The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


messages which have been sent to con-
gress by Theodore Roosevelt, during
the seven years of his incumbency in the
presidential office, have been unusual in
a variety of particulars. Many of them
have been really remarkable because OF
their radical recommendations for leg
islation, that is remarkable in this re
spect because of their having come
from a Republican president. But none
of them have been quite so unusual and
remarkable in one regard as is this last
regular one which was read today in
both branches of the national legisla-
ture. 1t becomes such because of the
fact that there is not a word in it on
the subject of tariff revision, which is
really the burning public question be-
fore the people of the United States
today and which will far overshadow
all other public questions of moment
until it is disposed of in some way by
congress a few months hence. To be
sure, it is probable that the real work
of tariff revision will not be under
taken by congress while Mr.. Roosevelt
is in the presidential chair. The same
may be said of many other public ques-
lions, because nothing much in the
way of new legislation except in the
matter of appropriations is ever trans
acted at a short session of congress
such as will be the one just convened.
But President Roosevelt does not hest
tate to discuss in his message many of
these questions and in airing his views
on several of them at great length he
repeatedly calls attention to the proba-
BILE fact that no action will be taken
on them during the time that he is in
office. So under these circumstances
it is really remarkable that he has not
a word to say on tariff revision.
1t will be recalled that not long ago
Mr.. Roosevelt avoided being brought
into discussion of a tariff, while he
was holding a conference or an inter-
view at Washington with some gentle
men who were anxious to get his views
on certain tariff matters. On that oc-
casion he remarked that every man
must skin his own skunks, and the tar
iff is Taft's skunk" 1t was generally
believed at the time that Mr.. Roose-
welt was in one of his playful moods
when he uttered these words and that
they were in a jocular vein. Certainly
it was the general belief that Mr..
Roosevelt would make known some of
his views on tariff revision in his mes
years it has been very apparent that
he has high opinion of his own views
on all things and this makes it all the
more remarkable that he has failed to
express them on tariff revision at a
time when that question looms up with
such Importance on the public horizon.
AS to the things that President Roose-
welt does discuss in his message it may
he
possible question that in any way af-
fects the government of the country
and its possession and the welfare of
the people of all classes. He adheres
to his well known policies regarding
the control of railroads and corpora
lions doing an interstate business by
the federal authorities and expresses
his opinions on these important affairs
in the same general line that he has
pursued in several other messages to
congress. And one of his greatest SER
vices to the people of the country has
been performed through the repeated
expressions of these Views. By arous-
ing public opinion to the grave political
dangers arising from monopolistic and
abuses Mr. Roosevelt has
done his country and his countrymen
an inestimable service, the value of
which will be infinitely more apprecia-
ted in the future than at the present
time.
A considerable portion of the message
is devoted to a discussion of labor con-
ditions and the necessity for their bet
terment in many ways. Mr.. Roosevelt
emphasizes the point that the solution
of the labor problem depends as much
upon the proper action of the states in
the premises as upon the action of the
nation He insists that the views held
by extreme labor leaders for a reform !
of the courts in several particulars are
unconstitutional because they would
take on the form of class legislation.
Mr.. Roosevelt argues with his usual
for the protection of the for |
ests as a duty to succeeding genera !
tons. He favors the immediate inn
of the navigable rivers on
an adequate and comprehensive scale. |
He points out that the public health |
should be guarded further from the |
dangers from food authorizations. He |
renews his demands for an income tax, |
for the establishment of postal savings |
banks and for a parcel post on rural
routes. |
Matters pertaining to the army and |
navy are discussed at length. Mr.. |
would have the system of |
promotions in the army revised so that |
officers would not have to be advanced |
according to seniority and declares that |
there is great need for a scheme by |
which respectable elderly incompet- |
ents'' in the army can be refused pro-
motions. He would have the administra-
ton of the navy reorganized by the |
abolition of the present bureau system /
and the placing of the navy on the |
same sort of a military footing that |