The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-12-15
WEDNESDAY, DEC. Is, 1909.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The fret message of q general nature
sent to congress by President Taft will
not appeal to American citizens who
anticipated allegations of q startling
character, or statements that drastic
legislation Is necessary to save the
republic from ruin. The message lacks
the ginger and nsstionalism that
we're f~esturesiof some Of the Roosevelt
communications to congress-, and
which we're as generally read as some
of the popular literature Of the day.
The Roosevelt style of oratory and
literary ehortl. was not inherited BY
his successor to the1 presidency. The
hourishing of thelbig lstick has been
superseded by . calm and dispassion.
ate review Of public q fsirs, and n
sible suggestions submitted to con
gress in . judicial tone.
The recently exposed customs
frauds, in which immense quantities
Of sugar are alleged to have been
under.weighed, failed to excite the
wrath Of Mr.. ITsftlin..his reference to
the matter in his message. Such q
subject wouldlhsve isfforded his pre-.
decessor sn.eopportunity to fire q
brosdside Of tRooseveltisn ammuni.
ton At the alleged: s~windlers. but Mr..
TAFT contentslhimself with allusion to
the matter inD general terms and ad-
vising congressItolkeepiits hands of
until the department of justice com.
pletes its prosecution of the parties
alleged to havelbeen implicated in the
fraude.
The message reviews the work of the
various departments and gives q vast
amount OF information regarding
public q fairs lsThe!president informs
congress that iin the lnesr future he
proposes to submit recommend atoms
concerning the.lreclamation of arid
lands, the conservation of natural
resources sand railroad regulation
subjectsSthatlare Of great Importance
and i~ntereststo aa,ma1ority of the Am.
ericsn people. These special mes.
sages promise to be more generally
read than the lengthy document sub.
mitted at thesopening of congress-.
An optimistic lone characterizes the
latter portion. ofltheImessage, in which
the president speaks these words of
good cheersto congress and the Am
erican people:
"~Speaking generally, the country is
in a high state of prosperity. There is
every reason to believe that we are on
the eve of q substantial business ex-
p%snsion, and we have just garnered a
harvest unexampled in the market
value of our agricultural products.
The high prices which such products
bring mean:greater.prosperity for the
farming communities, but, on the
other hand, theylmean q very consid.
cradle increased burden upon those
classes in thelcommunity whose yearly
compensation does not expand with
the improvements in business and the
general prosperity.
"VsriousS reasons are given for
the high prices. G. The proportionate
increase in the output of gold, which
today Is the chief medium of exchange
and is, in some respects, a measure of
value, furnishes q substantial expla.
nation OF at least part of the increase
In prices. The increase in population
and the ore expensiveimode OF living
of the people, which have not been
accompanied by a proportionate in.
crease in acreage production, may
furnish q further reason. 1t is we'll
to note that the increase In the cost of
living 10 not confined to this country,
but prevails the world over, and that
those who would charge increases In
prices to the existing protective tariff
must meet the fact that the rise in
prices has taken place almost wholly
in those products of the factory and
farm in respect to which there has
been either no increase in the tariff,
or, In many instances, q very consid.
cradle reduction"
THE WAR AGAINST CANNON.