The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1907-10-03
DEMANDS BIG NAVY
President Discusses Battleship
Cruise to the Pacific.
GENERALIZATION QUESTION
M. Roosevelt Declares Constitution
Must Be Interpreted to Fit Modern
Day Conditions and Not Those When
e Was Adopted.

Day Conditions and Not Those When
Il Was Adopted.
st. Louis, Oct S.-President Roose-
velt, IN q speech, declared 1t the ma
tiea's duty to control centrally inter
state railroads and to restore tho MIS-
sissippi river to its proper place as
sreat artery of commerce. He term
ed the proposed 14foOt channel from
the lakes to the gulf as national
task" He warned against plans
which might entail reckless extrava-
R,uoe or be tainted with jobbery, but
urged q liberal water ways policy.
The presidents ardor was not d.
ninished by the fact that he was
lrencherd by a sudden downpour OF
rai1 while en- route to the jail AIa
building, where his speech was deiiv-
cred.
A tremendous cheering and whist
Ing greeted the chief executive when
the steamer Mississippi entered st.
Louis harbor to make the first stop on
the voyage from Keokuk, a.. to Mem
phis, where President Roosevelt Will
attsnd the convention of the deep
waterways association on Friday.
The president especially emphasized
his views on the necessity for central
control of interstate corporations, and
he frequently departed from his mann-
scrfpts to elaborate on this point. His
contention was that there must De
some sovereign power that can con-
troll these institutions, especially rail-
roads. He spoke at length of the d1ffi-
Guilty in reaching the corporations
which are incorporated in one state
and operate in another. He lnstanced
especially his experienced in getting
tho Southern Pacific railroad to repair
breaks in the Colorado river.
"That disaster occurred In Callfor-
mia" he said, "but do you suppose l
found 1t possible to deal with the rail-
road there? No. The railroad Is
New Jersey corporation and l had to
deal with it as SUCH
He contended that the constitution
must be interpreted to fit modern con-
ditions, and not conditions that exist
ed when it was adopted.
"It must be construed as an instru-
ment of life, and not as symbol OF
DEATH" he said 1.-The judges of the
courts should always stand against
popular clamor, but they should also
recognize the necessity of general
conservatism of the public welfare un-
der present conditions"
He contended that in taking this po-
sition he was fighting the future fight
for the rich; for, if the rich committed
excuses now, they invited excesses
AGAINST themselves and their pos
terity."
Speaking of the improvement OF the
Mississippi river, he warned the advo-
estes Of That interest against fhsuH-
cdently considered local Improvements.
The waterways system must be treat
cd as a whole and the enterprise must
not be tainted either with folly or dis
honesty.
The nation having definitely taken
its place among word powers, Presi-
dent Roosevelt maintained that 1t
would be a sign of ignoble weakness
for the country to shirk its RESPONSE
bility. Unless the nation was willing
to abandon its insistence upon the
Monroe doctrine, to give up the Pan
anna Canal, and to acknowledge itself
q timid nation, he declared, a great
dghting navy must be steadily built up
and maintained.
He referred to the coming cruise OF
the Pacific fleet which, he said, would
return to its home waters in the At
lantic.
He declared such a voyage was ne
cessary to determine the country's ma
val needs and to give the officers and
men of the navy the required practice.