Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-07
Tho Presidents Message.


reading, devoid of complex phrase
! ology, It recommends, and tells why.
without arguing possible objections.
It gives the reader confidence in the
integrity and good sense of the writer.
1t is not flowery; it Is not, epigram-
matic-it is calm and dEcct. 1t is
worth filing away as review OF the
country's affairs for a year. 1t deals
with subjects in which the country Is
interested, sanely and intelligibly, and
closes with a recommendation that the
activities Of the government, in addi-
ton to enforcing the existing laws.
be directed toward the economy Of
administration and the enlargement
Of opportunities for foreign trade, the
building up Of home Industries, and
the Strengthening Of confidence OF
capital in domestic investment.
President Taft, has, as We predicted
he would, ignored the demands Of con-
flictins political influences, and bids
Cor the support Of the people to con,-
plete his administration as foremost
statesman. He is not playing politics
for the benefit of future politicians
but IS playing the part of an honor
able, high-mindcd, and far-Seeing chief
executive for the benefit OF the ma
ton. His recommendations are not
the seed for q harvest by high finan-
ciers, but the foundation of national
policy of business-like, economical and
sane living by the great mass of the
people. He suggests no retrenchment
in this Congress that will lay the
foundation for Democratic trouble in
the next. He goes ahead as though
the card Congress were to be in full
control Of his party. endeavoring TO
accomplish all that he may to redeem
his party's pledges to the nation.
a sitting of his recommendations to
Congress shows that the President has
received nc replies to his invitation
to foreign governments to cooperate
with the United States for the limiting
Of the ornaments OF nations. His
suggestion that the combined navics
OF the wocld constitute an interna-
tional force for the preservation of
universal peace has evoked no cx-
preston Of approval or rejection.
Thus America, as the foremost advo-
cate Of outlawcd war, is floutcd by
those whose precious necks she has
saved as well as by those now de-
pendent upon her moral and physical
influence for integrity.
The President points strongly to the
opportunities in Latin America for our
trade, and political cooperation in the
maintenance Of peace and republican
brotherhood in this hemisphere. In
this connection he urges q policy OF
closer and broader trade relations with
Canada and the readjustinent OF COM
| nerce may follow the channels natu-
raj to contiguous territory. He asks
such legislation as will encourage the
| establishment of American banks in
| foreign countries in order to more
readily finance our foreign trade,
| especially in Latin America.
In no part of his message is the
President more emphatic than in his
urgency of the necessity for develop
mcnt Of American merchant marine.
In this connection he says, In part:
IAN maritime and commercial ma
tions recognize the Importance of this
factor. The greatest commercial ma
tons, our competitors, jealousy foster
their merchant marine. Perhaps no.
/ where is the need for rapid and direct
mail. passenger and freight communi.
cation quite so urgent as between
the United States and Latin America.
We can secure in no other quarter OF
the world such immediate benefits in
| friendship and commerce as would
flow from the establishment Of direct
Hines of communication with tho coun-
tries OF Latin America adequate to
meet the requirements Of q rapidly in
creasing appreciation Of the reciprocal
dependence of the countries of the
Western Hemisphere upon each 9TH
er's products, sympathies and assis.
lance.
quite aside from tho commercial
aspect, unless we create q merchant
marine where can we find the sea-
faring population necessary as n nat
ural naval reserve and where could
we find. in case of war, the transports
and subsidiary vessels without which
q naval fleet is arms without Il body ?
For many reasons l can not too
strongly urge upon the Congress the
passage OF measure by mail subsidy
or other subvention adequate TO guar
antee the establishment and rapid de-
velopment of an American merchant