The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-12-05

Gently formed plans of the depart
ment of agriculture may be made to
serve them very greatly in their work
of framing appropriate and adequate
legislation. 1t would be indiscreet
and presumptuous in any one to dog
matte upon so great and many-sided
a question, but l feel confident that
common counsel will produce the re-
suits we must all desire.
ANTITRUST LAWS.
Turn from the farm to the world
of business which centres in the city
and in the factory, and l think that
all thoughtful observers will agree
that the immediate service we owe
the business communities of the coun-
try is to prevent private monopoly
more cffectually than it has yet been
prevented. / think it will be easily
agreed that we should let the Sher-
man antitrust law stand, unaltered,
as it Is, with it's debatable ground
about it, but that we should as much
as possible reduce the area of that
debatable ground by further and
more eplicit legislation; and should
also supplement that great act by
legislation which will not only clari-
fy ii but also facilitate its administra-
ton and make it fairer to all con-
Cerned. No doubt we shall all wish,
and the country will expect, this to
be the central subject of our delib-
erations during the present session,
but 1t is a subject so many-Sided and
so deserving of careful and discrim-
mating discussion that l shall take
the liberty OF addressing you upon it
in a special message at later date
than this. 1t is of capital Importance
that the business men of this country
should be relieved of all uncertain
ties of law with regard to their en-
terprises and investments and clear
path indicated (which they can travel
without anxiety. 1t is as important
that they should be relieved of en-
barrassmcnt and set free to prosper
as that private monopoly should be
destroyed. The ways of action should
be thrown wide open.
turn to a subject which l hope
can be handled promptly and with
out serious controversy of any kind.
l mean the method Of selecting nom
inees for the presidency of the United
States. ] feel confident that / do not
misinterpret the wishes or the eN-
pectations of the country when l urge
the prompt enactment of legislation
which will provide for primary cleo
which the voters of the several par
ties may choose their nominees for
the presidency without the interven-
ton of nominating conventions. l
venture the suggestion that this leg
islation should provide for the re-
tention Of party conventions, but only
for the purpose of declaring and ac-
cepting the verdict Of the primaries
and formulating the platforms of the
parties; and I suggest that these con-
ventions should consist not OF dele
gates chosen for this single purpose,
but Of the nominees for Congress, the
nominees for vacant seats in the SEN
ate of the United States, the senators
whose terms have not yet closed, the
national committee, and the candi-
dates for the presidency themselves,
in order that platforms may be fran
ed by those responsible to the people
for carrying them into effect.
OUR DEPENDENCIES.
These are all matters of vital do
nestle concern, and besides them
outside the charmed circle OF our own
national life in which our affections