The Forrest City times., 1910-12-09

ness, due to the announcement that a new tariff bill Is to be prepared and put in operation will be avoided by treating the schedules one by one as occasion shall arise for a change in the rates of each. and only after re- port upon the schedule by the tariff board competent to make such report It is not likely that the board will be able to make a report during the pres ent session of congress on any of the schedules, because proper examina- tion involves an enormous amount of detail and great deal of care; but hope to be able at the opening of the new congress, or at least during the session of that congress, to bring to it's attention the facts in regard to those schedules in the present tariff that may prove 10 need amendment !"
 Our Island Possessions.
 During the last summer, at my request, the secretary of war visited the Philippine islands and has de- scribed his trip in the report. He found the islands in state of tran quiliity and growing prosperity. due largely to the change in the tariff laws, which has opened the markets of America to the products of the Philippines, and has opened the Phil ippine markets to American manu- factures.
 The year has been one of prosper ity and progress in Porto Rico.
 Panama Canal.
 At the instance of Colonel Goeth- als, the army engineer officer in charge of the work on the Panama canal, l have just made a visit to the Isthmus to inspect the work done and to consult with him on the ground as to certain problems which are likely to arise in the near fu- ture. The progress of the work IS most satisfactory. If no unexpected obstacle presents itself, the canal will be completed we'll within the time fixed by Colonel Goethals, to- wit, January 1. 1915, and within the estimate of cost, s375,000000.
 Among questions arising for pres ent solution is the decision whether the canal shall be fortified. 1 have already stated to the congress that l strongly favor fortileation and I now reiterate this opinion and ask your consideration of the subject in the light of the report already be- fore you made by competent board
 Another question which arises for consideration and possible legislation is the question of tolls in the canal This question is necessarily affected by the probable tonnage which will go through the canal.
 Tn determining what the tolls should be we certainly ought not to insist that for a good many years to come they should amount to enough to pay the interest on the invest ment of $400,000 0000 which the United States has made in the construction of the canal. We ought not to do this, first, because the benefits to be derived by the United States from this expenditure is not to be meas ured solely by return upon the in yestment. If it were then the con struction might we'll have been left to private enterprise.
 My own impression is that the l tolls ought not to exceed $1 per net | ton. and l should recommend that within certain limits the president be authorized to fix the tolls of the canal and adjust them to what seems to be commercial necessity.
 'I cannot close this reference to the canal without suggesting as a wise amendment to the interstate commerce law provision prohibiting interstate commerce railroads from owning or controlling ships engaged in the trade through the Panama canal. l believe such provision may be needed to save to the people ! of the United States the benefits of the competition in trade between the eastern and western seaboards which this canal was constructed to secure" "
 Department of Justice.
 Discussing the affairs of the de- partment of justice, the president says:
 T invite especial attention to the prosecutions under the federal law of the so-called bucket shops.' and Of those schemes to defraud in which the use of the mail is an essential part of the fraudulent conspiracy, prosecutions which have saved ig- norant and weak members of the pub lie and are saving them hundreds of millions of dollars. The violations of the antitrust law present perhaps the most important litigation before the department, and the number of cases filed shows the activity of the govern. ment in enforcing that statute
 Tn special message last year brought to the attention of congress the propriety and wisdom of enacting a general law providing for the in corporation of industrial and other companies engaged in interstate com merce, and renew my reeomrnen- dation in that behalf"