The Elbert County tribune., 1912-12-13

to me wise and proper to make pro
vision by law for such reward to him
| as may be commensurate with the
service that he has rendered to his
| country. / suggest that this reward
take the form of an appointment Of
| Col. Goethals as a major general In
the army of the United States. and
| that the law authorizing such appoint
ment be accompanied with provfsion
permitting his designation as chfef OF
| engineers upon the retirement OF the
present incumbent of that office.
Navy Department.
The navy of the United States is In
| a greater state of efficiency and In
more powerful than 1t has been be-
fore, but in the emulation which ex-
lists between different countries In re-
spect to the increase of naval and
military ornaments this condition is
| not of a permanent one. In view of
| the many improvements and increases
by foreign governments the slightest
halt on our part in respect to new
construction throws US back and re-
| duces US from a naval power OF the
first rank and places us among the ma
tions of the second rank.
| A year ago congress refused to ap-
propriate for more than one battle
ship. In this / think great mistake
of policy was made, and I urgently
recommend that this congress make
up for the mistake of the last session
by appropriations authorizing the con-
struction of three battleships, hi ad-
dition to destroyers, fuel ships, and
in the building program of the gen.
eral board. We are confronted by
a condition in respect to the nayfes of
the world which requires us, IL we
would maintain our navy as an ifsur-
ance of peace. to augment our naval
force by at least two battleships a
year and by battle cruisers guntoats,
torpedo destroyers, and submarine
boats in a proper proportion. We
have no desire for war. We go as
far as any nation in the world to avoid
war, but we are world power. Our
population, our wealth, our definite
policies, our responsibilities In the Pa
cific and the Atlantic, our defense OF
the Panama canal, together with our
enormous world trade and our mis-
sionary outposts on the frontiers of
civilization require us to recognize
our position as one of the foremost
in the family of nations, and to ciothe
ourselves with sufficient naval power
to give force to our reasonable de-
mands. and to give weight to our
influence in those directions of prog
ress that powerful Christian nation
should advocate.
Department of Justice.
This department has been very
active in the enforcement of the law
1t has been better organized and with
larger force than ever before in
the history of the government. The
prosecutions which have been success
fully concluded and which are now
pending testify to the effectiveness of
the department work.
The prosecution of trusts under the
Sherman antitrust law has gone on
without restraint or diminution, and
DEGREES similar to those entered in
the Standard Oil and the Tobacco
cases have been entered In other suits,
| like the suits against the powder
trust and the bath tub trust i am
very strongly convinced that steady,
consistent course in his regard. with
continuing of Supreme court de-
cisions upon new phases of the trust
| question not already finally decided, Is
going to offer solution of this much
discussed and troublesome issue in a
| quiet, calm and judicial way. without
any radical legislation changing the
| governmental policy in regard te COM
binations now denounced by the Sher-
H. IL
| recommended as an aid In this matter
legislation which would declare unlaw-
| full certain well-known phases of un-
| fair competition in interstate trade,
| and I have also advocated voluntary
| national incorporation for tho larger
industrial enterprises, with provision
| for a closer supervision by the bu-
| reau of corporations, or board ap-
| pointed for the purpose, so as to make
| certain compliance with the anti
| trust law on the one hand and to
| give greater security to the stock
holders against possible prosecutions
| on the other. l believe, however. that
| the orderly course Of litigation In the
| courts and the regular prosecution OF
trusts charged with the violation OF
the antitrust law is producing among
| business men clearer and clearer
| perception of the line of distinction be-
tween business that Is to be encour~
aged and business that Is to be con-
demned, and that in this quiet way
the question of trusts can be settled
and competition retained as an eco
nomic force to secure reasonabfeness
in prices and freedom and independ-
ence In trade.
Workman's Compensation Act.
| The workman's compensation act
reported by the special commission ap-
| pointed by congress and the execu-
| tive. which passed the senate and ie.