The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-12-10
R%0OSEvELT'S FINAL
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
Presidents Message Reiterates
Need of Reforms He Has
Previously Advocated.
URGENT APPEAL TO PEOPLE
An Effort Will Be Made to Get Labor
and Capital Together for the
Sake of the Public
Welfare.

Washington, ID. c., Special: Presi-
dent Roosevelt's final message to con-
gross, advocating strongly the ~enaction
OF the reforms to which his admins
tration has been devoted, was read In
both houses today. The message in
part, follows: .. ...
To the Senate a IN House of Repre-
sentatives: The financial standing of the
nation at the present time is excellent,
and the financial management Of the ma
tion's interests bV the government during
the. last seven years has shown the most
satisfactory results. But our currency
to be hoped that the currency commits
sion will be able TO propose a thoroughly
good system which viii do away with
During the seven years and three
months there has been a net surplus OF
nearly one hundred millions of receipts
over expenditures, a reduction of the
interest bearing debt by ninety millions,
In spite of the extraordinary expense of
fne man banama canal; and a saving Of near,
charge: This is an exceedingly satisfac-
tory showing, especially In view of the
fact that during this period the nation
expenditure that 1t regarded as neces-
sary. There have been no new taxes and
no Increases Of taxes; on the contrary,
come taxes a " been taken Off: there
mas Deen a reduction of taxation.
Corporations.
AS regards the great corpora tons en-
gagged In interstate business, and espe-
SiSily the Tailr9sds, i can only repeat
said In my messages to the congress-. /
believe that under the Interstate clause
has complete and paramount right to
control all agencies of interstate com-
merce. and / believe that the national
government alone can exercise this right
with wisdom n effectiveness so as both
TO secure justice from, and to do justice
to, the great corporations which are the
mnGf lrnnnRfnak nnNla L. l--N
ness. l believe that II Is worse than folly
TO attempt TO prohibit all combinations
as Is done by the Sherman antitrust
only imperfectly and unequally, and it's
enforcement works almost as much hard
snip as good. 1 strongly advocate hat
al combinations, there shall be sub
stituted a law which shall expressly per
mn combinations which are in the inter
TINE give to some agency OF the national
government full power of control n
s seatnres on f PS;s t them; One Sf tn the chief
ing entire publicity in all matters which
the public has a right TO know, and fur
by executive action, to prevent or put a
stop to every form Of improper faVoritism |
or other w~rongdoing.
The Railroads.
The railways of the country should be
put completely under the Interstate com |
merce commission and emoVed from the
domain of the antitrust law. The power
or the commission should be made thor
Plete supervision and control over the
issue OF securities as well as over the
raising and lowering. of rates. AS regards
summary. The power to investigate the
financial operations and accounts of the
railways has been one Of the most val
uapIe features in recent Legislation. |
to make combinations and trafiic
should be explicitly conferred
commission being first gained and the
combination or agreement being published
In al It's details. In the interest of the
public the representatives or the public
should have complete power to see that
the railroads do their duty by the public,
as q matter OF course this power
no injustice is don to the railroads.
The shareholders, the employees and the
shippers all have interests that must be
them that no swindling stock specula-
ton should be allowed, and that there
should be no improper issuance of Sc
The guiding intellIgences necessary for
the successful building and successful
management of railroads should receive
ample remuneration; but no man should
be allowed to make money in connection
with railroads out of fraudulent over
capitalization and kindred stock gambling
performances; there must be no defraud-
or investors, oppression of the farm
ers and business men who ship freight.
needs of the employees. In addition to
this, the. interests of the shareholders. of
the employees, and Of the shippers should
all be guarded as against one another.
give any one OF them undue and i'm
proper, consideration is to do injustice to
the others.
Rates must be made as low as Is COM
patible with giving proper returns to all
the. employees of the railroad, from the
the shareholders: but they must not,
for instance, be reduced In such fashion
as to necessitate a cut in the wages OF
the employees or the abolition OF the
proper and legitimate profits of honest
Telegraph and telephone en-
gagged in interstate business should be
put under the jurisdiction OF the Inter
state Commerce commission.