Hi IfflllJ GIB
Makes Recoramendations to Congress Concerning
Needed Legislation.
OS riIVLEV'S ASSASy
Tbc President Kcvlrws the Sid Mis
fortoae That (Iroi|[bt Him to the
Presidential Cha'r Work ot the
UUcKst Departments Reviewed—
The Army aad Navy Recommen-
CMtloms Xicocral Peace and Pros
ycriqr-CM Service.
Kollcwir.- is the first annual rrcs
aasc of President ltoosevelt to tbo
Cocgrcsa of the United States, with
the exception of a few unimportant
paragraphs:
Introduction—Ar. tarsi nation of Presi
dent McKaniey—Anarchy.
To the Senate aad Ileus.; of Reprtsen
tilins:
The Cons:e«js = >s«aibl?s this year tin
der tine 5.13 1 j.* of a great calamity.
On ttse eixtii of Septa.iibcr, PrejK'cnl
Mcr.iniey su shot by aa nna'-r'iiit
while atteaains t!i« Pa.i-A.mci Iran Bx-
IKtiUaa at Liuflalo. aid in iliat
dr> on the 'jjrteciilii jf thai month.
Of the list elected Presidents.
I» is |he t'Jird who bja been murder
ed. and the bare icciial oI th.s fact is
cr.Ciciciu to justify grave alarm am uij;
a!! iojal Aaktiein c.t.zm. Mon.o\er
tbt (ircvauiimi of this, the third
»«jicicail'i;i r>f a.i American President
have a cal>;cr significance'.
Both i'pj:J'-3t Lincoln and I'rcaidmjt
ill were killed iijr Msaasina •it
tyn*s ua.'«rii'na!ely not uncommon in
history; President Liacoln the
vV«'ni to tfc* terrible pas-nons arcuaed
by for.r yegra of civil war. ant Pre ;l
d'ttt (UtrlieUl t'j the revonjelul vanity
o? a riisippo.sicd offici:-S"e,;er. I'tcal
dent HeKinlcy was killed by an ahcr!./
dc.'f.nt-d c-;aiinal belonging to [hit
b -15 of criminals wli> object .to ail
{ovrniß'iU, £Xd end bad aUiio. who
aic arain.t any form of p>pu!ar liber
ty if it Is guaranteed by even the mcst
joki and liberal laws, and who lie a*
bt«ti'e to the upright exponent of a free
petiW is >ber will »i to th«! tyranni j|
an'! i!f entpat.
It h not ton much 11 say that it ths
fine o* President McKin'ey's d«a*h he
ws tbe iu.4t widely loi'ed man in ail
the Inlted I'ts'ei: while we"have r.i:»-'r
bad any pub!:- man of bis position who
has L-een an wholly fiee front the 'jtttor
an>nioaitis Incident to public life. His
pt! Ileal opponents w eis the At it to
beir the and most generous
tribute to the broad kindliness of a na
ture. the swN-tneas and gentleness of
ebi.iarter whl h so endeared him to his
cl".e ae.K st>s. To a standard of lofty
iRt-strlty in pnblle life ho united the
tender affccli >ns and home virtues
whith are all Important in the mnke I
tip i-f national character. A gallant sol- f
dlcr In the great war for the Union, bt
aUn.shfiue as an example to all oif
,p«rple because of hia conduct in tl»\\
>EP3t sacred and Intimate of hojtio re I
latinos. TV»re could be no personal
hatted of tim. for heUC/jJ„3Ct«J. »itt>
aught lull consideration for tin- welfare
of others. No one could fall (o rcsperi 1
him who knew him In pubite or prlvsto
111'-. The defenders of thime inurdtratis
criminals who seek to excuse Itieir
criminality b* a;scrting thnV it U exer-,
ck«-d for iolll.-nl ends, inveigh aga.r.-'t
wvalth ail irresponsible power. But,
for. this at 'ni'niiin even thia bat '
ap« b»CT canrj->t be nrjtil.
-President McKlnley wai a man of
nti»lcrate wears e man ito j;
sprang from t'l* stcrdy tillers if lil£
•mT."who hart lilt*e'f bo'nngod nimi;
tbe wa*e-w.irV-rs. w!ia hsj entered tli«
a/rir as a prlraJe»o!dier. Wealth_w.*s
no sirnek at when the President v.n-;
ar«lnnfe v | hot the honcvt toil
ts onter.t with moderate fains after a
llfr'lme of uniernlttlng labor, larqi-Iy
in the eervlce of the public. Still
wae power strncV at In the sene? Ih it
power Is Irroapoaslble or centered !u
the- hands of any one individual. Tl.c
h'.o-* was not aimed at tyranny t»r
wealth. It waa aimed st one M I'te
strongest ehampk»M th« wage-worker
hns ever had: it one of the most faith
fnl representative* of the system of
pnMic rights and representative gov
•mment who has ever risen to public
018-e. President McKlnley filled that
political office for which the entire peo
ple vote, and no President--not e en
Lincoln himself—was ever more car
■estly anxious to represent *he well
thought ont wUhcs of the people; his
one anxletv In everv crisis was to kern
In closest "Mich with tha peop'.4--lo
Ond out w»it they thon-ht and 1 1 en
deavor to e.lve exprca'lon to their
thought, after having endeavored to
guide that thfueht aright. >le had Just
hven re-e'.ccted to the Pres'deucy be
eause the majority of our clllsen*. t'uo
majority of cur farmers and wigs
wtirkera. belk.-ved that he had faith
fullv upheld their Interests for four
yrara. They f.-'t themselves in close
and Inttsiale touch with him. They
felt that he represented sc well and so
honorably all their Ideal* and aaplra
lions that they wished him to coutlnue
for another four years to reprejeut
•hem.
And thla was th« man at whom the
assassin struck? That there might be
nothing larking to complete the Ju las
tike Infamy of his act. he too' a lv.in
tage of an occasion when the President
was meeting the people generally; and
advancing as if to taka the hand out
stretched to him In kindly and brother
ly fellowahlp. be turned the noble and
generous coclUenee of tbe victim Into
an opportunity to strike the fatal blow.
There Is no baser dead la all the ancals
of crime.
The shock, the rrief of the country,
are bitter la the minds of all who saw
the dar\ days while the Pres dent ye!
hovered between life and dea'h. At last
Ike light was etilled In tbf kindly evu
ai.d the breath went from the tips that
even in mortal aeoay uttered no wordi
Mvn of f»*givene*s to b'* mudersr o!
love for his Trie-ids and of nnfalt-rin*
gnat la the will of ths Mcst HUh
■aeh a death, crownlag the glory ol
,*uch a life, leaves us with Infinite sor
row, but with such pi.de in wuat tie
had accomplished ani la hU own per
clicracter. that we feei the nlosr
not as at ruck at him. but as struck at
the Nation. Wc mourn a gcoj and
great President who is .lead; but wij'io
W) irourn we are lUted op by the
splendid achievements of his life and
the grand heroism with which he suit
hi* dealt.
Wlwu wo turn from the maa t» the
Nation, the barm done Is so great as to
ixcite our gravest apprehensions at.«l
to demand our wis*»-t and moat resolute
actios. This criminal was a pnte
scd anarchist. Inflamed by the teach
ings of professed anarchists, and prob
ably also by the reckless utterances of
these who. on the stuihp end in tfce
public prtog. appeal to the dark and
evil spirits of malice and greed. etvy
>ad sullen hatred. The wind Is *own
.' evl by the wen who proach such A >~-
j tilaes. and they canno*. escape their
1 share of the respons bl'ltjr tor the
whirlwind (hat is reaped. l*hls applies
alike to the dell' - ale to
• the explciier of : sationalism. anJ
• to the crude and te->i b vtiionary wls -,
i for whatever roas-j > apologizes for
t crime or excite aim! M discontent.
- ' The blow was ainred Lot at |Ms
t President.' Uat at all Pres.deal i !at
i every syrnha! of government. Prcs'-
. dent McKinley wu as emphatically tl-e
embodiment of th-? pou'.ar will of tae
5 Nation e:: pressed through the form* of
; law mi a New RnjlanJ town meeting
r is In similar fashion the r.-n'mdlneut
I of the law-aMdf vs purpose ?nJ pr».--
tie of the peopie of th>? town -On n>»
• conreiva'jle theory conM tin* murder of
' Ih" President be accepted aj du-r t J pro
• test ncainji "inequalities in the social
1 orde','l save a.i th™ muri.-r of all .the
■ freemen enjt»f ed in a tawn tneiir.g
' could be act'pie'l a •> a protect agiin»t
that soc al inequality which pitta a
' maleia -tor In Jail Anarchy Is no more
• an expression of "social discontent"
' than picking pockets or wife heating
"The anarchist, and especially tl>« an
' archiat In the I'nlted states. !s isferely
' c-ne type of criminal. nn.r« dangeioo.i
' than any other because he represents
' the tame depravity in a greater de'r-M*.
' The nisi who anarchy dlrert
! ly or Indirectly, la any s'»a?e or fa h
ion. or the man who apology* f'.r
anarchists and their deeds, makes Irra
! self morally accessory to murder bo ore
' tli" fact. Th«' anarchist is a crlmib.il
' whose perverted Instincts lead hli;i to
prefer confusion and chaos to the ma»t
' beneficent form of social order. His
protest of concern for worktngmsti id
' outrageous in its impudent falsity, for
' if the political Institution of ths onn
-1 try do not afford opportunity to every
• honest and Intelligent son of toil, then
' the doo.*" of hope Is forever cl'>9d
1 sealtut him. The anarch st la -«ve>y
' where not merely the tnemy of sy.''-m
! and of progress, but the deadly fo» of
liberty If ever anarchy Is triumphant.
Its triumph will last for but one red
'[ momiffli, to be succeeded for ages by
;i the gloomy night of despotism.
[| For the .anarchist himself, whether
he preaches or practices his dor-trine*.
| j 'we need not have "one particle more
concern than for any ordinary murdee
[ »r He -Is eot the -victim of social or
f: political tnj"**'ce. Thore ' aro no
1! wrongs to remedy In bfci case. The
| oal',l* of hi-i -r -n nality Is to be found
til his own e"il passions and In th* evil
conduct of those who urged him on,
"| not In any failure by others or by the
State to do itisllce to Ji'ni or hs. He is
'i a malefactor and nothing el«. 11-» is
In no sense. In no shapo or way. a "Tro
.l duct of social conditions," save as a
highwayman ia "producd" by the fart
' that an invmM ran happens t> have
a purse. It i; a trav -Uy upon tV er -at
' end holy names of liberty and freHjr?n
' to permit thom to be Invoked ;n such
la" cans.'. No man or body of men
• preaching anarchistic doctrinea yhtuiM
be allowed at large nnv more than if
prcachlr-g the murder pf some a pec 11 d
. private individual. Anarrhlstlc speech
| ®s. writinis rnd meet ug* are *ist-a
--t tlally seditions nnd treasonable.
,| I earnestly recommend to the Cii
gres* that in lh» exercise of Its wise
, discretion JJ. should take into consider
r atlcn the coming to this country ot an
archist.! or pet M.ma professing pr:r.cl
f pies hostile to all government aid jna
. tlfvlng the murder of those place I !■
. authority. Such IndivMuala as thos»
t who are not long a*o gathered In open
I meeting to glorify the murder of King
, Humbert of Italy pe'petrste a cr ta»,
and the law should ensure their rlgor-
I on* | unishnient. They and those like
them should be kept ont of this co-m
--n try; and- If found here they ahauld be
3 promptly deported to the eonntry
. whence they came; and far-reaoblng
P provision should be marie for the p«n-
B tehment of those who st.*y. No ma.ter
t calls more urgently for the wises:
. thought of the Congress,
a The Federal courts should be given
>- jurisdiction over any man who kills cr
i- attempta to kill the President or any
r man who by the Const'tutioa or tjr
e laws Is In line ot succession for the
y Presidency, while the punishment for
0 an unsuccessful attempt should be pro
-1 portioned to the enormity of the > f
e fence against our Institutions.
it Anarchy is a crime against :'u»
whole human race; and all man-kind
p should hand against tb* anarchist H'«
crime should be mstle an o(f«nea
against the law of nations, like p!ra-y
and that form of manatcaling known
, as the slave trade; for It la ot
j blacker Infamv lhan either. It shoud
.. be fo declared by treaties among all
p'vll'.tred powers. Snch treaties wnaM
,1 give to the Federal Oovemmenr the
a power of d.-alin? with the crime.
, A grim commentary upon the fo'ly
j of the anarchist pos Hon was affo.ded
by the attitude of the law toward this
very criminal who had Just taken ths
r ' Itfe cf the Piesident. The people woald
'* have torn htm llmh from limb If It had
:: not besn that the law he defied was at
once lnvo v ed In his b»hal'. '»»•
" from hit deed helm committed dt be
!. half of the peon'e against ths govern
ment. the Tove-ntrrent was obliged at
' pnee to erert Its foil police power to
• cave him from Instant death at the
Y hands of the people. Uoreovar. hU
INATION
SUPPLEMENT.
•ieej worked not the (lightest disloca
tion In our governmental gyutom, anil
tiie danger of a recurrence of snob
deeds, no matter how great U nrp.lt
grew, would work only In the direct.on
of strcrgCieu ng and giving haraimos
loj-t* os order. No man will
ever ba reuralaad from bix-oicing Pre
sident by any fear as to iii 3 personal
ta.ety. If th? rL>k to the President's
li.'e b carna t'reat. It would wears that
the oti't weald more and mofe cjau*
lo ba fiilid by men of a spirit wu'.c. i
v. o.iirf iiiaSd theia ra*,;ut« and ui« oi
lers In dealing with evei'y friend of ci s
crder. This grsat country wll! not tall
I Into anarchy, cud If aaarchlats shouid
! ever become a tei tou i mcnacd to its
institutions. they v.ould not merely 'JO
' «um;>ed cut,but would involve in thMr
own ruin evary active or passive sym
pathizer with their doctrines. The
American people are »low to wrstu,
but when their wrath Id once kindied
it burna like a consuming flame.
Confidence Restored.
| During the last live years busiuivrs
confidence has boon restored, and the
Nation is to be congratulated because
of its present abounding prcupern;'.
Buch prosperity can never be create i
j by law alone, although It Is easy enough
to destroy It by mkichlevouif laws. If
the band of the Lord is heavy upon
any country. If flood or drought caincs,
human wisdom is powerless to avert
the calamity Moreavor, no law can
guard ua against the consequence i -ofj
oro own foliy The men who are Idie or I
ctetiuious, the men who seek giluv
not by genuine work with heart or!
hand but by gambling In any forn., are!
always a courca of menace not only toj
tiemsclvcs but to others. If the busi
ness world laioa Its heal, It loses what
i?;ii.atiou cannot supply. Kundaiucii
tally the welfare of ea:.h e.titea, »•»!-
fure.'o;• t!w welfare of the aggr*3?ia
of.sui*tn« whrcb makes the Nation.
li'urt "tat ufoa Individual thrift an\ip
eaergy. iceolnUoa latellfgence. Noih
Ing can take the place of th *
tlual capsclty; but wise legislation n.iJ
ltoßO.it ai;d ir. to 111 rant adminls: ration
ran giv«"lt tha fullest scope, tlw
'p;iuiiunity to work to good effect. j
Corporate Capital.
The tfemendou-s and hl?h!y co»nplex
Industrial develop nont whlc.i went on
with ever accelerated rapijity during
the latter halt of the nlnato- ntli cen
tury brings us face to face, at tin be
ginning i f Iha twent eth. with veiy
serious social p ob.cais.. Th.' old ;aw».
and the old custiiu» which had almost
•erion* soc.al problnxa. The old laws,
tho b ndinj force of law, were ouce
quite sufficient to regulate th? accumii*
Is-ion aiirt distribution of wia.th. tinoe
the Industrial changes which havu so
enormously increased the productlvo
pp»er of manklad, they are no lo.ij r
aulhi-ieut.
'lhe growth of cities his gone on be
yond comparison faster than the grow
th «>f the country, and flio upbui'dtn;;
of the great Industrial centeis una
meant a startling increase, notmeiely
In the aggregate of wealth, but In the
number of very large Individual, and
especially uf very large corporate, for-,
tunes The creation of these great cor
porate fortunes has not been due to
the tariff nor to any other government
al action, but to natural causes in thaj
business world, operating In other
countries as they operajte in our own.
The process has arbused much an-'
tasontaui. a grc.it part of whlca la
wholly without warrant. It Is not true
that aft the rich have grown richer the
poor have grown poorer. On the con
trary. never before baa the average
man, the waje-oarner, the farmer, lb?
email trader, been so well off as 'n tl»i
country and at the present time, ".'bore
have been abuses connected with the
accumulation of wealth; yet It remains
true "that a fortune accummulated in
legitimate business can be accumu'aied
by the person specially benetUed only
on condition of conforrlng Imnioo3>> in
cidental benefits upon others. Success
ful enterpi Is?, of the type which bene-;
fits all mankind, can only exist if the
conditions are such as to offer great
prizes as the rewards of success.
The captains of Industry who have
driven the railway g)3t«ms across this
continent, who have built up our eom
mcrce, who have developed our matn:-j
factures. have on the whole done groat
good to our peoples. Without theru tho
material development of which we arc
justly proud could never have takcrt
place. Moreover, we should recognise
tee immenss importance to this mater
ial development of leaving as unhamp
ered hs Is comaptlble. with the public
good the strong and forceful men upon
whom the success of buslaose opera
tions Inevitably reats. The slightest
study of business conditions will satis
fy anyone capable of forming a Judg
ment that the personal equation ta the
most Important factor In a buslne«s
operation; that the buslnoas ability of
the man at the head of any business
concern, big or little. Is usually tho fao j
tor which Axes the gulf between atrik- j
ing success and hopeless failure.
An additional reaaon for caution in
dealing with corporations Is to be found
In the international commercial con
dltlons of today. Ths same business
conditions which have produced the
great aggregationa or corporate and in
dividual wealth have made thetn very
potent factors In International commer
cial competitions. Business con us
which have the largest means at their
disposal and are managed by the ablest
men are naturally those which take the
lead In the strife for commercial su
premacy among the nations of the
world. America has only Just begun
i to assume that commanding position
In the international buslneas worli
which we believe will more and more
be hers. It Is of the utmost importance
thst this position be not Jeoparded.
. especially at a time when the overflow
I Ing abundsnce of natural re
i sources and the sHlllTbuslnsie energy,
t and mechanical aptitude of our peopi?
■ make foreign markets essential. Under
i such conditions It would be most nn
- wise to cramp or to fetter the youthful
I strength of our Nation.
M Moreover. It cannot too often be
1 pointed out that to strike with Ignor
i ant violence at the Interests of one net
iof men almost inevitably endangers
' the Intersts of aIL The fundamental
I rate In our national lite—the rale
i which underlies all others—is that, on
t the whole, and in the long run. we
I shall go np or down together. There
I are exceptions: and In tlmss of pros
-1 perlty some will prosper far more, and
r| tn times or adversity some will sorter
- far more, than others; hot apeak! ng
- generally, a period of gnod times means
t that all ahare more or less la them, and
> hi a period of hard times all feel the
s stress to m greater or leas dsgree. It
t rarely outfit not to be necessary to en-
ter Into any proof of this statement;
the memory of tie lean yearn will :h
began In 1893 la still vivid, and we
contrast them with the condition® in ;
tbia very y»f which is now cloi.usj. j
Disaster to great butlccoa enterprise
can neve? have Its effect* lim.ted 10 j,
the men at the top. It spreads tVo'ir '• |
cat. and while it la bad for cyeryl-vJy
it ia worst for these farthest down.
The capitalist may be shorn of h.3 lux
uries; but the may be de
prived of even bare necessities.
Tho mechanism of mo.iem basinets
Is so delicate that extreme care most
be taken not to iaterfcre with it ia a
spirit of rasbnees or Ignorance. Many
of these who have made it their vt>ea-|
tlon to denounce the great industrial
combinations which a:e popularly, al
though with technical inaccuracy,
known as "trusts," appeal especially!
t# hatred and fear. These are precise- 1
ly the two emotions, particular y w h n
combined with ignorance, which Ultiil
men for the exercise of cool and steady
judgment. In facing new Indust: Lai
conditions, the whole history of the,
world shown that legislation will gene-j
rally fce both unwise and ineffective an-;
less undertaken after calm inquiry and
with sober self-restraint. Much of the
legislation directed at the trusts would
have been exceedingly mischievous h-id
It not also been entirely Inefective. In
accordance with a well-known IMCIS
glca! law. the ignorant or reckless agi
tator has been the really effective
friend of the evils which he bu 1M»B
nominally oppesing. In dealing with
business Intcreats. for the Gorernmei.t
to undertake by crude and 111-cotuuler
i*d legislation to do what may turn out
to be bad. would be to incur the risjt of
such far-reaching national disaster thn*.
it would be preferable to uadertaKe
nothing at all. The men who den'gnd
the impossible or the undsrsirs'da,
nerve as the silica of the forces with
which they are nominally at wa*. for
they hamper those who would endeav
or to find ouf In rational fashion wt-.it
the wroai«J really are to what JXU-TI
r.D t In what manner it ia practicable •
to apply remedies.
All this true: and yet It is also lite
that there are real and grave evil*, otic
of the chief beirg over capitalization
because of Its many baleful coa.«oqmn
rra; and a resolute and practical effort
most be mcde to correct thcee evila
There U a widespread conviction In
the minds of the American prop's «V.at
the great corporation* known as rus' F.
sr.? In certain of their featurea and t*n-
j hurtful to the general w.il'a e.
Thl* sprlnrs from no spirit of envy or
Mncbarttableness. nor lac* of prid-» ia
the great lnai®'rlal achiaveajeius 'r.at
have placed tbia country at the head
of the nations sttu;«ling for comruer-"
clal suprcmai v. It dope not rest upon
a lack of intelligent appreciation of Iho
necessity of meeting changing ar.J
condition* of trade with new
methods, nor upon Ignorance of the fact
that combination of capital In the
to accomplish great things Is necraiary
when the world's progress demand*
that great thinr.? be done. It h ba?cd
upon sincere conviction that eom'.iina
tlcn snd concentration should be, not
prohibited, but supervised and wltola
reasonable limits controlled; acJ 'n
my judgment tt*is conviction Is right.
It is no limitation upon property
rights or freedom of contract to require
thst when men receive from Govern
ment the prlvilssre of doing busiui'ss
under corporate form, which freea ihem
from individual responsibility, and en
abled them to call Into theltr enterprises
the capital of the public they shall do
so upon absolutely truthful represen
tations ss to the value of the property
!n which the capital la to be invested.
Corporations engaged in interjtate
commerce should be regulated if *hcy
arc round to eterclsr a license work
ing to the public Injury. It should be
as much the aim of those who seek fnr
social betterment to rid the business
world of crimes of cumming as to r'd
the entire body politics of crimes of v o
lence. Crest corporations exist only
because created and safe
guarded by our institutions: and It is
therefore our right and our duty to ace
that they work in harmony with the e
Institutions. ■
The flfst essential in determir.'ng
how to deal with the pro at Industrial
combinations is knowledge of the facta
—publicity. In the interest of the pub
lic. the Government should have the
right to Inspect and examine the work
ings of the great corporations engaged
In Interstate business. Publicity is "lie
only sure remedy which we can invoke.
What farther remedies are needel in
tho way of governmental regulation, or
taxation..ran only be determined after
publicity has been obtained, by process
of law .and In the coarse of admin
istration. The first requisite Is knowl
edge. full and complete—knowledge
| which may be made public to ;h«
! world. —•
Artificial bodies, such as corporations
and joint stock or other association*,
depending upon any statutory law for
their existence or privileges, should be
subject to proper governmental super
vision. and full and accurate Informa
tion aa to their operatlona should be
made public regularly at reasonable in
tervals.
The large corporations, commonly
called trusts, though organised In une
State, always do business In any
States, often doing very little buaiae s
In the State where they are incorpor
ated. There Is utter lack of uniformity
in the Btate laws about them: and aa
no State haa any exclusive Interest in
or power over their acta. It has in ■prac
tice proved Impossible to get adequate
regulation through State action. Th.T*-
fore. In the Interest or toe whole reo
ple. the Nation should, without inter
fering with the power of the Ststes in
the' matutfltself. also assume power of
supervision and regulation over all cor
poration doing an Interstate business.
This la eapecially true where the cor
poration derives a portion of Its wsalth
from the existence of some monopo
listic element or tendency in Its Dim
ness. There would be no hardship in I
such supervision: banks are subject to
It. and In their case It Is now accepted
ss a simple matter of course. Indeed. ,
It Is probable thst supervision of cor
porations by the National Government
need not go so far aa Is now the -sse
with the supervision exercised ov»r
them by so conservative « Stat* aa j
Massachusetts. In order to produce ex- I
ment of the eight-hour taw easy snd
certain. In all lnduatriea carried on d> i
rectly or Indirectly for tho Unted j
Statee Government warns and eh 11-
drea should be protected from e*ces
cellent results.
• When the Constitution was adopted,
at-the end of tb« eighteen.h caan'.ry,
no human wiaJooi could foretell the
sweeping changes, alike in industrial
and political conditions, which were to
! f a!:e place by thV " of the
twentieth eeatcry. At that time It «ras
accepted as a matter of course t'aat the
several States were the proper authori
ties to regulate, so far as wis thea
neeessiry. lasignili
cant and strictly localized corporate
bodies of the day. The cani!tons arc
now wholly different and whoiiy dtf
i rent action ia called for. I believe
that a law can be framed wbleb will
enable the National Government »o ex
ercise control along the tines above in
dicated ; pro Sting by the expericnco
1 rained thsocgh the pasnge tnl admin
istration of the Interstate-Commerce
Act. If. however, the judgment of the
Congress is that It lacks the constitu
tional power to pass such aa act, then
: a constitutional amendment should be
| submitted to confer the power.
There should be created a C-ablaest
officer, to be known as Secretary of
Commerce and Industries, as provided
in the bill introduced st the last ses
sion of the Congress. It ahculd be his
province to deal with commerce In Its
broadest sense; Including among ncny
other things whatever concerns labi*r
and all matters affect In? the
business corporations and our mcr
chant marine.
• The course proposed is one phase "f
what fchot ld be a comprehensive and"
far-neachla* *cheice of constructive
steamship for the p::rpa?e pf broaden
ing our markets. securing onr business
interests on a safe bss's. snl ma'; a;
' firm our position :n t v e Interna
tional. iaii'strial world: while scrupu
lously safeguarding the rights of
.wage-worker sad capitalist, of investor
and private citizen, so as to i.ecrtre
equity zz between man »nJ man is
Republic.
The Farmer and Wafle-Worlcir.
With the sole exception of the farm
ing interest, no one matter is of such
v'iaJ moment to our whole people cs
the welfare of the ware-workers. If
the farmer and the wage-worker are
well off. It is absolutely certain that all
others will be wc:l off too. there
fore a trailer for heariy con ?ratulaUi n
that on the whale wares are higher to
day in the I'nited States than ever be
fore in 6lit history, and far higher than
In any oth'T country. The E.'andarJ of
liv'ng is also higher than ever before.
Kve.ry effo. I of legislator and adatin.s
trator should be bent to secure ths
permanency of this condlticn of things
and its improvement wherever pos
sib'e. Not only must oar labor be pro
tected by the tariff, but it should also
be protected so far as It is poss.lile
from the presence In this country of
any laborers bro-jght over by contract,
or of those who. coming freely, yet rev
resent a standard of living so depressed
that they can rndersel! oar men in the
labor market and drag them to a lower
level. I regard it as necessary, with
this end In view, to re-enact Immedi
ately the law excluding Chinese labor
ers and to strengthen It wherever -»«2-
essary in order to make its enforce
ment entirely effective.
The National Government should de
mand the highest quality of servica
from Its employes; and In return it
should be a good employer. If possible
legislation should be passed. In connec
tion wttb the Interstate Comm»rrf
Law, which will render effective the
efforts of different States, to do away
with the competition of convict ton
tract labor in the open labor market.
Po far as practicable i;nder the on li
tlon of Government work, provision
should be made to render the enforcc
s!ve hours of labor, from night work,
and from work under insanitary con
ditions. The Government should pro
vide in its contracts that all work
should be done cnUer "fair" conditions,
and in addition to setting a high stan
dard should uphold it by proper in
flection. extending if necessary to fIM
subcontractors. The Govemmea*
should forbid all night work for wotnen
and children, as wejl as excessive over
time. For the District of Columbia a
good factory law should le passed: and
as a powerful Indirect aid to such laws,
provision should be made to turn tbe
Inhabltated alleys, the existence f
"which l« a reproach to our Capital City.
Into minor atrrets, where the inhabi
tants can live under conditions favor
able to health and morals.
American wage-workers work with
their beads aa well as their hands.
Moreover, they take a keen pride in
what they are doing: ao that, independ
ent of the reward, they wish to turn
out a perfect Job. This is the treat se
cret of our success in competition with
the labor of foreign countries.
The most vital problem with wjilch
this country. and 1 for ~ that
matter the whole civilized worll
baa to deal. U the prob
lem which has for one side the better
ment of social conditions, moral and
physical. In large cities, and for
another side the effort to deal with
that tangle of far-reach Ins questions
which we group together when we
speak of "labor." The chief factor In
the success of each man—wage-worker,
farmer, and capitalist alike —moat ever
be the son total of his own Individual
qualities and abilities. Second only to
this comes the power of acting la com
bination or association with others.
Very great good has been and will be
accomplished by associations or anions
of wage-workers, when managed with
forethought, and when they comb ne
Ins'stence upon their own rights with
law-abiding respect for the rights of
others. The display of these qualities
In such bodies Is a duty to the Nation
no lesa than to the associations them
selves. Finally, there must also In
. many cases be action by the Govern
ment In order to safeguard the rights
and lntereats of aIL Cnler oar Consti
tution there la ipnch more scope far
: such action by the State and the Mu
nicipality thaa by the Nation. But on
rain's s-ch as thorn torched on above
the National Government can act
Wl-en all is said and done, the rule
of brotherhood remains as the ladle
pen sable prerequisite to success la tha
■ kind at national tlfe tor which ve
Strive. Back man mast work for kim
i self, and unless he ah works no ontsMa
help can mid him; bnt each mn
must remeaiter also that be la indeed
his briber's i-cejer. sad that while a*
nsa wfco «?:«« «o silk ess ba rar
ijr J with adviciaae is fc-xcaelf or tny
ont else. yet that ezih at U:nes t:am
bles or hahs. tiat coci at times needs
|!o have the hcipltg haai odtje'did
> to blm. To be effective,
aid mu£i always ia .:• the tarsi of
hr-iping a man to Lc. i t.nufil; md
we can all teat kelp ottrs—vea by jo.n
lns together la the wark Uu U of
common interest to aIL
Our present b«i are
unsit:*f» iory. We need erey hoaot
i and efficient immigrant Seed to bo
come an American rii,z"s. rrerj Im
migrant who COB PS here to stay, WHO
brings here a itron; be ly. a stout
i heart, a good bea and a resolute »ur
pese to do bia duty well I* every way
i and to bring op bis cbi'.dres aa law
i abiding and Goi-fearlns members at
tbe community. Bat there ahoaM ha
i a com prefer DC ve law enacted with tkt
■ object of worts; a three'old laprow
ment over onr pieeent rjitea. Fir*,
we should aim to eirloue absolutely
' not only all persons who are knows to
be belieVna in anarchistic principles
or members of anareVsile societies,
i but also all persona who are of a law
i ; moral tendency or of LBsavory r puta
i tion. This tr;w that we sXJ :ld re
• quire a more thsran: h -ysltm o? 1»-
. spectlon abroad aad a store rigid sys
■ tern of examimt.oa at oar bsmicra
tion porta, tbe former being especially
' j necessary.
Tbe second object of a proper inait
! gration law ought to l;e :o te-are by a
■ careful and not mere y perfunctory id
i u cation test come Intelligeat capacity
; to appreca.e A ireriran institutions
and act wneiy as American citiieaa.
- This would not keep out Ml uirckiiA
for many of them be oas ta tbe iatel
■ lisent criminal class. Bt't it would do
what Is alio in point, that in. tend to
i il«rease the scm of ga;rance. so po
tent in producing the e ivy. suspicion,
ct'lsrnant passion. sad hatred of order.
{cut of which anarchistic sentiment in
■ evitably springs. Finally. an perspas
> should be excluded wha srs below s
• certain standard bf ecoaonlc Alness to
ester our in lust rial Held as com pet I
» tors with American Icbor. There rhould
I be proper pro if of pe rsoasl Capacity to
earn an American living asd enough
> money to insure s decent start under
- American conditions. This woald stop
the Intlux of ebesp labor, sad the ro
i suiting compeiitioa which g ves rise
' to so much of bit.excess ID Americas
• I industrial life; Bad it would dry op
- I tbe springs of the pestilential social
■ conditions in our great cities, wherw
> anarchistic organizat oas have their
' ! greatest possibility of growth.
Iloth the educational and eeonoml*
1 tests in a wist? Uamigration law should
• be ilsigned to protect and elevate the
' general body politic asd social. A very
■ close supervis or! should he exercised
- over the steamship companies which
I . ma.nly bring over the immigrants, asd
- tbey should be held to a strict accoua
f tablllty for any infraction of the law.
Our Tariff System.
There is general a-qulesreace Is oar
. , present tariff system as a national pol
icy. The Brat requisite to oar prosper
. ilty is the continuity and stability of
. this economic policy. Nothing casld bo
, ' more unwise than to disturb the basi
t ncss Interests of the eoonntry by say
, j general tariff change at this Uaas.
. j Doubt, apprebensios. uncertainty are
p exactly what we most w.ab to avoid ia
? the interest cf our commercial and ma
. terial Oar experieaee in the
. j past has shown tbnt sweep.ng revisions
of the tariff are apt to produce eoadl
' lions closely apprcachln; paaic It tho
~ business world. Yet it is oat only poo
. sible. but eminently desirabla. to com
bine with tbe stability of oar yonamie
system a supplementary sjtftfti or re
. je-iprocal benefit and obTCaticm with
, other nations. Sich reciprocity is aa
■lncident and result of the Arm eatab
-1 iishment and preservation of our pres
. cnt economic pol.cy. It waa especially
i provided for is t>e present tariff law.
~ Rreclproclty Is best treated aa the
j handmaiden of protection. Osr Brst
. duty Is to see that the protection
t granted by the tariff Is every cass
I where it is needed Is maiata'aed. and
that reciprocity be aonght for so far ss
It can safely be done without inlsry to
f our home industries. Jos: bow fS~ this
• is roust be determined se.-sruiag to ths
i". individual care, roocemberiaz always
- that every appllcatloa of our tsrlff pol
icy to meet our shifting sstlaaal n~ds
It must be condltiaaal upon tba eardJaal
i. i fact- that the dalles aisst sevwr bs re
t | duced below ths ro nt tbst will caver
I- the dlfferesee between the labor en*
i , here and abroad. The well-being pf ths
wage-worker la a prime consideration
.of our entire policy of ecor.jmic leg-JH
latlon.
Subject to this proviso of the proper
protection necessary to our Industrial
well-being st home, the principal 4
reciprocity must commas] oar hearty
support. The phenomenal growth of
export trade empbeniresVe urge any of
(he need for wider n-arketo and tor a
liberal policy In daallas wit* Isrslgn
nations. Whatever la r-erely petty and
vexations la the way of trade restric
tions should be avoided. Tha easterner*
to whom we disease of oar Mrpina
products la the loag ran d.reefy or in
directly. parchase i tlose snrplue p*w
ducts by giving rs something In re
turn. Their ability to purebaae aar p»-
ducta should aa far aa possible be se
cured hy so arraag ag oar tariff as to
eaahle ua to take from these thaw
products which we caa use without
harm to our owa 'aJuatr'es asd labor,
or the nee of which will be of marked
beneflt to fa.
It la moat Important that wa should
maintain the high level of oar Reseat
prosperity. We have sow reached tha
?olnt In the deve'opmen: of s«r "star
osts where we era not oa'r a«e to
supply oar own markets bat to tra
inee a constantly growing anrplas tor
which we must tod markets ahroid. Tie
secure these marke.s we caa utll:xse
•listing duties la any case waare they
ire ao longer needed for the parjwe
if protection, or in any esse w>ere the
!uty ta ao lonjer ■ert«saiy Dor rwre
aee, u M m»a «th uj» •«*«■
xckuse for whxt »f Tbm ccnttal
-vtationa witli other
ao 4Mteblc Win aiu».lj *•