Arizona republican., 1908-12-09
PHoEN1x, ARIZONA. DEC. 9. 1908.
THE MESSAGE.

The message of President Roosevelt may be regarded as another contri- button to the many causes for the rapid return of prosperity. In all it's parts it may not meet the unquali- fled endorsement of all the people of the country or of all the leaders of the republican party. It would be marvellous if a message containing so many recommendations, some of them of a sweeping character, should not fail of even unanimous party en- dorsement.
 There will, however, probably be little heard of disapproval, since it was not the expectation of the pres ident that many of his recommends tions would be enacted into legisla- tion within the brief remaining period of his term. The message was deliv- cred rather as something for con- gress and the country to think over.
 His plea for a standardization of the pONtI 1oI lilS COntiOl ol ColpOId- tions doing an interstate business will encounter little or no opposition in his own party or among the corporations themselves who have suffered greatly within the last two years from the inharmonious efforts of the states to regulate them with the result of gen eral confusion and no benefit to the public.
 The remarks of the president con- corning the courts, generally commen- datory, and needed judicial reforms are conservative, fair and well timed, intended for the protection of the dignity and the influence of the judi ciary as well as for the protection of the public against the happily few unjust or narrow minded judges.
 The reasonable workingmen of the country cannot complain of a want of the presidents zeal in their behalf. He naturally does not recommend all that labor agitators demand but what he advocates is calculated to afford the laborer greater protection of life and health, more remunerative em- ployment, and surer position in the industrial world. What the president withholds and what the agitators demand would make him less of an American citi- zen and more a member of a priv ileged class or clan.
 In dealing with our insular possess sions the president overwhelms the arguments of democrats and anti-im- perialists who demand the immediate leaving of the Filipinos to their own devices. It is pointed out that we have duty in those islands to per form, a duty which overshadows the theory that all men are entitled to govern themselves whether capable of doing so or not-a doctrine of ire sponsibility.
 The message contains a plain inti- nation to Cuba that we are responsi- ble for its good conduct; that when ever it's people demonstrate their in capacity to govern themselves they must be governed from the outside.
 Less space is given to the army and navy than might have been ex- pected, though the well known views of the president regarding needed re- forms are clearly reflected, but, as was expected the subject of the con- servatiOn of our natural resources is fully and ably dealt with.
 As to ourselves, we find especial | cause for qualification in the mes sage in the paragraph advocating separate statehood for the territories | This does not come as a surprise | however pleasant to us, for we had | been apprised directly from the White | House that such a recommendation | would appear; that it would not be . mere formal recommendation but | that it would have back of it the presidents earnest wish for the ad- mission of the territories and that it would be supplemented by his active efforts in our behalf.