The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-08
Deals as Vigorously as Ever With Labor
and Capital Courts.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt's message to con-
gress was read in the house and
senate today. 1t was long, but de-
voted principally to currency, cor
poration supervision, labor and
the courts. Obviously it was in
tended as a final resume of the
policies BY which Roosevelt has
become one of the most noted of
the presidents in upholding and as
such is vigorous and statesman
like document. There is little left
before congress that the president
had not already urged to enact
ment, and these advices are large
ly repeated.
President Roosevelt's last mes
sage to congress is introduced by a
financial statement showing that in
seven years and three months Of
his administration there has been a
net surplus of nearly 100000, 900
of receipts over expenditures, a re-
duction of the interest bearing debt
by $90,000,000 in spite of the ex-
traordinary expense of the Panama
canal and a saving of nearly
100000 in the annual interest
charge. There have been no new
taxes and no increase of taxes; on
the contrary, some taxes have been
taken off; and there has been a
reduction of taxation so far as gov
erned by federal regulations.
The president points out the inn
projections of the present currency
system and hopes that the currency
commission will be able to propose
system that will do away with ex-
listing defects.
AS regards the great corporations
engaged in interstate business the
president says:
II believe that under the inter
state clause Of the constitution the
United States has complete ana
paramount right to control all agen-
cies of interstate commerce, and I
believe that the national govern
ment alone can exercise this right
with wisdom and effectiveness so
as both to secure justice from, and
to do justice to, the great corpora
tons which are the most important
factors in modern business. ! be-
lieve that it is worse than folly to
attempt to prohibit all combina-
lions as Is done by the Sherman
antitrust law, because such a law
can be enforced only imperfectly
and vneQually and it's enforcement
works almost as much hardship as
good. l strongly advocate that in
stead of an unwise effort to pro-
hibit all combinations, there shall
be substituted a law which shall ex-
pressly permit combinations which
are in the interest of the public, but
shall at the same time give to some
agency of the national government
full power OF control and super
vision over them. One of the chief
features of this control should be
securing entire publicity in all mat
tiers which the public has right IT,
know, and, furthermore, the power. :
not by judicial but by executive
action. to prevent or put stop to
every form of improper favoritism
or other wrongdoing.
Commission Should Rule.
THE railways of the country
should be put completely under the
interstate. commerce commission
and removed from the domain of
the antitrust law. The power OF
the commission should be made
thoroughgoing, SO that 1t could ex-
ercise complete supervision and
control over the issue of securities
as we'll as over the raising and low
ering of rates. AS regards rates. at
least, this power should be sum-
mary. The power to investigate
the financial operations and ac-
counts of the railways has been one
of the most valuable features in
recent legislation. Power to make
combinations and traffic agree
ments should be explicitly con-
ferred upon the railroads, the per-
mission of the commission being
first gained and the combination sor
agreement being published in all its
details. In the interest of the pub.
lie the representatives Of the pub
lie should have complete power to
see that the railroads do their duty
by the public, and as a matter OF
course this power should be exer-
cised so as to see that no injustice
is done to the railroads.
'In addition TO this the interests
of the shareholders. of the employ
ees and of the shippers should all
be guarded as against one another.
To give any one Of them undue
and improper consideration Is to do
injustice to the others. Rates mus
be made as low as is compatible
with giving proper returns to all
the employees of the railroad. from
the highest to the lowest. and
proper returns to the shareholders:
but they must not. for instance. be
reduced In suca fashion as to neces-
state q cut In wages of the EN-
ployees or the abolition OF the
proper and legitimate profits OF
honest shareholders.
Telegraph and telephone COM
panies engaged In interstate bust