The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-02-01
AN ExrRAonDrNARY DocUMkNT.

AN EXTRAORDINARY DocUMhNT.
the message OF President Roosevelt
sent in to the two houses Of Congress
yesterday, 10 In a class Of its own. as
up to this time no other President has
felt called upon to enter into de-
Tense Of his administration. II is
unique. too. in being document In
tended to break the force OF decisions
OF the highest court in the world In
order to make points with the labor
unions OF the country in the interest
Of Secretary Taft. who is the r:oose-
welt Presidential candidate. Despite
his lodging and denying President
Roosevelt has thrown the weight Of
his great once into the political cam
paisn in support of the candidacy Of
Secretary Taft.
The message. in It's first paragraph,
jumps into an argument for iegisla-
ton to relieve the labor unions from
so-called injastices. The strenuous
vocabulary Of the strenuous executive
Is almost exhausted in his coddling Of
the unions which. In view Of the fact
that laboring men in all sections OF
the country have denounced Taft. is
extremely interesting.
After rubbing the shoulders Of the
iaborers Of the country the President
dsvotes much space to abusing this
corporations. going over ground that
he has already covered and reiterating
Views which many believe contrIbutea
to the financial trouble through which
the country is now passing.
The entire message is defense Of
the Roosevelt policies without q new
suggestion or an original thought. It
IL natural that the President should
ma himself In the same frame OF mind
as other leaders Of his party. Perhaps
II Is proper thas the President should
offer apologies and excuses to the
country. by way Of Congress. for abuses
OF power and disregard for the consti.
tuition. II is the best evidence that
his party IL ION the rum" as they say
in the vernacular.
When he comes to the prosecution
Of trusts the President answers his
critics with vehemence He points
with pride to the fact that Greene
and Gaynor are In prison and alludes to
the conviction Of Chicago bankers. It
IL singular that he should not use the
names Of criminals other than Greene
and caynor. whose prosecution began
long before this arrogant President
was ever mentioned as Presidential
possibility. Moreover. Greene and Gay
nor were not Of the corporate class
Of criminals. Moreover. again. Presi-
dent Roosevelt need not felicitate his
party on. the conviction Of these or
other criminals. No district attorney
needs to be commended for doing his
duty.
Secretary Taft Is lauded by the Pres
ident for his Recommendations to the
executive department. He is the only
cabinet oficer whose name is men
toned In the message.
The message does not contain a sin
gie recommendation from the Presi-
dent for relief from burdens that
Cypress the people--other than dema-
gogic suggestions that may be used
in campaign. The President ignores
questions that concern our foreign
policies. He does not allude to the
tariff. Evidently he thinks the para
mount political issue Is control Of the
trusts. He stands on that issue right
where the Democratic party stands
and his message explains to tn coun-
try why nothing has been done by his
administration.
On the whole the message is an
apology for the Republican party with
a note Of hopefulness running through.
out that II the country will give Taft
chance he will play a better part
than Roosevelt has played.