Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1908-12-11
PRESIDENT TELLS OF PAST
WORK AND FUTURE NEEDS.
Largely Repeats Past Advices to Con-
gress-Hopes that Proposed New Cur
rency System Will Obviate Existing
Defects-Asks Protection for Forests
Repeal Sherman Antitrust Law.

IL was lonS, DuI ueVoted principally TO
currency, corporation supervision, labor
and the courts. Obviously it was in
tended as final resume of the policies
by which Roosevelt has become one of
the most noted of the presidents in up
holding and as such is vigorous and
statesmanlike document. There is little
left before congress that the president
had not already urged to enactment
and these advices are largely repeated
President Roosevelt 8 last mes
sage to congress is introduced by a
financial statement showing that in
seven years and three months of his
administration there has been net
surplus of nearly $1OO,OOO,0OO of re.
ceipts over expenditures, reduction of
the interest bearing debt by $9O,O0O,-
600 in spite of the extraordinary ex-
pense of the Panama canal and q saw
ing of nearly $9,oOO,OOO in the annual
interest charge. There have been no
new taxes and no increase of taxes; on
the contrary, some taxes have been
taken off; and there has been reduc-
ton of taxation so far as governed by
federal regulations.
The president points out the imper-
fections of the present currency sys-
tenn and hopes that the currency com
mission will be able to propose a sys-
tenn that will do away with existing
defects.
The reading of the message began in
the senate at 1915, and in the house
few minutes later. The galleries of
both houses were well filed.
Congress Reads Copy.
All senators and representatives were
supplied with printed copies of the
message, which contained an elaborate
appendix, accompanied by numerous
Illustrations showing the results of the
work of the forestry bureau.
Senators and members gave compar-
atively little attention to the reading
of the message, but most of them
busted themselves with the printed
copies before them.
Summary of Message.
Repeal the Sherman antitrust law.
Increase the salaries of all federal
judges.
Admit New Mexico and Arizona to
statehood.
Change the system of promotion in
the army to secure the best men for
the commands rather than those whose
only claim is seniority in point of
service.
Pass an employers liability law
which is fair to the wage Garner and
the employer alike.
Enact laws which will effectually
guard against the deforestation of the
nation.
These are some of the prominent fea-
lures in the message of President
Theodore Roosevelt to the congress
which opened its session yesterday. The
president is more reserved in his mes
sage than customary and is less radical.
He has condemned the Sherman law
and takes the position that all COM
binations and mergers of trusts should
not be prohibited under the penal
statute, pointing out that some of these
combinations work directly for the gen.
eral good of the public.
The message devotes considerable
time to the subject of the courts and
the attacks which have been made on
them in the recent campaign and he
sets out that while there may be in
competents in Office it is through the
members of the court that reforms
must come, as the Judiciary is appointed
for life. The president. takes the posi-
tion that the conditions modify the
laws of the nation and what may have
been good law so years ago is modi-
fed by the trend of public opinion and
the circumstances.
The presidents position in relation
to army promotions will undoubtedly
cause a furore in army circles, as he
makes the direct charge that some of
the officers who are elevated to the
higher Offices have no ability to com.
mand.
Following the swearing in of Senator
Cummins of Iowa, and the reading of
the message, the senate adjourned.
The president has decided to re.
appoint W. D. Crum (colored) collector
of the port at Charleston, South Caro-.
lima. 1t was the original appointment
of Crum that caused such a furore in
the senate three years ago.
President-elect Taft is at the national
capital