Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-08
Roosevelt's Farewell Address.

For message. read farewell address.
The President knows that this Congress
has less than ninety days Of life left, anu
that practically every hour Of the time Is
already apportioned. He cannot. there
fore, expect immediate action on his many
suggestions. There is work enough TOT
several Congresses In his program, and ne
offers it in the hope that the next rev
years may bring the legislation he desires
and now recommends.
While the President touches many SUD-
jects, he yields the greater part OF MS
space to corporations and to labor. ana
very properly For not only are they
highly important subjects but his activi-
ties in the White House have been the
most concerned with them. The effect OF
what he has done to check the abuses OF
corporate wealth and to forward the just
aspirations of labor, organized and unor-
ranized, will outlive all his other per-
Rormances. The mere snowy fades. 1t
Is the stuff with body that wears and
holds color.
Naturally, the President wants his work
carried forward. He believes In 1t, and
can see only good in its full development,
The corporations must be regulated, ana
those of interstate responsibilities shoud
answer strictly to the national govern
ment. With this object In view he would
enlarge the powers Of the interstate COM
merce commission not only as respects
railroads, but as to entirely new govern
ance. He would add the telegraph ana
the interstate telephone business to tho
charge of the commission. and give II
power to pass upon railroad securities as
we'll as upon railroad rates. He would
check the stock-waterer and manipuiator
as he would the rebater.
In the matter Of labor, the strongest
sympathy is expressed for the man who
works with his hands. His load should
be lightened, his reward increased. His
measure Of profit is none too. large. at
best. At the same time the President re-
news with emphasis his protest against
the blacklist and the boycott. and points
but that American labor would only be
injured by the employment systematically
Of such weapons. Labor's best interests
are the country's, and the country's, Ia
boris The President does not conceal
the satisfaction that the failure OF Mr..
Gompers gave him, or neglect to con-
Kratulate labor on the stand It took in
the recent campaign.
Something worth while is said about the
courts. about deforestation. about the
army and the navy. and other things.
The President renews the plea for citi-
Eenship for Porto Ricans. He warns,
while congratulating. the Cubans. They
must keep order at home, or suffer the
modification Of having it kept for them.
And he agrees with Judge Taft that not
short of a generation-with everything
meanwhile going weli-wili the Filipinos
be qualified to pass upon the question of
Independent government. He wants the
little brown brother to have a square
ZEAL and indorses the deal he 80 far has
had.
Upon the whole. the President bows of
vely we'll. The habit Of sermonizing has
grown upon him. until the pulpit tone Is
detachable in nearly all he says. This
may be corrected after he turns his at
tention to things other than those OF
state. His sojourn in Africa studying the
habits and elusiveness of big game should
give to his deliverances a new form. az it
will new subjects.