Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE CAPITAL JOURNAL Wednes-
day printed President Taf's mes
sage in full, it taking nearly two
full pages, or TO be exact, thirteen full
columns. This Is something even the
big dailies of Portland did not do The
Journal did this, not because such
documents are intensely interesting
reading matter to most folks, for they
are far from It, but because to many
OF It's readers It is of profound inter-
est It should be to every intelligent,
patriotic citizen for It Is the express
sion Of opinion as to the condition and
needs of the country Of the one in the
best position to know and understand
them.
Naturally the one man selected by
nearly a hundred millions Of people as
their chief officer must be a man Of
great abilities, fine talents and keen
observer When such u man after
two years in office expresses his views
and points out the things we should
do. for our own benefit, and that Of all
or fellow countrymen, every citizen
should read It and ponder It, and that
all the Journal readers, at least, might
have this opportunity, It was published
in fun.
II Is rather long message, contain
ing about $4,000 words, and It is un-
doubtedly document Of much weight.
The president has not gone into local
or home affairs TO any great extent,
most of his message being devoted to
our rapidly growing commerce, our
foreign trade, this year amounting to
more than $2,2OO,OOOOOO This is
sum 80 vast that the human mind can
not grasp It just from the figures
alone, Let us put II in n form that we
can get some idea OF It,
Taking the circumference Of the
earth at the equator as being $4,000
miles, II would be 132,OOO,OOO feet, or
15S4,O00,OOO inches or only about two
thirds as many inches, as our foreign
commerce involves, expressed in dol
lars, Or TO put It IN another shape.
100000 600 silver dollars would, ly-
ing fiat and touching each other reach
twice around the earth, or make six
teen rows OF dollars reaching from
Salem to New York City. But this Is a
depression.
The president then points out what
is necessary TO protect this vast busl-
ness, and his message shows he has
given the matter profound thought,
for his suggestions are buslness-like
and sensible, and will we'll repay
careful perusal and re-perusal
He also points out one thing of
which we as n nation should feel just
ly proud, and that Is the broad. genor-
Gus, manly course our country has
taken I'm dealing with our less power
full neighbors, Our Nndliest feelings
have been given them, and we have
brought them into terms Of friendship
with each other Even where in a
case or two, armed Intervention be-
came necessary We have shown our
belllgerent little neighbors and the
world at large, that because We are
strong we are not unjust or selfish.
We have respected their rights, not
coveted their territory withdrawn our
armed forces. and left them FREQ and
unhamperod, just 80 soon as condi-
tons would permit us TO do so. This
is an example OF forboarance, the
world has never before seen, and one
Of which We should all bo indeed
proud
We have shown the greatest torbcar-
ance with our dlstraught nelghbor to
the south, and have only the kindlicst
feelings toward her, and hopes that
peace may come to her in the near rl-
turc.
To the young republic In China we
have lent some assistance, and mo-
where have we done any of these
things through any other motive than
that Of real friendship and brotherly