Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-04

appropriate and adequate legislation.
1t would be indiscreet and presump
tuOus In any one to dog1natize upon sc
great and many sided question. but
I feel confident that common counsel
will produce the results we must al
desire.
Turn from the farm to the world Of
business which centers in the city and
In the factory, and think that al
thoughtful observers will agree that
the immediate service we owe the
business communities Of the country
Is to prevent private monopoly more
effectually than it has yet been pre-
vented. think it will be easily agreed
that we should let the Sherman anti
trust law stand. unaltered, as 1t Is,
with its debatable ground about 1t,
but that we should as much as posi-.
BILE reduce the area Of that debatable
ground by further and more explicit
legislation and should also supplement
that great act by legIslat ton which
will not only clarity it but also facili-
tate it's administration and make II
fairer to all concerned.
No doubt we shall all wish. and the
country Will expect, this to be the
central subject of our deliberations
during the present session, but 1t Is a
subject 50 many sided and so deserv-
ing Of careful and discriminating dis
cussion that shall take the liberty Of
addressing You upon 1t in a special
message at later date than this. 1t
is Of capital importance that the bust
ness men Of this country should be re-
lieved Of all uncertainties of law wit!
regard to their enterprises and invest
ments and clear path indicated
which they can travel without anxiety.
1t Is as important that they should be
free to prosper as that private monop-
oily should be destroyed. The ways Of
action should be thrown wide open.
turn to a subject which I hope can
be handled promptly and without seri-
Gus controversy Of any kind. l mean
the method of selecting nominees for
the presidency of the United States.
feel confident that I do not misinter-
pref the wishes or the expectations Of
the country when l urge the prompt
enactment Of legislation which will
provide for primary elections through
out the country at which the voters OF
the several parties may choose their
nominees for the presidency without
the intervention Of nominating conven-
tons l venture the suggestion that
this legislation should provide for the
retention Of party conventions, but
only for the purpose of declaring and
accepting the verdict Of the primaries
and formulating the platforms Of the
parties. and ! suggest that these con-
ventions should consist not Of dele
gates chosen for this single purpose,
but Of the nominees for congress, the
ate Of the United States, the senators
whose terms have not yet closed, the
national committees and the candi-
dates for the presidency themselves.
in order that platforms may be framed
by those responsible to the people for
These are all matters Of vital do
nestle concern, and besides them, out
side the charmed circle Of our own ma
tional life in which our affections COM
mand us, as well as our consciences,
there stand out our obligations toward
our territories over sea. Here we are
trustees. Porto Rico, Hawaii, the Phil
ippines, are ours, indeed, but not ours
to do what we please with. Such ter
ritories, once regarded as mere posses
sions, are no longer to be selfishly ex-
plotted; they are part Of the domain Of
public conscience and Of seryiceable
and enlightened craftsmanship.
We must administer them for the
people who live in them and with the
same sense of responsibility to them as
toward our own people in our domestic
affairs. No doubt we shall success
fully enough bind Porto Rico and the
Hawaiian Islands to ourselves by ties
Of justice and interest and affection,
but the performance Of our duty to-
ward the Philippines Is more diff
cult and debatable matter. We can
satisfy the obligations Of generous Jus
tice toward the people Of Porto Rico
by giving the ample and familiar
rights and privileges accorded our own
citizens in our own territories and our
obligations toward the people Of Ha-
wall by perfecting the provisions for
self government already granted them,
but in the Philippines we must go fur
Their We must hold steadily In view
their ultimate independence, and we
must move toward the time Of that
Independence as steadily as the way
can be cleared and the foundations
thoughtfully and permanently laid
Acting under the authority conferred
upon the president By congress. I have
already accorded the people Of the is-
lands a majority in both houses Of
their legislative body by appointing
five instead Of four native citizens to
the membership Of the commission.
believe that in this way we shall make
proof Of their capacity in counsel and
their sense Of responsibility in the ex-
ercise of political power and that the