nn: i-.ek: omaiia. wkuxksiuv. pkokmhkk 7, nno.
10
Message of President Dealing With Domestic Matters of Greatest Importance
A;
.n.iriiriinn nt t ; canal tl:t It neesar1ly i favor of tie rasrase of a law which shall n urn her
fell to tha li'Vfrnmrnt to advance the regulate the truing of Injunction" In shipyards, expensively equipped with tnl
money and perform th work. ' equity without notice in accordance wlth.ern machinery, which after Investigation
Mv own Impression I thnt the tolls o'ight beet practice now In vogue In the the secretary of the navy believes to be
not to exceed II per r.ft ton. On January co,)rl, of the Vnltfd States, t regard this entirety tireless for naval purposes
end there are several of the inviting comi-etltlv bids for terms not ex
ceeding fifty years, With a minimum rental
and royalties upon Ihe coal mined, to be re
adjusted every ten or twelve yeHrs, und
wltli eondltloiis as to- maintenance which
He
been promised, and second because It will
deprive those who now complain of certain
ollcged abuses In the In. proper Issuing of
Injunctions without notice of any real
ground for further amendment and will
tike away all semblance of support for the
extremely radical legislation they propose,
1, 1911. the tolla 'n the Kucx canal are to be
7 franca and 2i centimes for t.ne n't ton
by Hues canal measurement, whlrh la a
tnnHiftotlnn of Danube m-asurem-nt. A
dollar a tnn will secure unitrr the figures
hove a gross Income from the Pnn
canal of nearly r.f) m0. The est of main
tenance and opt rat ion Is estimated to lax
ceed $il.ono.f). I'ltlmately. of course, with
the normal Increase in trade, the Income
will approximate the Int. rest charges upon
the Investment. On the v hole I should
recommend that within certain limits t!.e I the secondary boycott.
yrvsldent be authorised to fix the toils of! I further recommend lo congress the pas
the canal and adjust thm to wnat seems saire of the bill now pending for the In
to be commercial necessity. crease In the salaries of the federal Judges.
1 can not cIok this reference to the i by whlc'.i the chief Justice of the supreme
canal without sujjifestlng as a wise amend- court shall receive J17.50 and the associate
went to the Interstate comm-ree law a J. istl. es 17.i; the circuit Judges constltut
provlslon prohibiting Interstate cnmmrrc9 inc the ,-,cut Conrt of appeals shall re-rallr-.ads
fromowning or controlling snip" j c,Ve llO.Ono. nnd the district Judges, SO.OnO.
engaged In the trade through the 1'nnn.ma I
canal. I believe such a provision may be j Postal flavin. Bank,
needed to save to the people of the United I At lt session congress made provl
Btates the benefits of the competition in 1 'or the establishment of savings banks
trade between the eastern nnd western sea- hy the Pon.oftice department of this gov
boarda which this canal was const! ucud ' einment, by which, under the general con
trol of trustees, consisting of the postmas-
t r general, the secretary of tne treasury
of especial Importance, first because It has)"-" -uw,.m,i, ..o..o.. ........ ... ....... vl ,,,,,- ,,r,Tr ,,,,..,. -
iii.i to mo- mtir ii:i-.'iur. j j .ii'.i .merit wnicn win rev in i-.iii.niinwii- iu
places, where It can be made of use. morcpotixe -ontrol of the coal In any one
In making these recommendations the j oisstrlot or market. 1 do not think that
secretary Is following dlnctly along pr o- j coa, m,fts.urg under acres of surface
gre:-slve lines which have been adopted In wolllrt be too iHige an amount to lease to
our great commercial and manufacturing I iK.
consolidations In this country;
dismantling ur.neceweary and
that Is. of
Inadequate
which will be most pernicious If adopted, plari) ,nd discontinuing their existence
will sap the foundations of Judicial power whre tt nas hrrn aemonstrated that It Is
ind legalise that cruel socihi instrument, unprofitable to continue their maintenance
to their
10 secure.
Department of Justice.
Tha duties of the Department of Justice
have been greatly increased by leg s. at. on
of congress enacted in the Interest of luu
geneial welfare of the people end ex
tending Its activities Into avenues plainly
within Ita constitutional Jurisdiction, but
whlrh It has not been thought wise or
necessary for the general government here
tofore to occupy.
I am glad to say that underv the ap
propriations made tor the department, the
attorney general has vo Improved Its orga
nisation that a vast amount of litigation
of a civil and criminal character has been
disposed of during the current year. This
other cereals, so that there Is
diversification of crops In the south than
ever before and all to the great advan
age of that section.
' The activities of the department have
been greatly Increased by the enactment
cf recent legislation, by the pure food act,
the meat Inspection act, the cattle trans
portation act and the act concerning the
Interstate shipment of game. This depart
ment la one of those the scope of whose
action Is constantly widening, and there-
lhlrU-That the law should provide the fore It Is impossible under ex'sting tegis-
same separation In respect to government
phosphate lands of surface and mineral
lights that now obtains In coal lands, and
that power to lease such lands upon terms
and limitations similar to those above rec
ommended for coal leases, with added con
dition enabling the government to regu-
many cities and towns and at large
of the country as seemed wlso. The Initia
tion and establishment of auch a system
l.fts required a great deal of study on the
bait of the experts In the Postofflce and
Treasury departments, but a system has
now been devised which la believed to be
more economical and simpler In Its opera
tion than any similar aystem abroad. Ar
rangements have been perfected so that
savings bunks will be opened In some cities
at an expense not commensurate
produrt.
The secretary points out that the most
la Guantanamo, In the southeastern part of I "ni1 ,r nR" l, ' P-"'"
Cuba. Its geographical situation Is ad-: to foreign countries of the product,
mlrably adopted to protect the commercial Fourth That the law should allow a pros
paths to the Panama canal, and he shows peclor for oil or gas to have the right to
that by the expenditure of less than half prospect for two years over a certain tract
a million dollars, with the machinery which of government land, the right to be evl
he ahall take from other navy yards, he denced by a license for which he shall pay
can create a r.avul station at Uuantanamj a small sum; and that upon discovery a
of sufficient size and equipment to serve i leap may bo granted upon terms securing
the purpose of an emergency naval base. a minimum rental and proper royalties to
1 earnestly Join in the recommendation I the government, and also the conduct of
(that ho be given the authority which he j the oil or gas well In accord with the best
asus. t am quite aware that such actlou m.thori for k.i.uniim. the .uoolv of oil
In the district. The period of the leases
should be as long as those of coal, but
they should contain similar provisions as
to assignment to prevent monopolistic com
binations. Fifth That water power s j.es be directly
leaded by the federal government, after ad-
and the attorney general, the system could ' 'y to arouse local opposition; but 1
be begun In a few cities and towns and en- axiomatic that in lems-
larged to cover within if. operations Ml1"1"1 ln U!e ,nter'8t of lhe nd tor
pf I r w ' ' 1 1 1 j , , ui li ia i u u ii i r wj
i.io navy, mere local priae or pecuniary
will explain the necessity for s.lghtly In-; an1 ,own on January "1 r
creasing the estimates for the expenses of
the department. Ills report shows the
recoveries made on behalf of the govern
ment, of duties fraudulently withhtld,
public lands Improperly patented, fines ami
penalties for trespass, prosecutions ani
convictions under tha anti-trust law, and
prosecutions under the Interstate commerce
law. I Invite especial attention to the
prosectulona under the federal law of Xw.
so-called "bucket shops," and of thoae
schemes to defraud ln which tha use ut
the mall la an essential part of the fraud
ulent conspiracy, prosecutions which have
saved Ignorant and weak members of the
gradual extension of the benefits of the
plun to the rest of the country.
Wiping; Oat of Postal Deficit.
For many years there has been a deficit
ln the operations of the Fostoffice depart
ment which has been met by appropriation
from the treasury. The appropriation esti
mated for last year from the treasury over
and above the receipts of the department
wus $17.jw,03o. 1 am glad to record the
fact that of that $17,500,OuO estimated for,
$!l.(i0u,0uo was aaved and returned to the
interest in the e.vtabllHhiiient of a navy
yard or station ought to p:ay no rart. The
I'im ' m tti p t . r' a Him . r . v. . . v . .
' ' """"" : ,. .. . . .. , , ..,.., i
upon the Judgment of impartial naval offl- " """' "
cers. .ntliely uninfluenced by any gee-1 "S. upon a proper rental and wWh
graphical or sectional considerations. nil "xlng rate, charged to the
1 unte with the secretary In the recom-' publ c fori un"" of -ric both
mendation that an appropriation be mdelren,M na Tnt''8 be readjustea equu
to construct a suitable crypt at Annapolis I ably ev"ry ten pars l,v rb tiatlon or ,h'
lor the custody of the remain, of John fTWiM- with suitable provision, sgalnst as-
Faul Jones. ' s'gnineni to prevent monopoiisuo roinmun-
t ons. Or that the law shall provide that
upon application made by the authorities
of the state where the water power .Ite Is
lotion to reduce the cost and their c.tl
mates below those of preceding years.
An Interesting review Of the result, of
nn examination made by the department
Into statistics and price, show, that on
the average since lsfll farm products l-avt
Increased in value 72 per cent, while the
things which the farmer buya for use have
Increased but 18 per cent, an Indication
that present condtlon. are favorable to the
farming community.
Department of Commerce and Labor.
The serreistv of the Department of
greater cover the recessary expenses cf organis
ing and carrying on the meeting.
I renew my recommendation that the
claims of the depositors In the Freedmen's
bank be recognlxed and paid by the passage
of the pending bill on that subject.
I also renew my recommendation that
steps be taken looking to the holding of a
negro exposition In celebration of the fif
tieth anniversary of the Issuing by Mr.
Lincoln of the emancipation proclamation.
Bnreaa of Health.
In my message of last year I recom
mended the creation of a Hurean of
Health, In which should be embraced
all those government agencies outside of
the war and navy departments which
are now directed toward tha- preservation
of public health or exercise funtlons ger
mane to that .qbject. I renew thl. recom
mendation. t'lvll Service Cntumlasloa.
The Civil Service commission hae con
tinued Its useful duties during the year.
The necessity for the maintenance of the
provisions of the civil service law was
never greater than today. Officer, respon-
Commerce and Labor has had under ,U ftble for the policy of the administration,
immediate supervision the application of j nd their immediate personal assistants or
the merit sy.tem of promotion to a large aeputles, should not be included
number of .mn,.,ve. and his discussion of the classified service; but In my Ju
this method of promotions based on actual P"" opinion has advanced to the point
experience I commend to the attention of
. Pesrr.
The complete success of our country In
arctic exploration shovld not remain un
noticed. For centuries there has been
friendly rivalry In th s field of effort be
tween the foremost nations and between
the bravest and most accomplished men.
Expeditions to the unknown north, have
been encouraged by enlightened govern
ments sand deserved honors have been
granted to the daring men who have con
ducted them. The unparalleled achieve-
treaaury. Th. personal effort, of the post- '"" f ,ary ln "alng the north pole.
mu.t., ...,.i fci i"" - ri"ifu uy iimcm bau.o -
publlo and are saving them hundreds of i operation of the thousand, of postmasters
S tl
million, of dollar. The violation, of the
anti-trust law present perhaps the moat
important litigation before the department,
and the number of case, filed show, tne
activity of tbe government In enforcing
that atatute.
National Incorporation.
In a special message last year I brought
to tU attention of congress the propriety
and wisdom of enacting a general law pro
viding for tha incorporation of Industrial
and other companies engaged In Interstate
ommeroe, and I renew my recommenda
tion In that behalf.
Claliua.
In Invite th attention of congress to tha
treat number of claim, which at the in
tano of congress, have boen considered
by the court of claims and decided to be
valid claim, against the government. 1'he
delay that occura In the payment of th
money . due under the claims Injure th
reputation of th government a an honest
debtor, and I earnest!; recommend that
thoae claim, which come to congresa with
the Judgment and approval of th court of
claim, ahould b promptly paid.
Jnalolal froeedare.
On great crying need ln the United
States I cheapening th cost of litigation
by ilnrpllfylnf judicial procedure and ex
pediting final judgment. Under present
condition th poor man I. at a woeful
disadvantage In a legal contest with a cor
poration or a rich opponent. The necessity
for th reform exist, both In United State,
court, and In all .tat court. In order to
bring it about, however. It naturally fall.
to th general government by it. example
to furnish a model to all states. A legis
lative commission appointed by Joint reso
lution of congress to revise th procedure
ln th United Btate. court has a. yet
made no report.
Under th law th supreme court of the
United Btate has the power and 1. given
th duty to frame th equity rule, of pro
cedure which ar to obtain ln the fedeiar
court of first Instance. In view of th
heavy burden of pressing litigation which
that court ha had to carry, with one or
two of Its member Incapadated through in
health. It hat not been able to take up
problema of Improving th equity procedure,
which ha practically remained the same
sine th organization of the court in 17s.
It I. reasonable to expect that with all the
vacancie upon th court filled, it will take
up th question of cheapening and simpli
fying the procedure in equity in the courts
of the United State. The equity bu.lnes.
1 much the more important In the federal
court, and I may add much the more ex
pensive, i m strongly convinced that th
peel memoa or improving judicial proced
ure at law i to empower th Supreme
court to do it through th medium of the
rule, of tu court, a. in equity. Thl. 1.
th way In which it has been don in Eng
land, and thoroughly don. Th simplicity
and expedition of provedur In th Engll.h
court, today make a model for th reform
of other systems.
Beveral of the lord chancellor, of Enaland
and of th chief Justices have left -.iiulr
lasting liAtire. upon the history of tutu
country by their construct.' ab'llty n
proposing and seedling the passage o:
remedial legislation effe..rg law reform.
I can not conceive any higher duty thut the
supreme court could perfo.-.n than in lead
ing th way to a simplification of-proceiiui
in ill United (Mates eour's.
Relief from I'sstetmrr Appeals.
No man uugtt to have, maiur f
right, a review of his rase by II. supreme
court, lie should be satisfied by one hear
ing before a court of first '.lutuuc .nd
on review by a court Of ayiiuala. f-.j
and other postal officer throughout the
country In carrying out his plans of reor
ganization and retrenchment. The result
Is that the postmsster general ha. been
able to make his estimate of expenses for
the present year so low ss to keep within
the amount the postal service is expected
to earn.
Kxtenslon of Classified Service.
Upon the recommendation of the post-master-genoral,
I have Included in the
classified service all assistant postmasters,
and I believe that thl. giving a secure
tenure to those who are the most import
ant subordinate, of postmasters will add
much to the efficiency of their office,
and an economical administration. A large
number of th fourth-class postmasters are
now in the classified service. I think It
would be wis to put In th classified ser
vice, th first, aecoid, and third-class poet
masters. Tbe Franking; Privilege.
Th unrestricted manner in which' the
franking privilege Is now being used ' by
the several federal service and by con gT ess
has laid it open to serious abuse, a fact
clearly established through investigation,
recently Instituted by the department. It I.
believed that many abuses of th franking
system could be prevented, and conse
quently a marked economy effected, by
supplying through th agendo of th pos
tal service special official envelopes and
stamp to be Issued on requisition to the
various branches of the federal service re
quiring them, and auch record, to be kept
of all official .tamp supplies as will en
able th post of flee department to maintain
a proper postage account covering th en
tire volume of free government mall.
I tton of the most . expert scientists, has
added to the distinction of our navy, to
which he belongs, and reflect, credit upon
hi. country. Hi. unique success ha. re
ceived generou. acknowledgment from
sc.entlflc bodle. and Institutions of learn
ing In Europe and America. I recommend
fitting recognition by congress of the great
achievement of Robert Edwin Peary.
Department of -the Interior.
The secretary of the Interior recommends
a change of the law In respect to the pro
cedure In adjudicating clanni for lands,
by which appeals can' be taken from the
decision, of the department to the court of
appeal, of the district of Columbia for a
judicial consideration of the right, of the
claimant. This change find, complete anal
ogy in the preaent provision for appeal
from the decision of th commissioner of
patents. Th judgment of th court ln
auch case, would be of decisive value to
land claimants generally and to the De
partment, of th Interior In- the adminis
tration of the law, would enable claimants
to bring into court th final consideration
of Issues as to the title to government land
and would, I think, obviate a good deal of
the subsequent litigation that now arises
in our western courts. The bill I. pend
ing, I believe, in the house, having been
favorably reported from the committee on
public lands, and I recommend It. enact
ment, y . ''
One of the difficulties in the Interior de
partment and ln the land office has been
the delay attendant upon , the considera
tion by the land office and th secretary
of the interior of claims for patent, of
public lands to Individual.. I am glad to
.ay that under the recent appropriation.
congress.
R area a nf Labor.
The commissioner of Iabor has been ac
tively engnged In composing the differ
ences between employer, and employes cm
gaged In interstate transportation, under
the Erdman act, Jointly with the chairman
of the Interstate Commerce coinmlfsion. I
cannot speak In too high terms of the suc
cess of thee two officers ln conciliation
and settlement of controversy, which .but
for their lnterpotilth n, would have resulted
disastrously to all interests.
1 Invite attention to the very serious in-
Jury caused to all those who are engaged
In the manufacture of phosphorus matrhes.
where it wouid support a bill providing a
secure tenure during efficiency for all
purely administrative officials. I entertain
the profound conviction that It would
greatly aid the cause of efficient and econ
omlcal government, and of better politics
If congress could enact a bill providing that
the executive shall have the p.-nver to in
clude In lhe classified service all local
office, under the Treasury department, the
Department of Justice, the Fostoffice de
partment, the Interior department and
the Department of Commerce and Labor,
appointments to which now require the con
firmation of th senate, and that upon
such classification the advice and consent
i of the senate shall cease to be required in
such appointments. By their certainty of
' -'"' ""-""-" - " ' tenure, dependentytm good service, and by
and as matches can be made from other .... . ' m .. .
altuated. It may be patented to the State on
condition that the state shall dispose of It
Ondcr terms like those Just described, and
shall enforce those terms, or upon failure
to comply with the condition, the water
power site and all the plant and improve
ment on the site shall be forfeited and re
vert to the United States, the president
being given the power to declare the for
feiture and to direct legal proceedings for
Its enforcement. Either of these method
would, I think, accomplish the proper pub
lic purpose In respect to water power sites,
but one or the other should be promptly
adopted.
I earnestly urge upon congress that at
this session general conservation legislation
of the character Indicated be adopted. At
its last session this congress tooK most
useful and proper steps ln the cause of
conservation by allowing the executive,
through withdrawals, to suspend the action
of the existing laws ln respect to much of
the public domain. I have not thought that
the danger of disposing of coal lands In the
United States under the preaent laws in
large quantities was bo great as to call
for their withdrawal, because under the
present provisions it is reasonably cer
tain that the government will receive the
real value of the land. But, in respeot
to oil lands, or phosphate lands, and of
gas lands ln the United States, and in
respect to coal lands In- Alaska, I have
exercised the full power of withdrawal with
the hope that the action of congress would
follow promptly and, prevent that tying up
of the resources of th country in tne
western and les. settled portion and In
Alaska, which means stagnation and retro
gression. '
The question of conservation I. not a
partisan one, s.id I sincerely hop that
even In the short Urn of the present ses
sion consideration may be given to those
question, which have now been much dls-
cursed, and that action may be taken upon
them. '
"Alaska.
With reference to th government of
Alaska, I have nothing to add to . the
recommendation. I mad In my laxt mes
sage on the aubject. I am convinced that
the migratory character of th population,
fl.Alt fr.oilnm t w, . . k . ... I . r
,.. I.I. -.,1 T l,altnv thflt I 1 """
.... c..u.. ., ..wv... , . - I lltlcal activity, the. local officer, would
me injurious manuiaciure couiu no uie
Second-Class MfcU Matter.
In my last annual message I Invited th
attention of congress to the Inadequacy of
the postal rat imposed upon second-class
mall matter In so far as that Include maga
lnes, and showed by figures prepared by
experts of th Postofflc department that
th government was rendering a service to
the magazines, coating many million in
excess of th compensation paid. An an
swer was attempted to this by th repre
sentatives of th magazines, and a reply
was filed to this answer by the Fostofflce
department. The utter inadequacy of the
answer, considered In the light of the reply
of th Poitofflc department, I think mtit
appeal to any fair-minded person. Whether
th answer was all that ceuld be said In
behalf of th magazine) la another ques
tion. I agree that th question I one of
fact; but Tlnsist that If th fact is as the
experts of th Pcatoffic department show,
that we r furnishing to th owner of
ma.aaiii a service worth million mora
than they pay for It, then Justice requires
that the rate should be Increased. The in
crease in the receipts of the department
resulting from thl change may b devoted
to Increasing th usefulness of th depart
ment In establlshrlng a parcel, post and In
reducing th cost of first-class postage to
1 cent It ha been said by th postmaster
general that a fair adjustment might be
made under which th advertising part of
the magasine should be charged for at a
different and higher rate from that cf the
, reading matter. This would relieve many
useful ma:axlne that ar not circulated
at a profit, and would not hut thetn out
from th use of the mail by a prohibitory
rat.
Parcels Post.
vt un respect t tne parcel poet, I re
spectfully reewnmend It adoption on alt
rural aenvery route., ana that eleven
pourds-th international limit b mad
the limit of carriage In such post, and this
with a view to Its general extension when
ihe Income of the postofflce will permit
It and th postal savings bank, shi.ll
have been fully established. The same
proper and chief usefulness of the supreme j argument Is mad. against the parcels
court, and especially of Ihe suprume court pet that via. made against the postal
of the United States, la. In tbe cuses which ravings bank that it is Introducing the
CO 'lie be'or It, so to expound tie Uw, an.l j government into a buslneet whW'h ought to
speeually th fundamental law -.lie eorsil- be conducted by private persons, and Is
lutloti as to f'JiiUsU precedents l .r the in- ' iwrr,allai:i. Th Portoffic department
ferlor court tit future litigation iin.l f.: i as a gnat plant and a great organisation,
the executive officers ln the .'o.-j ruction I reaching into th moat remote hamlet of
of statute and the performance of Ihilr the United State, and with this machinery
legal duttus. Therefore, any no.a.on f j- t kt.la to do a great many thins eco
review if eases by the supreme curt that j nomically tnat If a new organisation wer
east upon ti.it court tb duty 01 (.ashinj ; rec:.xary it would be Impossible to do
on quets'.ions of evident and the construc
tion of particular form, cf ln.it. umeuts,
lik Indictment, or wills, or conducts.
ecl.lona nut of general application or n:i
Krtanc, merely clog and burdun the couit
and remler nun dirficult Us hilir func
tion, which make. It so Important a part
Of th fran.ework of our government. Tli
supreme tourt Is now carrying in unnecef.
sary burcn of appeal cf this KluJ and I
earnestly urge that It be rmoru.
Injunction Bill. (
1 wish to renew my '.eit recoinnienua-
ot th congress and th earnest efforts of
the secretary and bis subordinates these
arrears have been disposed of, and th
work of th department has teen brought
more nearly up to dat In respect to th
pending bualnee than ever before in it
history. Economies have been effected
wher possible without legislative Assist
ance, and these are shown In the reduced
estimates for th expenses of th depart
ment during th current fiscal year and
during th year to com.
Th ubjct of tb conservation of the
publlo domain ha commanded the atten
tion of tbe people within the last two or
three years.
There 1 no need for 'radical reform In
th methods of disposing of what ar really
agricultural lands. Th present laws hav
worked well. - The enlarged homestead law
ba encouraged th successful farming of
land in th aemlarid regions.
The total sum already accumulated in th
fund provided by the act for th reclama
tion of arid lands 1 about GS.tM,0u8.76, and
of tlii all but ,J41.06.7 has been allotted
to th various projects, of which there ar
thirty. Congress at Its last session pro
vided for th issuing of ,crtlfloatc of in
debtedness not exceeding $30,000,000, to b
redeemed from the reclamation fund when
th proceeds of lands sold and from th
water rents ahould be sufficient Meantime
In accordance with the provision of th
law, I appointed a board of army engineers
to examine the projects and to ascertain
which ar feasible and worthy of comple
tion. That board has, mad a report upon
the subject, which I shall transmit in a
eeperate message within a few day..
Conservation Atldreaaea.
In September last a conservation coneres
was held at tt I'aul, at which I drllvcrsd
an address on the subjeot of conservation
so far as It was within the Jurisdiction and
possible action of th federal government.
In thut address I sssembled from tha off!
clal records tbe statistics and faots as to
what had been done In this behalf In tho
administration of my predecessor and In
my own. and Indicated the legislative
measures which I bol.aved to be wise in
order to secure the best use, in the public
Interest of what remains of our national
domain. j
There was in this address a very full
discussion of the reasons which led me to
the conclusions staled. For the purpose of
saving In an official record a compre
hensive resume of tbe statistic aud fact,
gathered with sum difficulty In that ad
dress and to avoid their repetition in the
without extravagant expenditure. That 1 1 body of thl message. 1 venture to mate
the reaacn why th postal savings bank
can be carried on at small additional cost,
and why Is It poaulhle to incorporate at a
very Inconsiderable expense a parcels post
In the rural delivery steal.
Abolition of Kavr lards.
The secretary of the navy has g1en
personal examination lo every navy yard
and has studied the uses of the navy yards
Willi reference to the necessities of ourll'1'100
fleet. With a fleet conaUde.rat.ly lee than
half the six of that of the British navy.
the address an accompany ng aptiendix.
Tbe statistics are corrected lo November
H laat.
S peel tie Hecorauseadatlona.
For th r on sons sated In th conserva
tion address I recommend:
Its unequal distribution, and its smallness
of number, which th new census shows to
be about 60,000, ln relation to th enormous
expanse of the territory make it altogether
impracticable to give to those people who
ar In Alaska today and may not b there
a year hence, th power td elect a legisla
ture lo govern an immense territory to
which they have a relation so little per
manent. It 1 far better for the develop
ment of th territory that It be committed
to a commission to be appointed by the
executive, with limited legislative powers I
sufficiently broad to meet th local needs,
than to contlnu th present Insufficient
government with few remedial powers, or
to makey popular government where ther
1 not proper foundation upon which to
reat it
National Parka.
Our national parks hav become so exten
sive and Involve so much detail of action
in their control that It seems to me there
ought to b legislation creating a bureau
for their car and control. Th greatest
natural wonder of this country and tb
urounding territory should b Included In
another national park. I refer to the Orand
Canyon of th Colorado.
Pensions.
Th uniform policy of tb government In
the matter of granting pensions to those
gallant and devoted mn who fought to
sav th Ufa of th nation ln th psrilou
days of th great civil war, ha always
been of the most liberal character. Thot
men are now rapidly passing away. The
best obtainable official statistics show that
they are dying at the rate of something
over 1,000 a month, and, ln view of their
advancing years, this rat must Inevitably,
ln proportion, rapidly increase. To th
man who risked everything on the field of
battle to save th nation in th hour of
its direst need, vie ow a debt which ha
not heeii and should not b computed in a
begiudglng or parsimonious spirit. Hut
while 'Aft should b actuated by thl spirit
to th soldier himself, care should be exer
dned nut to go to absurd lengths, ot dis
tribute the bounty ol Ihe government to
clasres of persons who r.fty, at this late
day, from a mere mercenary motive, seek
to obtain some ick'al relation wiiii an old
veteran now tottering on th brink of tne
grave. Th true spirit of the pension laws
Is lo be found In in uoule bcutinients ex
pressed by Mr. Lincoln In his htui iuauguial
address, wherein, In speaking of the na
lion duty to it aoldlers when th struggi
snould b over, b said we should "car
for him who shall hav borne th battls,
and for hi widow and orphans."
Deparlinaat af Aarlcnltnre.
Th report of tn secretary of agricul
tui invite attention to th stupendous
value of th agricultural product of this
country, amounting in all t toai.OuO.Oug
for this year. This amount 1 larger than
Uun mad ln my Uul annual mcssag lu j w hav hip)rds mora than doubl the
that of 1 by M.OJ0,gw. The existence
of such a crop Indicates a good prospect
Ftrst-lhat the limitation now imposed I tor bul"e throughout th country. A
uin th ecutlv wulch forbid his re- notable cbang lor th better 1 com
serving nior frest land la Oregon. Wash- mmiled upon by lhe secretary In th fact
Idaho,- Montana. Colorado and al the srtuth, especially In those legions
Wyoming b rtpealed. I wher th boll weevil na uiirnered with
tivt d That the coal d-Mlte o the i tit t.roth of cotton, lias given moie at
government be lettavd, after adveriUeineut j leullun lo the cultivation of com auu
couraged and ought to be dlscouragexl by
the imposition of a heavy federal tax.
I recommend the adoption of this method
of stamping out a very serious abuse.
Ktxbt-Honr Law.
Since 1868 it has been the declared pur
pose of this government to favor the move
ment ior an eight-hour day by .provision
of law that none of tho employes employed
by or on behalf of the government should
work longer than eight hours In every
twenty-four. The first declaration of this
view was not accompanied with any penal
clause and with no provision for Its en
forcement, and, though President Grant by
a proclamation twice attempted to tlve it
his sanction and to require th officer of
the government to carry it out, the pur-
Pose of tbe framers of the law was ulti
mately defeated by a decision of the su
preme court holding that the statute as
drawn was merely a direction of the gov
ernment to Its agents and did not invali
date a contract made In behalf of the gov
ernment which provided ln tha contract for
labor a day of longer hours than eight.
Thereafter, ln 1892, the present eight-hour
law was passed, which provides that the
services and employment of all laborers
and mechanics who ar now or may here
after be employed by the government of
the United States, by th District of Co
lumbia, or by any contractor or sub-contractor
on any of tr. publlo works of the
United Stat and of th said District of
Columbia, Is . hereby restricted to eight
hours ln any ons calendar day, and it
shall be unlawful, eto
Thl law ha been construed to limit the
application of the requirement to those,
who are directly employed by the- govern
ment or to those who ar employed upon
publlo works situate upon land owned by
the United States. This construction pre
vented Its application to government bat
tle ships and other vessels built In private
shipyards and to heavy guns and armor
plate contracted for and mad at private
establishment.
The proposed aot provides that no laborer
or mechanic doing any part of the work
contemplated by a contract with the United
States ln the employ of the contractor or
any subcontractor shall be required or
permitted to work more than elgnt hours
a day in any one calendar day.
Apply it to All Work.
It seems to me from th past history
that th government ha been committed
to a policy of encouraging th limitation
of th day' work to eight hour in all
works of construction initiated by itself,
and it seems to in illogical to maintain a
difference between government work don
on government soil and. government work
done ln a private establishment, when th
work Is of uch large dimensions and In
volve the expenditure of much labor fur
a considerable period, so that th private
manufacturer may adjust himself and hi
establishment to th special term of em
ployment that h niust mak with his
workmen for this particular job. To re
quire, however, that every small contraot
of manufacture entered into by the gov
ernment ahould be carried out by th con
tractor with men working at eight hours
would b to lmpos an intolerable burden
upon the government by limiting it sources
bf supply and xcluding altogether the
great majority of those who would other
wise compete for It business.
Th proposed aot rcognisea this in th
exception which It makes to contraots
"for transportation by land or water, for
tha transmission of intelligence, and for
such material or article as may usually
b bought in th opan market whether
made to conform to particular specifica
tions or not, or for th purchase of sup
plies by th government, whethsr manu
factured to conform to particular specifi
cations or not"
I recommend that Instead of enacting
th proposed bill, th meaning of which
1 not clear and definite and might b
given a construction eniburraaing to ths
public interest, the present act b en
larged by providing that public work shall
be construed to include not only buildings
and work upon public ground, but also
ship,, armor, and large guns when manu
factured in private yards or factories.
On of the great difficulties In enforcing
this eight-hour law is that its application
under certain emergencies becomes ex
ceedingly oppreaiiive and ther is a great
temptation to subordinate official to vad
it. I think that It would b wiser to al
low til president, by executive order, to
declare au emergency ln special instanoes
in which th limitation might not ap
ply and, lu such cases, to permit th pay
ment by tha government of extra compen
sation for th time worked each day In
tx cetts of eight hours. I may add that
my suggestions in respect to this legis
lation have the full concurrence of the
commissioner of labor.
Workmen's Compensation.
In view of the keen, widespread In
terest now felt In th United Stat In
a system of compensation fur Industrial
accident to upplant our present thor
oughly unsatisfactory system of employ
ers' liability (a - subject the importance
of which congress has already recognized
by the appointment of th coin mission), I
recommend that the International congress
on Industrial Insurance be Invited to hold
be Induced to become more efficient public
servants.
Flconoiny and K.fflrlency.
The committees on appropr.ntions of con
gress have diligently worked to reduce the
expenses of government and have found
their effort, often blocked by lack of ac
curate Information containing a proper
aralysl. of requirement, and of actual and
reasonable cost.. The result of thl. inquiry
should enable the executive In hi com
munication, to congress to give Informa
tion to which congress I entitled and
which will enable it to promote economy.
I have requeued the head of each de
partment to appoint committee on
economy nd eff.clency in order to ecure
full co-operation in the movement by the
employe, of the gov?rnment themeelve..
1 urge the continuance of the appropria
tion of $100,000 requeued for the fiscal
year 1912.
My experience leads me to believe that
while government methods are much criti
cised, the bad results If w do have bad
results are not due to a. lack of seal or
willingness on the part of the civil erv
rtits. On the contrary, I believe that a fine
spirit of willingness to work exists in the
personnel, which, if properly encouraged.
will produce results equal to those secured
in the best managed private enterprise. In
handling government expenditure the aim
la not profit the aim Is tha maximum of
public service and a minimum of cost We
Wish to reduce the expenditures of th
government, and we wish to save money
to enable the government to fco into soma
of th beneficial project which we ar
debarred from taking up now because w
ought not to Increase our expenditures.
At a later date I shall send to congress
a special message on this general subject.
Civil Service Retirement.
It Is impossible to proceed far in such
an investigation without perceiving the
need of a suitable means of . eliminating
from the service th superannuated. This
can be done in one nf two ways, either by
straight civil pension or by some form of
contributory plan.
Careful study of experiments made by
forqlgn governmenta shows that three
serious objections to th civil pension pay
able out of the publlo treasury may be
brought against it by the taxpayer, th
administrative officer, and the civil em
ploye, respectively. A civil pension 1
bound to become an .enormous, continuous
and increasing tax on th publlo ex
chequer; it 1 demoralising to th service
inc It make difficult th dismissal of
Incompetent employe after they have partly
earned their pension; and It is disadvanta
geous to the main body of employes
themselves since it is always taken Into
account in fixing salaries and only th
few who survlv and remain ln th ser
vice until pensionable age recelv th
valu of their deferred pay. For this rea
son, after a half century of exprino
under a most liberal pension, system, th
civil servant of England succeeded, about
a year ago, In having tb sy.um so modi
f!d a to mak It virtually a contribu
tory plan with provision for refund of
their theoretical contributions.
The experience of England and other
countries shows that neither can a con
tributary plan be successful, human na
ture being What It is, which doe not
mak provision for th rturn of contribu
Hons, with interet, In case of death or
resignation before pensionable age. Fol
lowed to it logical conclusion this mean
thut th simplest and most independent
solution of th problem for both employ
and th government is a compulsory sav
lngs arrangement, th employ to set aside
from hi salary a sum sufficient, with tha
blp of a liberal rat of Interest from th
government, to purchase an adequate an
nuity for hlin on retirement, this ac
cumulation to b inalienably his and claim
able it he leaves th service, before reach
Ing the retirement age or by his heirs
in case of his death. This is the principle
upon which the Uillett bill now pending
is drawn.
The Gllett bill, however, goes futber and
provides that the government shall coutrl
bute to the pension fund of those em
ployes who are now so advanced in ag
that their personal contribution will not
be ufflclnt to create their annuities
befor reaching the retirement age. In my
judgment this provision should be amended
so that the annuities of those employes
hall be paid out of the sa'ailes appro
Diluted for Ui portion vacated by re
tirement, and that the different between
th annuitle thu gi anted aitd th salaries
may b used for th employment of er
flcient clcrts at tbe lower grades. If the
bill can b thus amended I recommend
ii. ....in a it will Initial a valuabl
vium and ultimately result In a g:a
saving In th publc expenditures.
l.trrelat ( ssiuitrei t omuslaalon.
Ther ba not been tun to lest th ben
fit and utility at th amendment to th
li terstat comniarc law contained In th
act approved Jun la, 1110. The law a
enacted did not contain ail the features
which 1 recommended. It did not sptci
fit ally denounce as unlawful th purchase
by one of two parallel and competing roads
of th stock of th other. Nor did it
stbjecl to th restraining Influence of the
Interstate Commerce conimissloo th
of temporary agreements between rail
roads, limited to thirty days, fixing the
ssm rates for traffic between the same
places.
I do not press the consideration of am
of these objects upon congress at this
session. The object of the first provision
la probably generally covered by the ant,
trotil law. The second provision was in
th act referred to the consideration of a
commission to bo appointed by the exciu
tlve and to report upon th matter to
congress. That commission has been ap
pointed and 1 engaged In the Investigation
and consideration of the question sub
mitted under the law. It consists of Presi
dent Arthur T. Hadley of Yale university,
as chairman; Frederick C Strauss. Fred
erick N. Judson, Prof. U. II. Meyer and
Walter I. Fisher, with William K. S. Oris
wold as secretary.
The third purpose led to so mui h mis
construction of Its object that 1 am not
dinposed to press It for further considera
tion. It was Intended to permit railroad
companies to avoid useless rate cutting
by a mere temporary acquiescence In the
me rales for the same service over com
peting railroads, with no obligation what
ever to maintain those rates for any time.
afely Appliance nnd Provisions.
The protection of railroad employes from
personal injury Is a subject of the highest
Importance and dema'uls continuing at
tention. There have been two measures
pending In congress, one for the super
vision of boilers and the other for the
enlargement of dangerous clearances. Cei -
tainly some measure oukIiI to be adopted
looking lo a prevention of accidents from
ll.e.-o cause. It seems to mo that wild
respect to boilers a bill might well be
drawn requiring and enforcing by penally
a proper system of Inspection by the lail
way companies themselves which would
accomplish out purpose. The entire i
tnoval of outside clearances would be at
tended by such enormous expenses thai
home other remedy must b adopted, liy
act of May . 1U10, th Interstate Com
merce commission Is authorised and di
rected to investigate accidents, to report
their causes and Its rccoinmemlatlohx. 1
suggest that the commission be requested
to make a special report as to Injuries
from outside cleaiance ami I ho boat
method of reducing them.
Valuation of Hallroad.
TtM Interstate Commerce commission hat
recommended appropriations for the pur
pose of enabling It to enter upon a valua
tion of all railroads. This has always been
within the jurisdiction of the commission,
but the requisite funds have been wanting,
statistic of the value of each railroad
would be valuable for many purposes, es
pecially It wo ultimately enact any limita
tions upon the power of the liiterstute
railroads to Issue stocks and bonds, as I
hope we may. I think, therefore, that In
order to permit a correct understanding
of the facts. It would b wis to make a
reasonable appropriation to enable the In
terstate Commerce commission to proceed
with due dispatch to the valuation of all
railroads. 1 have no doubt that railroad
companies themselves can and will greatly
facilitate this valuation and make It much
less costly in time and money than has
been supposed.
Fraudulent Bills of Lading.
Forged and fraudulent bill, of lading pur
porting to be is.ued against cotton, some
month since, resulted in losses of several
millions of dollars to American and foreign
banking and cotton interest.. Foreign
bankers then notified American bankers
that after October 31, 1910, they would not
accept bills of exchange drawn against bills
ut lading for cotton Issued by American
railroad companies, Unless American bank
ers would guarantee th Integrity of th '
bills of lading. Th Amarican banker
rightly maintained that they were not
Justified in giving such guarantiee, and
that If they did so, the United 8 tales
would be th only country in th world
who bill wor bo discredited, and whose .
foreign trad was carried on under such
guaranties.
Th foreign bankers extended th time at
which these guaranties wer demanded un
til December li, U10, relying upon us for
protection in the meantime, a th money
which they furnish to mov our cotton crop
la of great value to this country.
For th protection of our own people and
th preservation of our credit ln foreign
trad, I urg upon congress th Immediate
enactment of a law under which ons who,
in good faith, advance money or credit
upon a bill of lading Issued by a com
mon carrier upon an 1b terstat or foreign
shipment caa hold th carrier liable for th
valu of the good described ln th bill at
th valuation specified In the bill, at least
to the extent of th advance mad ln re
liance upon it Such liability exists under
the laws of many of th state. I se no
objection to permitting two classes of bill
of lading to b Issued: (1) Thos under
which a carrier ahall b ab6lutly liable.
as above suggested, and (2) thus wltn
respect to which th carrier shall assume
no liability except for th good actually
delivered to the agent issuing th bill.
Th carrier might be permitted to mak a
small separata specific charg in addition
to th rat of transportation for such
guaranteed bill, a an lusuranc premium
against loss from th added risk, thus re
moving th principal objection which I
understand is made by the railroad com
panies to th imposition of th liability
suggested, vis, that th ordinary trans
portation rate would not -compensate them
for th liability assumed by th abeolut
guaranty of th accuracy of th bill of
lading.
1 further recommend that a punishment
of fin and Imprisonment be Imposed upon
railroad agent and shippers for fraud or
misrepresentation In connection with the
lssu of bills of lading issued upon Inter
tat and foreign shipments.
Let tho Law Stand.
Except a above, I do nut recommend
any amendment to the interstate commerce
law a it stands. I do not now recommend
any amendment to th anti-trust law. Iu
other words, it seems to in that th exist
ing legislation with reference to th regu
lation of corporation and th restraint of
their business has reached a point where
we can stop for a wh.lt and witness th
effect of th vigorous execution of the laws
on th statute book In restraining the
abuses which certainly did exist and which
roused th publlo to demand reform. If
this test develop a need fur further legis
lation, well and good, but until then let ut
execute what we have. Due to the reform
movements of ths present decado, ther
has undoubted'y been a great Improvement
ln business methods and standards.
Th great body of bualnee men of this
country, thus who ar responsible ror Its
commercial development, now have an
earnest deslr to obey the law and to
square their conduct of business to Its re
quirements and limitations.
The. will doubtless be made clearer by
the decisions of th supreme court In cases
pending befor it.
1 believe it to be In th Interest of all
th people of th country that tor the
time being tbe aetlvltlea of government, in
addition to enforcing th existing law. he
directed toward th economy of adminis
tration and th enlargement of opporiiiMi
lles for foreign trade, tha conxei vatiou so l
Improvement of our agricultural Luris (he
building up of hor.ie ndurtrles. ernl u.e
po
wer of corporation engaged In operat- j irnigllieiilng of .onfid-.c of .apiial
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