Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-12-12

System Defective.
Washington. Dec 3 More than or
binary interest was eyinccd In the last
regular message OF President Raose-
welt to congress before his retirement
from Office next March. which was
read simultaneously in the senate and
house
The document. which was temperate
in tone and about 10000 words IN
length reiterated the presidents poll
cies concerning corporations and other
subjects Of prime Importance He made
no mention OF the tarifi
In dealing with corporations Presi-
dent Roosevelt expressed the belief
that II was worse than folly 10 at
tempt to prohibit combinations The
Sherman antitrust act he said work
ed almost as much hardship as good
and he strongly advocated the substi-
tuition Of law that would expressly
permit combinations which were in
the interest Of the public but would
permit the national government 70 ex.
erclse full power Of control and super
vision over them.
Publicity. he declared. should be the
chief feature OF government control
over corporations and he recommend.
ed executive rather than judicial ac-
tion in putting a stop TO corporation
evils
Commenting upon the railroads tho
president said they should be removed
entirely from the domain OF the anti
trust law and placed completely I'm
der the interstate commerce commits
sion. He advocated increasing the pow.
ers OF this commission so that Il could
exercise supervision and control over
the issue OF securities as well as over
rates
The president favored traffic agree
ments between railroad corpora ions
and said power to make such agree,
ments should be explicitly conferred
upon the railroads. with permiss on
of the interstate commerce commission
and providing the details of the agree
ments were published in full
Summary Of the Message.
A summary OF the message is as fol-
lows
FINANcE-"The financial standing
OF the nation at the present time is
excellent and the financial manage
ment OF the nations interests during
the last seven years has shown the
most satisfactory results But orr cur
rency system is imperfect and Il is
earnestly to be hoped that the eur
rency commission will be able To pro.
pose thoroughly good system which
will do away with existing defects
CORPORATIONS believe it is
worse than folly TO attempt to pro-
hibit all combinations. as is done by
the Sherman antitrust law because
such law can be enforced only i'm
perfectly and unequaly and its en-.
forcement works almost as much hard
ship as good
IL strongly advocate that instead OF
an unwise effort 10 prohibit all com.
binations. there shall be substituted
law which shall expressly permit
combinations which are in the inter.
est OF the public. but shall at the same
time give 10 some agency Of the ma
tional government full power of con
troll and supervision over them
"One Of the chief features Of this
control should be securing entire pub
iicity in all matters which the public
has a right 10 know. and furthermore.
the power not by judicial but by ex-
ecutive action. to prevent or put
stop to every form OF improper favor
itism or other wrongdoing.
The railways OF the country should
be put completely under the inter
state commerce commission and re.
moved from the domain OF the anti
trust law. Power to make combina-
lions and traffic agreements should he
explicitly conferred upon the railroads
the permission OF the commission be.
Ing first gained and the combination
or agreement published In all it's de-
tails.
The proposal 20 make the national
government supreme over
the railroads and other instruments Of
interstate commerce is merely a pro
posal 10 carry out TO the letter one OF
the prime purposes II not the prime
purpose. for which the constitution
was founded
THE central government Is the only
power which without oppression. can
thoroughly and adequately control and
supervise the large corporations.
We do not object 10 the concentra
ton of wealth and administration but
we do believe in the distribution Of the
wealtis in profits to the real owners.
and In curing to the public the full
benefit OF the concentrated administra-
ton.
I'VE no more believe in that en-.
piricism which demands absolutely un-
restrained individualism than we do in
that empiricism which clamors for
aeadening socialism which would de
stroy all individual initiative and
would ruin the country with a com.
pleteness that even unrestrained indi.