The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-12-07
No. G..

sociatons, he says, have made suggestions that may
be worthy of consideration Altogether, the Presi-
dent offers no solution of the problem but says
something must be done.
To the protective tariff principle he again COM
mits himself and his party and says no change in
principle be made in wisdom. Still he is of
the opinion that, once in about a dozen years, the
tariff laws should be carefully scrutinized to if
there is anything injurious in their operation This
should be done, he argues, not before Presidential
election but Immediately after such election Until
19os-9 he is a standpatter. Then the subject may
be udicously dealt with, by his permission
The President declares in favor of an income tax
and inheritance tax, saysing, "In my judgment
both of these taxes should be part of our system
of Federal taxation"
On the subject of the abuse of the injunction in
connection with labor troubles, the President ind-
Gates that he has nearly caught up with advanced
thought, in spite of his partisan environment. He
says: Il earnestly commend to the attention of
Congress this matter, so that some way may be de-
vised which will limit the abuse of inunctions and
protect those rights which it from time to time
unwarrant1y nvades." AS Mr.. Taft, charged with
being of the fathers of the abuse, is far away,
he cannot Immediately protest
In connection with the labor subject, he advises
Congress to extend the provisions of the eight-hour
gress provide for the compulsory investigation of
industrial controversies in where mediation
fails and arbitration is rejected.
The work of the Agricultural Department of the
Government is strongly commended, discussed at
considerable length and the mission of the soil
tiller given the recognition that his Importance de-
mands All that is said in its favor, the department
has earned
Inland waterways, forest conservation, reclama-
ton, the protection of agricultural and mineral
lands, the rights of home-seekers SPECTATORS
and the many abuses that have reduced the public
domain are treated exhaustively and in the right
spirit and there important topics within
the purview of his recommendations.
The message advises the creation of postal savings
banks and the extension of the parcels post priv-
ege to rural routes, which, it says serve 100000
people.
On the subject of funds for campaign expenses,
the President makes suggestion. He believes
that Congress might with propriety appropriate
enough money for the legitimate expenses of each
of the great National parties, enough money to
meet the cost of organization, with the stipulation
that party receiving money from the National
treasury should accept no more than fixed amount
from any individual donor. All receipts and
pendtures to be made public and corporations pro-
hibited from contributing
Recommendations in relation to a greater army
and a greater navy occupy a considerable portion
of the message and arguments not at all
advanced in favor of the recommendations made.
The balance of the document is devoted to tame
discussion of foreign affairs.
There is nothing particularly exciting in the mes
sage of President Roosevelt and it could have been
to at least one-haf its dimensions with
out injury to the country and without depriving the
public of any knowledge it might care to acquire.