Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-07
The Message.

The public must wait a bit for the
Presidents views respecting several i'm
portant questions in which 1t is inter-
ested. He was not prepared to submit
to Congress at this time recommended
tons as to the conservation Of national
resources. comprehensive policy for
the Improvement of waterways, or
amendments to the antitrust law and
Interstate commerce law. Not that he
had not considered the ques tons. but
because of their scope and moment he
thought 1t best to reserve them for spe-
.ial messages 1t was doubtless the best
course What he shall say will have
great weight. both with Congress and
the country; and the more space he gives
himself, the palmer will he be able to
make his meaning and the more thor
oughly command national attention
But even with these questions reserv-
ed, the message is one Of very great IN
terest. and deals frankly and clearly
with highly important matters, both for
eign and domestic.
Our foreign relations are in excellent
shape. In Europe. in the near and In
the far east and, barring the Mica
ragua episode-which is stated temper
ately--in Latin America, our friendships
are unimpaired. and our prospects for
trade and progress good Nothing Of a
disturbing character appears on the
horizon.
At home. affairs give us every reason
to be thankful. The period Is one OF
abundance. and the people are all awe
to their opportunities. Nevertheless, or
rather because of the fact. the President
speaks for economy in public expendi-
lures. and announces a material reduc-
ton in the estimates of all the depart
ments No part of the public service is
to be denied or crippled. but all parts
are 10 be conducted with due regard to
securing ends without waste or extrava-
gance. The proposition to cover by
bond issue the deficit Of SIS, 600. 900 esti-
mated for the present fiscal year.. and in
large part chargeable to the Panama
canal. will probably meet no criticism
as the President states the case. And
most cheering is his announcement that
at the close of the next fiscal year.
June 80, 1911, there will be a small. but
safe. surplus in the Treasury. The period
of deficits will have passed. and that Of
a workable balance on the right side OF
the ledger returned again.
The recommendation as to civil pen
sions will lead to much discussion. The
subject Is not new. but 1t has not before
been presented precisely as 1t now is,
or by authority, SO to say. There will
be warm support and equally warm
opposition, and early action may not
follow.
AS to injunctions. the President leans
to a modification of the present prac-
tice without weakening emergency cases.
Notice should be given except In such
cases, and even where an injunction is
sues In grave emergency 1t should
not run longer than seven days without
trial In court on the merits. Whether
this will satisfy union labor remains to be
seen.
The President favors postal savings
banks; ships subsidy; the admission of
New Mexico and Arizona as states; i'm
proved government for Alaska short Of
territorial legislature; the establishment
of bureau of health: commission for
investigating, with view to improving
the procedures in federal courts as re-
spects appeals. and with the object of
remedying the laws delays in those
courts: and the proposition for celebrat-
ing in an appropriate manner, to be de-
termined by a commission the approach
ing fiftieth anniversary of the freeing
Of the negroes
The style of the message is simple.
clear and businesslike-the document of
man without flourish or hullabaloo in
lis composition. 1t goes to the point
without circumlocution or afrectation, and
i devoid both of rhetoric and of clap
trap. If it shall prove. as likely 1t will.
the forerunner of state papers bearing
in clear and temperate terms on questions
which have too long been befogged by
agitation and wrapped up in strange
words. the country will have every reason
to be glad.