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Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, December 06, 1901, Image 2

Image and text provided by Idaho State Historical Society

Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89055035/1901-12-06/ed-1/seq-2/

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OUR PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Delivercd to Congress—Glowing Tribute to
McKinley—All Important Topics
Carefully Reviewed.
he
.ur
he
ind
he
no
To the Senate and House of Rep're
sentakeves:
The congress assembles this year un
sier the shadow of a great calamity.
On the fit'll of September, President Me
Kin Icy was sbo: by an anarchist while
attending the Pan-American Exposition
at Buffalo, and died in tli it city on the
]4t.h of that month.
Of the last s-v-n ele'-ted p cedents,
he is the th.rd who has been munleied,
and the bare recital of this fact Is suf
ficient to justify grave alarm among all
loyal American citizens.
circumsuinc.es of this, the third assas
sination of an American president,
have a peculiarly sinister significance.
Both President Lincoln and President
killed By assassins of
Moreover, the
Garfield were
types unfortunately not uncommon In
history; President Lincoln falling a
victim to the terrible passions aroused
by four years of civil war. and Presi
dent Garfield to the revengeful vanity
of a disappointed office-seeker,
dont iMcKInley was killed by an utter
ly deprave! criminal belonging to that
body of criminals who object to all gov
«rinnen ts, good and bad alike, who are
against any form of popular 1 liberty if
it Is guaranteed By even the most just
and liberal laws, and who are as hos
tile to the upright, exponent of a free
people's solicr will as to the tyrannical
and irresponsible despot.
It Is not too much to sav that at the
time of President McKinley's deaih ho
was the most widely loved man In all
the United HLates; while we have never
bad any public man of his position who
has been so wholly free from the bitter
animosities incident to public life. His
political opponents were the flrat to
lawr th» heartiest and most generous
tribute* to the broad kind!.ness of na
ture. the sweetness and gentleness of
character which so endeared him to'his
close associates. To a standard of lofty
integrity in public life he united the
tender affections and homo v.rates
which are all-important in the makeup
of national character. A gallant, sol
dier In the great war for the Union,
he also shone as an example to all out
people lsH'iiuse of his conduct In the
most sue red and Intimate of home re
There could be no personal
îas
.he
I
so
not
the
of
1
Presi
latlons.
hatred of him, for he never acted with
aught but consideration for tiie welfare
of others. No one could f ill to respect
him who knew him in public or privato
Tiie defenders of those murder
in
up
is
lie
at
is
life.
oils criminals who seek to excuse 'their
criminality By asserting that it Is ex
erclaed for political ends, inveigh
against wealth and Irresponsible power.
But for this assassination even this
base apology cannot be urged.
(Such a death, crowning the glory of
such a life, leaves us with infinite sor
row, hut with such pride in what he
bail accomplished and in his own per
eonal character, that we feel the blow
not as struck at him, but as struck at
the nation. We mourn a good and
groat president who is dead; but while
we mourn we are lifted up By the splen
did achievements of his life and the
grand heroism with which he mot his
death.
Wlion we turn from the man to the
nation, the harm done Is so gnvit as to
excite our gravest apprehensions anil
to demand our wisest and most resolute
action. This criminal was a professed
anarchist, inflamed By the teachings oi
professed anarchists, anil probably al
so .by I lie reckless utterances of those
who, on tiie slump and In the public
X»ress. appeal to tiie dark and evil spir
its of malice and greed, envy and sul
leu hatred. The blow was aimed not
ut tliis president, but at all presidents;
at every symbol of government.
The an. î relus., and especially the an
nrctusi in the United Sia'.es, is merely
one type of ciim.nal, more dangerous
than any o'her because he represents
the sam» depravity In a greater degree.
1 earnestly recommend to the con
gross that in tiie exercise of its wise
tl lac rot. on it should take into consider
ation llie coming to th.s country of an
nivhisN or persons professing princi
ples hostile to all government and Justi
fying the murder of those placed in
authority. Such Individuals as those
who not long ago gathered In open
meeting to glorify the murder of King
Humbert of Italy perpetrate a crime,
and the law should ensure their rigor
ous punishment. They and those like
them should bo k»»pt out of this coun
try; and if found here they should be
promptly deported to the country
whence they came; and far-reaching
provision should Ik* made for the pun
ishment of those who stay. No matter
calls more urgently for the wisest
thought of ilie congress.
The federal courts sdiould be given
Jurisdiction over any man who kills or
attempts to kill the president or any
man who by the constitution or by law
Is in line of succession for the presi
dency. while the punishment for an un
successful attempt should b> propor
tioned to the enormity of the offense
against our institutions.
It m t <» r «-it.
« <»ntl*l*'ii«'r
During the last five years business
confidence lias been restored, and the
nation is to bo congratulated because
of its present abounding prosperity.
Such prosperity can never be created
by law alone, although it is easy enough
to destroy it by mischievous laws. If
the hand of the Ix>rd Is heavy upon
any country, if flood or drought conies,
human wisdom is powerless to avert
Lice
ple,
the
of
the
and
the
an
he calamity. Moreover, no law can
uard us against the consequences of
.ur own folly.
The tremendous and highly complex
ndustrlal development which went on
vith ever accelerated rapidity during
he latter half of the nineteenth eeu
ury brings us face to face, at the be
tinning of the twentieth, with very sc
ions social problems. The old laws,
ind the old customs which had almost
he binding force of law, were once
pille sufficient to regulate the accum
ilat.on and distribution of wealth.
Since the industrial changes
have so enormously Increased the pro
luctive power of mankind, they are
no longer sufficient.
It is not true that as the rich have
trnwn richer the poor have
murer.
which
grown
On the contrary, never before
îas the average man, t.he wageworker,
.he farmer, the small trailer, been so
veil off as In this country and at the
»resent time.
Th« captains of industry who have
I riven the railway systems across this
•ontinent, who -have built up our corn
nerce, who have developed our manu
'actures, have on the whole done great
good to our people,
material development of which we are
so Justly proud could never have taken
place. Moreover, we should recognize
he Immense importance to this ma
erlal development of leaving as un
hampered as is compatible with the
>ubl:c good the strong and forceful men
upon whom the success of business op
urations inevitably rests.
An additional reason fo rcaution in
lealing with corporations is to be
found in the international commercial
mndltlons of today. The same busi
ness conditions wh ich have produced
he great aggregations of corporate and
,»dividual wealth have made them very
potent factors In international com
mcrc.lal competition. It Is of the ut
most Importance that this position be
not jeoparded, especially at a time when
the overflow!tig abundance of our own
natural resources ami the skill, busi
ness energy, and mechanical aptitude
of our people make foreign markets
essential. Under such conditions it
the
of
est
ing
the
the
er
*
or
Trust».
, ,, , ....
There is a widespread convie ion In
he minds or the American people that
;he great corporation* known as trusts
ire In certain of their features an. ten
demies hurtful to the generl welfare.
This springs from no spirit of envy or
uncharlUiihlenoss, nor lack of pride u.
he great Industrial achievements that
have placed this country at the head o
the nations struggling for commercial
supremacy. It does not rest upon a lack i
of intelligent appreciation of the ne
cvssltyo meeting changing and chang
ed conditions of trade with new meth
ods. nor upon ignorance of the fact that
combination of capital in he effort to
accomplish great things is necessary
when the world's progress demands
that great things l>o done. It Is based
upon sincere conviction that combina
tion and concentration should be not
prohibited but supervised and within
reasonable limits controlled; and in my
judgment this conviction is right.
U is no limitation upon property
rights or friHHloin of contract to re
quire that when men receive from gov
ornmeut the privilege of doing business
under corporate form, which frees
them from individual responsibility,
and enables them to call into their en
terprises the capital of the public, they
shall do so upon absolutely truthful
representations as to the value of the
property in which the capital is to be
Invested. Corporations engaged in In
terstate commerce should In* regulated
if they are found to exercise a license
working to the public injury. It should
l»e as .much the aim of those who seek
for social betterment to rid the busi
ness world of crimes of cunning as to
rid the entire body politic of crimes of
violence. Great corporations exist only
because they an» created and safe
guarded by our Institutions; and It is
therefore our right and our duty to see
that they work in harmony with these
institutions.
The first essential In determining
how to deal with the great Industrial
combinations is knowledge of the facts
—publicity. In the interest of the pub-1
1
Without them the
would lie most unwise to cramp or to
fetter the youthful strength of our na
tion
Moreover, it cannot, too often be
pointed out that to strike with ignorant
violence at the Interests of one set of
men almos' inevitably endangers the
Interests of all. The fundamental rule
in our national I ff*—the rule which
underlies all others—Is that, on the
whole, and In the long run, we shall go
up or down together.
The mechanism of modern business
is so delicate that extreme care must
lie taken not to interfere with it in a
spirit of rashness or ignorance. The
men who demand tne impossible or the
undesirable serve as the allies of the
forces with which they are nominally
at war. for they hamper those who
would endeavor to And out In rational
fashion what the wrongs really are and
lo what extent and In what manner it
is practicable to apply remedies.
All this is true; and yet it is also
true that there are real and grave evils,
one of tihe chief being over-capitaliza
tion l »coalise of its many baleful con
sequences; and a resolute and practical
effort must be made to correct these
ovllJ.
to
oi
in
like
be
pun
or
any
law
un
the
If
upon
avert
the government should have the
right to inspect and examine the work
ings of the great corporatiou.%.engaged
in interstate business.
The large corporations,
lied trusts, though organ zed in one
in many
lie.
of
commonly
•■a
state, always do business
states, often doing very little busines*
in the state where they are incorpor
There is utter lack of un formity
the state laws about them; ai.d as no
state has any exclusive interest in
power over their acts
Lice proved impossible to get adequate
regulation through state action. There
fore. in the interest of the whole peo
ple, the nation should, without Inter
fering with the power of the states in
the matter itself, also assume power
of supervision and regulation over all
corporations doing an interstate busi
This is especially true where
the corporation derives a portion of -ts
wealth from the ex
nopolistic element or tendency in its
business.
I believe that a law can be framed
which will enable the national govern
ment to exercise control along the lines
•tbove indicated; profiting by the ex
perience gained through the passage
and administration of the interstate
commerce act. If. however, the judg
ment of the congress is that it lacks
the constitutional power to pass such
an act, then a constitutional amend
ment should be submitted to confer the
iterl.
ii
or
and
ch
it has in prac
of
ness.
tence of some mo
to
be
it
powe*.
There should tie created a cabinet
officer, to be known as secretary of com
merce and industries, as provided in
the bill introduced at the last session
of the congress. It Should he his prov
ince to deal with commerce in its oroad
est sense; Including among many other
things whatever concerns labor and all
matters affecting the great business
corporations and our merchant marine.
Welfare u( WnKnvurker»,
With the sole exception of the farm
ing interest, no one matter is of such
vital moment to our whole people as
the welfare of the wage-workers. If
the farmer and the wage-worker are
well off, it is absolutely certain that all
others will be well off too. It is there
fore a matter for hearty congratula
tion that on the whole wages are high
er today in the United States than ever
before in our history, and far higher
han in any other country. The stand
ard of living is also higher than ever
before. Every effort of legislator and
administrator should be bent to secure
the permanency of this condition of
things and its improvement wherever
possible. Not only must our labor -be
protected by the tariff, but it should
* Iso be protected so far as it is possible
from the presence in this country of
any laborers brought over by contract,
or of those who, coming freely, yet
represent a standard of living so de
pressed that they can undersell our
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 Immediately the law excluding
Chinese laborers and to strengthen it
wherever necessary in order to make its
enforcement entirely effective.
The national government should de
mand the highest quality of service
from its employes; and in return it
should ll>e a good employer. If possi
ble legislation should he passed, in con
nection with the interstate commerce
law, which will render effective the ef
forts of different states to do away with
t.he competition of convict contract la
bor in the open labor market. So far
as practicable under the conditions of
government work, provision should be
made to render the enforcement of the
eight-hour law easy and certain. In
all Industries carried on directly or in
directly for tihe United States govern
ment women and children should be
protected from excessive hours of la
bor, from night work, and from work
under unsanitary eonditious. The gov
eminent should provide in its contracts
In that aU worU sho uld be done under
that -f ;lir " conditions, and in addition to
setting a hlgh standard should uphold
ten- it l)y proiwr inaction, extending if
necMeary to the subcontractors. The
or government should forbid all night
u. work for wom en and children, as well
that ;ls excessive overtime. For the ms
o trU>t of Columbia a good factory law
s i, im |,| t„> passed
lack i Iullr ect aid to such laws,
ne- should bo matie t0 turn the inhaUited
alleya> Uu< existence of which Isa re
pnKu .* x t0 <)Ur capital city
that 8tm , u , where the inhabitants can live
to UUller eonditious favorable to health
, ind mora i 8 I
' Amerii-an wage-workers work with
tbt , ir i UM ds as well
Moreov. r
not whal , hey aro doing; so that, independ
ent of the ,-eward. they wish to turn out
my t perfe.-t j,,;,
0l - i)U .. "
laibor of foreign countries,
re
gov- Sm ' l "i t'oiuiitimn,
frees
en
they
the
be
In
seek
busi
to
of
only
safe
is
see
these
facts
pub-1 selves.
of
be
to
it
of
of
is
to
be
of
go
a
the
the
it
ami, as a powerful
provision
lino minor
as their hands,
they take a keen pride in
This is the great secret
in competition with the
The most vital problem with which
this country, and for that matter the
whole civilized world, has to deal, is
the problem w'hie.h has for one side the
betterment of social conditions, moral
and physical, in large cities, and for
another slue the effort to deal with that
tangle of far-reaching questions which
we group together when we speak of
"labor." The chief factor in the
cess of each man—wage-worker, farm
er, and capitalist alike—must ever be
the sum total of his own Individual
qualities and abilities.
suc
Second only to
this conies the power of acting in com
bination or association with others.
Very great good has boon and will be
accomplished by associations or unions
of wage-workers, when managed with
forethought, and when they combine in
sistence upon tilieir own rights
law-abiding respect for the rights
others. The display of these qualities
in such bodies is a duty to the nation
no less than to the associations ihem
witli
of
sibly
ed
ions
When all Is said and done, the rule
brotherhood remains as the mdis
> in the
which we
of
pensable prerequisite to success
kind of national life for
strive.
I ni ni IR rut Ion IjH%vn.
way
be
that,
and
ive,
ing
ened
has
in
Our present Emigration laws
satisfactory. We raid every honest and
efficient immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen, every immigrant wjio
comes here to stay, who brings here a
strong body, a stout heart, a good hea-d,
to do his duty
and to bring up his
are un
and a resolute -purpose
well in every way . . ,
ch 1 Iren as law-abiding ana God-fearing
But there
members of the community,
should be a comprehensive law enacted
with the object of working a threefold
improvement over our present system.
First, we should aim to exclude abso
lutely not only all persons who
known to be -believers in anarchistic
principles or members of anarchistic
societies, but also all persons who are
of a low moral tendency or of unsavory
reputation. This means that we should
require a more thorough system of in
spection abroad and a more rigid sys
tem of examination at our immigration
ports, the former being especially nec s
the
pre
fare
tion
fo
Ing.
sary.
The second object of a proper immi
gration law ought to be to secure by a
careful and not merely perfunctory ed
ucational test some intelligent capacity
to appreciate American institutions
and act sanely as American citizens.
There should be proper proof of per
sonal capacity to earn an American
living and enough money to insure a
decent start under American condi
tioni.
est
the
of
be
as
If
of
-be
of
de
as
re
it
its
de
it
con
ef
la
far
of
be
the
In
in
be
la
gov
to
if
The
well
ms
law
re
live
with
out
Tariff.
There is a general acquiescence In
present tariff system as a national
policy. The first requisite to our pros
perity is the continuity and stability
of this economic policy. Nothing could
be more unwise than to disturb the
business interests of the country by any
general tariff change at this time. Our
experience in the past has shown that
sweeping revisions of the tariff are apt
to produce conditions closely approach
ing panic in the business world. Yet
it is not only possible, but eminently
desirable, to combine with the stability
of our economic system a supplement
ary system of reciprocal benefit and
obligation with other nations. Such
reciprocity is an incident and result of
the firm establishment and preservation
of our present economic policy. Lt was
specially provided for in the present
tarif! law.
Reciprocity must be treated as the
handmaiden of protection. Our first
duty is to see that the protection grant
ed by the tariff in every case where it
is needed is maintained, and that reci
procity be sought so far as it can safe
ly l>e done without injury to our home
industries. The well being cf the wage
worker is a prime consideration of our
entire policy of economic legislation.
Subject to this prov.so of the proper
protection necessary to our industrial
well-being at home, the principle of
reciprocity must command our hearty
support. The phenomenal growth of
our export trade emphasizes the ur
gency of the need for wider markets
and for a liberal policy in dealing with
foreign nations.
It is most important that we should
maintain the high level of our present
prosperity. The cordial relations with
other nations Which are so desirable
will naturally be promoted by the
course thus required by our own in
ter es ti.
I ask the attention of the senate to
the reciprocity treaties laid before it
by my predecessor.
our
to
of
of
Merchant Marine.
The condition of the American mer
chant marine is such as to call for im
mediate remedial action by the con
gress. It is discreditable to us as
nation that our merchant marine
should he utterly insignificant in com
parison to that of other nations which
we overtop in other forms of business.
We should not longer submit to
ditions under which only a trifling por
toin of our great commerce is carried
in our own ships. To remedy this state
of things would not meerly serve to
build up our shipping interests, but it
would also result in a benefit to all who
are interested in the permanent estab
lishment of a wider market for Ameri
can products, and would provide an
auxiliary force for the navy.
Gold Stnndurd.
a
con
The act of March 14. 1900, intended
unequivocally t oestablish gold as the
standard money and to maintain at
parity therewith all forms of
a
money
medium in use with us, has been shown
to be timely and judicious.
in
The price
of our government bonds in the world's
market., when compared with the price
of similar obligations issued by other
nations, is a flattering tribute to
public credit,
dently desirable to maintain.
In many respects the national bank
ing law furnishes sufficient liberty for
the prope rexercise of the bank.ng func
tion; but there seems to be reed of
better safeguards against the deranging
influence of
financial
the
our
This condition it is evi
the
is
the
moral
for
that
which
of
farm
be
commercial
crises and
Moreover, the cur
panics.
rency of the country should be made
responsive to the demands of our do
niestic trade and commerce.
suc
■itprstiite C.
■»inierce Act.
ln 1S8T
a measure wa senacted for
regulation of interstate railways,
commonly known as the interstate com
The cardinal provisions of
that act were that railway rates should
he just and reasonable and that all
shippers, localities and commodities
should be accorded equal treatment. A
commission was created and endowed
with what were supposed
iry powers to execute the pro
visions of this acK
1 hat law was largely an experiment.
Experience has shown the wisdom of
its purposes
the
to
com
be
unions
with
in
nation
ihem
meree act.
witli
to be the
of
r.eee
but has also shown.
pos
sibly that some of its
wrong, certainly that the
ed for the enforcement
ions are defective.
r **qu; e
o 1 It,
Hu 11 w U y m.
The act should be ameniM
way is a public servant. Its r • .
be just to and open to a ]j
alike. The government shom/ 5 ' 1
that, within its jurisdiction «.***
and should provide a speedy i
ive, and effective remedy '
The department of agn cu n.,
ing the past 15 years has stead™
ened its work on economic lii!-'
has accomplished results of r ■
in upbuilding domestic and^î
trade.
10 tk
■a*
ftj
•!
Forettt Prolettloh,
Wise forest protection docs
the withdrawal
not I
of forest
whether of wood, water, orgra*
contributing their full share to
fare of the people, but, on -i
trary, gives the assurance of i a
more certain supplies. Tue "°tJ
mental idea of forestry is the Jj
ation of forests by use. Fores
tion is not an end of itself* • ■
'means to increase and sustain L
sources of our country and the^
tries which depend upon them 1
preservation oif our forests U J
perative business necessity. \y çj
come to see clearly that whatet»
stroys the forest, except to mak»'
fo ragriculture, threatens
Ing.
5
our vi
At present the protection ot th*
est reserves rests with the general'
office, the mapping and déserta
their timber with the b ailed Stau»
logical survey, and the préparai
plans for their conservat.ve
the bureau of forestry, which uj
charged with the general advance
of practical forestry in the N
-States. These various functions sji
be united in the bureau of foresn
which they properly belong.
to
it
use
Arid I.nudM, J
Ht is as right for the national*
eminent to make the streams I
rivers of the arid region useful»
gineering works for water storaJ
to make useful the rivers and la*
of the humid region by engineJ
work3 of another kind. The siori*
the floods in reservoirs at the *
waters of our rivers is bat an ea*
ment of our present policy of riraï
trol, under which levees are toil
the lower reaches of the same sir*
The government should coal
and maintain these reservoirs!
•does other public works. Where!
purpose is to regulate the florl
streams, the water should be t!
freely into the channels in the dril
son to take the same course under*
same laws as the natural flow. I
The reclamation of the unsi
arid public lands presents a diüJ
problem. Here it is not enoughs!
ulate the flow of streams. The*
of the government is to dispose»
land to settlers who will build *
upon it. To accomplish this ■
water must be brought within 1
reach. !
The reclamation and settlemeJ
the arid lands will enrich every!
tion of our country, just as th?J
ment of the Ohio and Mississippi
leys brought prosperity to the Ail
states. I
Whatever the nation does for 'il
tension of irrigation should harm*
with, and tend to improve, thec!
tion of those now living on irrJ
land. I
Our aim should be not simply 'J
claim the largest area of land anil
vide homes for the largest numa
people, but to create for this nel
dustry the best possible social ad
dustrial conditions; and this wfl
that we not only understand tle-1
ing situation, but avail ourselvesfl
best experience of the time in 'jj
luti'on of its problems. A carefui*
should be made, both by thenaWj
the states, of the irrigation la»']
conditions here and abroad. t'l'JJ
ly it will probably be necessary a
nation to cooperate with the *1
arid states in proportion as these*
by their legislation and adinimsM
show themselves fit to receive it
Our Island»*.
to
it
an
a
In Hawaii our aim must to*
velop the territory on the tr»*
American lines. We do not
region of large estates tilled
labor; we wish a healthy A®
community of men Who thefflsc. 1 '
the farms they own.
Lt is a pleasure to say that it
ly more necessary to report as
Rico than as to any state or e '
within our continental h® 1 *
island is thriving as never he.
it is being administered efflee"
honestly. I ask the attention '
congress to the need of legisli-j,
cerning the public lands of
In Cuba such progress
made toward putting the ind''!
government of the island upon
footing that before the presen
of rhe congress closes this *■••
accomplished fact.
In the Philippines
larger. They are very
islands, inhabited . .
tribes, representing widely^
stages of progress toward c.' _
Our earnest effort is to help
pie upward along the stony
cult path that leads to self-fF v
admins
the
a
for
of
our
evi
and
cur
our
ric *■-'
by nuny
do
for
of
all
A
pro
of
AVe hope to make our
of the islands honorable to o •
by making it of the high^ 1 ,
the Filipinos themselves: ® B ,
earnest of what we intend
point to what we have done. ^
greater measure of material ? ^
and of governmental honest,
ftciency has been attained k11
ippines than ever before in
the
tory.
The time has-come wheD .j' r *j|i
be additional legislation
pos-

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