The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


in the country, regardless of his poll !
tics of the political faction with which /
he is allied, as indicating that in the
nations chief executive chair, is
man of wondrously large parts who IS
earnest and solicitous to discharge the
great power placed in his hands for
the benefit of the whole people.
Undoubtedly the message will have
its critics, unfair and otherwise. There
are likely to be those who will insist /
that Mr.. Taft is showing prediction
ito let up on the corporations De-
cause Of his sensible suggestion that
the time has come for an administra-
ton and enforcement of existing laws
relative to the regulation of corpora
lions, rather than for additional leg
islation on this subject. Mr.. Taft has
the excellent idea that it would be well
to see how these laws operate before
other laws Of like tenor, or purpose
are placed on the statute books. And
although the newly amended interstate
commerce law does not include all the
suggestions made by the president IN
his last message to congress on TINS
subject, he does not urge congress TO
take action on these views. He would
like to see the law as it exists given
fair trial. He does suggest, however,
that an appropriation be made which
will permit the interstate commerce
commission to undertake the work of
placing a physical valuation on the
property of the railroads. He says the
commission has ample power to ham
die this proposition, the only thing 1t
| lacks being money to do the work This
ought to meet with the approval OF
| those railroad regulatory enthusiasts
who believe that a governmental valu-
alton of the railroads will develop into
some sort of a panacea by which all
rate-making and other railroad evils
may be rectifed.
| Chagrin will also be brought by the
message to those prophets who have
| been predicting that the corporation
| interests had planned to use the wan
ing days of friendly Republican power
to pull the teeth Of the Sherman anti
trust law by amending it in several
| ways that would destroy it's effective
| ness. The intimation has been that
President Taft was in sympathy with
! this plan, as he would have to be If
| it went through, because these amend
ments could not become effective with
4 out his favorable signature. But the
president seems to dispose of this
boyle by making the emphatic an
! nouncement: 81 do not now recon-
mend any amendment to the anti
| trust law
| President Taft also proves himself to
be quite as progressive as the most
| ardent of the conservationists. He goes
most of them, who content themselves
with pointing out the beauties of the
conservation theory, one better. He has
practical plans for establishing con-
servation policy which will conserve
but which not prevent the develop
ment of valuable public lands. He rec
ommends that all of the government
lands having deposits of coal, phos-
phate and oil, and water power sites,
as well, be disposed of in the future
by leasing. Now they are sold out
right to claimants at a figure that Is
meager compared with their value, and
the government thereby loses title and
any kind of a control over them.
The presidents reference to the tar
iff is in line with his well known
views on this subject. He is fair
enough to admit as he has all along,
that some Of the criticism of the Payne
tariff law is just. He believes that an
honest revision of the tariff in accord
with the Republican policy Of an ade-
quate protection, but no more, can
, only be brought about by piecemeal
legislation, each schedule being taken
I'D as the data is gathered for it, and
he would have the present advisory
, tariff board made a permanent tarln
commission to make the necessary in
vestigations for a proper revision OF
each schedule.
Once again does President Taft point
+ out that one of the crying needs OF
the people of the country is cheapening
the cost of litigation by simplifying
, judicial procedure and expediting fina
r. Judgment. A commission is needed tc
+ investigate this subject and there Is
already a bill in congress, fathered by
+ Representative Madison of this state
providing for the creation of such 6
commission which should be adopted
o. The presidents insistence that ther'
e is urgent need for the practice of econ
!. | omy in the administration of the AT
= fairs of the government ought to strike
t a responsive chord with the people wh'
S pay the bills even if the federal taxes
a are raised by indirect taxation. Pres1
t dent Taft shows that he is practicinG
s what he breaches IN this partlculd-
f by having had the estimates for gov
eminent expenditures for next year GU
down by nearly $53,00O,0O0 under VIVA
# were the actual appropriations for TIL
= current year. 1t is such stewardship
r of governmental affairs as Presiden
s Taft recounts in his message that i
l, worth while.
It -----.
MRS. EDDY.