The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-23
|. LAST MESSAGE.
President Roosevelt Is Putting
Finishing Touches
To His Final Annual Commune
cation to Congress.
LONG LIST OF THINGS.
That He Would Like to Have
Done Is Included.
LONG LIST OF THINGS.
Special Attention to Be Given
to Labor Legislation.

Washington, Nov. 23.-Just now
the president is putting the finishing
touches to his last regular message
He will not feel barred from sending
in a few special communications dur
ing the coming short session, but pub
lie men are awaiting with great in
terest the regular message because
they look upon it not so much as the
swan song of the present administra-
ton but as a prophecy of things
which are said to be attempted under
President Taft
In spite of all that he has accom-
plished, Mr.. Roosevelt still has long
list of things he would like to see
done, and while it is likely that his
farewell message may have re-
miniscent tone to it, there will be
subjects enough and to spare, most
of which have been touched upon in
previous communications. but all of
which possess ideals too dear to the
presidents heart to permit him to
pass them over in silence.
At the present time, with labor dim
ners just concluded, the president is
likely to give special attention to
legislation in the interests of the
laboring men. This does not con-
Germ merely I11nlIdI1On on 1n1uncI1On,
but takes wider range
Mr.. Roosevelt for a long while has
been working upon much more i'm
portant forms. For instance, he has
recommended. and will do so again,
some law providing for compulsory
investigation of industrial disputes.
This is different from compulsory
arbitration, of course. 1t involves
merely determination by official
authority of the facts leading up to
and surrounding the strike, so that
the public may be able to judge for
itself who is in the right, and thus
compel the man in the wrong by
mere force of public opinion to
abandon his position.
More Light on Industrial Wars
There is already a form Of govern
ment investigation where parties to the
dispute ask for it, but the presidents
idea is to make this investigation a
great deal wider. In addition to that
he has been making a study of the elab-
crate system of industrial insurance
now in vogue in Germany. He is in
clined to believe that some such system
can be created here by means of which
both employer and employe will con-
tribute funds to provide for sickness,
accident, and death.
There is certain to be another discus
sion of the relations between the gov
eminent and great corporations, includ-
ing railroads. President Roosevelt has
never abandoned his suggestion for
some sort of charter or license for cor
porations doing an interstate business
as means of securing. first of all, nee
essary publicity as to operations, and,
secondly, to prevent unlawful combina-
tons.
At the same time he would permit,
and, in fact, license and legalize lawful
combinations, his object being to dis
eliminate between wicked trusts and
good trusts. In the same way he has
should be permitted to pool their bust
ness and earnings if they see fit, pro-
vided the authority of the interstate
commerce commission is fully recognize
ed to protect the public against ex-
Orbitant rates and unfair methods of
doing business, including, of course,
giving of rebates and other benefits to
favored shippers.
At the same time the president is full
of the idea that there should be auth
Ority in the federal government to pre-
vent the issue of any railroad security
until it shall be determined
that there is tangible value behind it,
so that existing stockholders and the
investing public may be protected.
There is a group of subjects to which
President Roosevelt has given a great
deal of personal attention during the
year or two, and they always have
figured in previous messages and may
be expected to form subjects of dis
cussion in the next communication to
congress. These subjects include i'm
provement of inland waterways, con-
reservation of forests, coal, iron, water. |
and other natural resources, and the eff
fort which is being made, to build up
the agricultural class in the country,
which the president believes must be
the backbone of our commercial life
and which must be developed by fed |
araI assistance if necessary.
There is one subject in the way of |
foreign relations which is certain to |
have special treatment in the presi- |
ient's forthcoming message. That is |
our position as fairy godmother to still |
another Cuban republic. An election |
has been held in the island and a lib |
eral president selected. Early in the |
next year the United States troops will |
pc retired and the new government will |
be set up an entirely Independent |
sovereign.
All the preliminary work of creating |
an electoral system. revising municipal |
and federal organizations in |
Cuba and providing for an extensive |
system of public and sanitary improve