Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-03-11
PRESIDENT TAFT'S
STRONG ADDRESS
INAUGURAL DELIVERED BY
NATIONS NEW CHIEF
EXTRA SESSION IS PROMISED

Congress viii Meet March IS to Take
Up Tariff Revlslon-Adequate Army
and Navy Urged-Panama Canal
Heartily Approved-southern Race
Problem and Labor Legislation
Discussed.
Washington, Mar. 4. President
Taft, having been sworn in as chief
executive of the nation, delivered an
inaugural address that was listened to
with great interest. In part 1t was as
follows:
My Fellow Citizens: Any one who
takes the oath l have Just taken must
feel a heavy weight of responsibility.
If not, he has no conception Of the
powers and duties of the Office upon
which he is about to enter, or he is
lacking In a proper sense of the obi
cation which the oath imposes.
The Office Of an inaugural address
Is to give a summary outline OF the
main policies OF the new administra-
ton, so far as they can be anticipated.
l have had the honor to be one of the
advisers Of my distinguished prede-
cessor, and as such, to hold up his
hands in the reforms he has initiated.
/ should be untrue to myself, to my
promises and to the declaration Of
the party platform upon which ! am
elected to office, 4 7 did not make the
maintenance and enforcement Of those
reforms a most important feature Of
my administration. They were d.
rected to the suppression of the law
lessness and abuses Of power of the
great combinations Of capital invested
in railroads and in industrial enter
prises carrying on interstate COM
merce. The steps which my predec-
sor took and the legislation passed on
his recommendation have accom-
plished much, have caused a general
halt in the vicious policies which Gre
ated popular alarm, and have brought
about in the business affected a much
higher regard for existing law.
More Legislation Needed.
To render the reforms lasting, how
ever, and to secure at the same time
freedom from alarm on the part Of
those pursuing proper and progress
sive business methods, further legisla-
tive and executive action are needed.
Relief Of the railroads from certain re.
strictions Of the antitrust law has
been urged by my predecessor and will
be urged by me. On the other hand,
the administration is pledged to legis'
lation looking to a proper federal su.
pcrvision and restriction to prevent ex
cessiye issues of bonds and stocks by
companies owning and operating inter
state m railroads.
| hope to be able to submit at the
FIRST regular session of the incomins
congress, In December next, definite
suggestions in respect to the needed
amendments to the antitrust and the
interstate commerce laws, and the
changes required in the executive de
partments concerned in their enforce
ment.
Promises Extra Session.
A matter of most pressing impor
lance is the revision of the tariff. II
accordance with the promises of tn,
platform upon which / was elected
l shall call congress into extra session
to meet on the fifteenth day of March
in order that consideration may be o
once given to a bill revising the Ding
ley act. This should secure an ade
quate revenue and adjust the duties II
such a n as to afford tc iabo
and to all industries In this country
whether Of the farm, mine OF factory
protection by tariff equal to the di
ference between the cost OF productio,
abroad and the cost OF productio
here, and have a provision whic
shall put into force, Upon ~executiv
determination Of certain facts, a higl
err or maximum tariff against thos
countries whose trade policy towar
us equitably requires such discrim
nation. 1t Is thought that there ha
been such a change in conditions sine
the enactment Of the Dingley &C
drafted on a similarly protective priI
ciple, that the measure Of the tart
above stated will permit the reductio
. of rates in certain schedules and wi
: require the advancement of few,
any.
Money Needed for Big Projects.
The putting into force of laws whic
shall secure the conservation of O,
/ resources, SO far as they may be wit
i is the jurisdiction Of the federal 60
t ernment, including the most impo
tant work Of saving and restoring o,
n forests, and the general improvement
of waterways, are all proper cover
1 ment functions which must invol,
large expenditure If properly pc
! formed. While some of them, like IL
!. reclamation Of arid lands, are mao
to pay for themselves, others are
y such an indirect benefit that this ca
DIRT AXE aAH ops pT