word has
reached Washington that when Presi-
dent Roosevelt returns here next week
he will bring with him the preliminary
draft of his annual message to con-
gress. All members of the cabinet.
with the exception of Secretary Taft
will arrive within a few days. A cabi-
net meeting Will be held on the Thurs
day following the presidents arrival.
when consideration will be given to
the recommendations the message will
contain
The cabinet also will discuss five
speeches the president has prepared for
delivery during his Mississippi river
trip Preparation of these speeches
was begun more than three weeks ago.
In the judgment of the administration
officials who have been at Oyster Bay,
they are certain to convince the peo-
pie of the soundness of the presidents
policies with respect to railroads and
corporations
of his purpose to punish the evildoer,
no matter how big or how little he
may be, as he did in the speeches he
delivered at Indianapolis and more re-
Gently at Provincetown. Mass He also
will reiterate in detail his ideas in con-
nection with corporate and railroad re-
form, which now are pretty well
known He will show further that he
mas cOnSlOereQ the pTOpOSltIOnS ne dQ-
vanced some months ago with respect
TO railroad and corporate reform, and
the more he thought them over the
more he has become satisfied of their
necessity
Railroad Policy of the Future.
He feels the federal government
must be granted full power of super
vision and control over interstate rail-
roads; that is. it must possess power
20 exercise supervision over the future
IL
vision to be accompanied by full pub
licity BY transportation facilities or
the lack of them and by the exploita-
ton methods of Hartman, the presi-
dent wilt be able to point his moral by
local references
Mr.. Roosevelt has made no secret
of his view that any man who loads
railroad properties with obligations
and pockets the money instead of
spending it in Improvements should
be criminally prosecuted Attorney
General Bonaparte has had this
thought in mind during the study he
made of the evidence obtained by the
interstate commerce commission in its
ton" When Mr.. Bonaparte sees the
president next week it is expected he
will be able TO announce his con-
clusion as to whether or not Hartman
can be prosecuted with moderate
chance of success. and it is possible
the president may make public his de-
cision while he is in the west
ReIterates .ENO Third Term Vow
II is expected the presidents trip
will have ar important political effect,
though it is denied absolutely the
president has any political purpose IN
mind. He is concerned merely with
the DEVELOPMENT of a sentiment which
will insure the passage by congress at
the coming session of legislation he
believes is absolutely essential for the
good Of the people II mas no con-
nection whatsoever with the plans of
second elective term advocates, for
the president has said within the last
week his decision not TO accept re-
nomination is irrevocable.
But where the president can make
friends for his policies and for Secretary
Taft he proposes to do So All along
he has insisted that the policies which
he believes should be adopted should De
executed by a man who has equal talth
in them This man is Secretary Taft,
and as he has said it privately to his
callers IL washington and at Oyster
Bay. so he will say it il asked on his
western trip
The message the president has written
will be subject to modification until it Is
presented to congress in December. 1t
is not expected, however, the president
will find it necessary to make any sub
stantial changes
Legislation for Workmen-
His railroad and corporation views as
thus far expressed have met with the
approval of the people He believes the
country also will approve his PROPOSE
ton for legislation providing limited
but definite compensation for accidents
to all worknen within the scope of the
federal power, including employees in
navy yards and arsenaIs. He believes
similar legislation should follow
throughout the states
At present the law is inadequate and
the workman who suffers from an ac-
cfdent either has no case for redress or
else must undertake suit for damages
against his employer The president
wants payment for accident to become
automatic instead of being matter for
a lawsuit 1t is his purpose in his mes
sage also to urge the application of
national inheritance tax, leaving the
income tax. as in the past, to be at
tached to tariff legislation when that
subject shall be considered by coi:-
gress-
This will complete his economic pro-
gram. but he is satisfied to let the in |
heritance tax enactment be postponed |
if he can secure other reforms he so |
anxiously desires.