I presides t'$ JMessacje
Wnahlncton correspondence:
President Roosevelt's message to
Congress is a very long one, aggregat
ing over 20,000 words. It covers an
Immense variety of subjects, Internal
and external, and has some straight
tanartlcularly on the subject of
fiitmd rate legislation and Federal
supervision of corporations, which will
appeal to the country. The President
has not minced words In his various
recommendations.
The feature of the message which
will attract the most attention, be
cause It litis been made by the Presi
dent the "paramount issue" in Ameri
can politics, is that devoted to the dis
cussion of the railroad rate-question.
The President points out in great de
tail the evils now existing and the
..necessity for their eradication. As a
remedy he proposes that the Interstate
Commerco Commission Bhall be au
thorized in declaring a rate to be un
reasonable, to declare at the same time
what is n maximum, reasonable rate,
und to make an order requiring the of
fending railroad to reduce Its rate to
that maximum. He further recom
mends that in order to insure obedi
ence to the order, the law contain a
penalty, but that opportunity bo re
nerved to the company to appeal to
the Federal court, whose decision shall
be final. The President also Bceks
the regulation of the private car and
terminal interests so that discrimina
tion or rebates in any form shall be
impossible.
The President In his direct recom
mendation stands almost where he
stood a year ago, but not exactly.
Then he said that, while It was unde
sirable to clothe the Interstate Com
merce Commission with general au
thority to tlx railroad rates, he did be
lieve that the. commission should be
vested "with the power, where a given
rate has been challenged and after a
full hearing fouud to be unreasonable,
to decide, subject to judicial review,
what shall bo a reasonable rate to
take Its place, the ruling of the com
mission to take effect Immediately aud
to obtain unless and until reversed by
the court of review."
In his message this year, the Presi
dent takes the position that this pow
er should be vested in the Interstate
Commerce Commission or some other
lZiiS created by the Federal govern
ment' and that It should have authority
to tlx a maximum rate, that Is to say, a
rate above which the carriers shall not
go until the matter has been reviewed
by the court. Hut the President still
stands out for a law which would put
the rate in effect and keep It there, and
to all Intents and purposes his position
is the same as last year, because there
would seem to be no likelihood of
agreement on some rate regulating
body outside of the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
The message is a very elaborate dis
cussion of the whole transportation
problem. There are suggestions that
private car linos, combined rail and
wntrr lines, other auxiliary transporta
tion companies, elevators, etc., tie
brought within the control of the In
terstate Commerce Commission. The
President also devotes some attention
to the necessity for preventing ruin
ous rate wars and unfair competition,
and pays it might be a good thing if
the different trunk linos were allow
ed to meet and consult about rates.
Neotl of IiiMiiriiuci' Itcforiu.
The President 1ms handled the sub
ject of Insurance without gloves, re
ferring to the revelations made during
the Inquiry In New York as evidence
of the great need of Federal super
vision. He says that the only com
plete remedy for the present deplor
able state of affairs will be found in
an aroused public conscience and a
higher sense of ethical conduct among
business men. lie thinks that this
country should follow the policy of
other nations tiy providing national
supervision of commercial Interests
that are clearly national in character.
He also believes the work of the bu
reau of corporations In Investigating
corporations Is having a good effect.
The President's language as usual Is
very strong in dealing with the ques
tionable phases of modern tinance, and
especially with the recent life insur-
ou".e disclosures.
rilivli fflv- PniifinrnKniiu.
Corporations Is a subject which has
been given serious consideration by
the President. He believes corpora
tions should be managed with due re
gard to the interests of the public as
a whole. He has expressed this belief
and lias recommended proper legisla
tion by Congress. In this connection,
attention is called to prosecutions
which have been conducted by the De
partment of Justice. He declares
strongly against overcapitalization and
Jnllatlon, and favors a certain salutary
control over the big corporations en
gaged In Interstate commerce by the
Federal authorities, though expressing
in unmistakable terms his belief that
work that can with propriety be left
In private hands should be so left.
In discussing the relations of capital
and labor the President takes a con
servative position. He tells why it
would bo unwise to deprive the proper
courts of the power to Issuo injunc
tions, but suggests further regulations
to hedge about that power. He speaks
for equal Justico for employer and em
ploye and hopes for the coming of the
day when both will recognize that
"they are properly partners nnd not
enemies."
The message strongly denounces the
corrupt use of money at elections. The
President would make it unlawful for
any corporation to contribute to the
funds of n political committee. lie
would require the publicity of all con
tributions of all individuals. He leaves
Congress no excuse for falling to meet
this growing evil.
ITrKe DomtnHTn Action.
The President has much to say and
nothing to conceal on the subject of
our relations with Santo Domingo. He
tollB the whole story. An arrangement
was entered Into under which the
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
United Stntes was to bo the custodian
of a percentage of tho customs duties
collected, which were to be applied to
the extinguishment of the debt of the
Island. Tho foreign creditors required
us to do so. If we had objcctcU we
could not have complained If some Eu
ropean country had seized tho custom.-
houses of tho Island and administered
tho customs for nn Indefinite period
against the spirit of the Monroe doc
trine. Immediately after the adjourn
ment of the Senate without having
ratified the treaty a foreign war ship
appeared In Dominican waters, de
termined to take n hand In the col
lection of the customs for the bene
fit of the Italian creditors. The Pres
ident asks tho approval of the Senate
for what he has done and requests
the ratification of the pending treaty.
Kulth In the Ciiiiul Project.
There is a full discussion of the Pa
nama Canal. The President gives an
account of everything that has been
done since Congress failed to give him
legislation last winter. He describes
the present financial situation as to
tho canal showing that the money Is
all exhausted and that more must be
appropriated at once If the work Is not
to halt. Two points regarding tho
canal tho President regards as no
longer open to debate: It Is to be
built upon the Isthmus of Panama,
and there Is no question of the entire
feasibility of the route. The report
of the advisory hoard of engineers on
the unsettled point of whether a lock
canal or one at sea level Is more
practical will soon be presented to
Congress.
Ilcform In Connulnr Survlcp.
The President tells of tho reforms
he has ordered In the consular service
and recommends that Congress enact
legislation In order that this service
may be placed upon a sound business
footing, which will enable it to give
satisfactory and adequutc results for
its cost Ho earnestly commends the
encouragement of the merchant ma
rine by appropriate legislation. Tho
President hns had a commission rnnko
a careful investigation of the subject
of citizenship and naturalization. Ho
reports its findings, showing the terri
ble abuses it has found, nnd recom
mends appropriate legislation for their
euro.
Condemns Grnft.
The gross extravagance nml even
graft which have been found to flour
ish are subjects for especial condem
nation, nnd tho difficulty the national
authorities encounter in prosecuting
cases against prominent nnd wealthy
companies whose lawyers light their
battles upon legal technicalities comes
In for mention. The President finds
considerable saving can be made In
tho administration of the government,
and refers to the necessity of making
appropriations in such manner as will
enable purchases of government sup
piles In large lots rather than by each
department as In the past.
1'roitronn In (lie Philippine.
The President Is Bntlslled that real
progress Is being made in the Philip
pines. He regards the government as
more efficient nnd more economical,
and Filipinos are replacing Americana
In official positions. He recommends
strongly legislation for lower tariff
rates on Filipino exports to tho United
StntoB, while he suggests the granting
of n reduction in the schedule on Im
portations from tho Philippine Isl-
nnds. Tho President refrains from
urging n revision of tho tariff.
l'rldo In (Srnwtli or Nuvy.
The President Is gratified at the sub
stantial Increases which have been
made In the navy, and believes this
work should not stop. He refers to
the lessons of tho Uusso-Jnpaue.se war
as vindicating the battleship and con
curs in the recommendations of tho
general hoard of the navy that threo
new battleships be authorized.
C'Ik-oU for Immigration.
Immigration, as usual, Is discussed
fully. There Is an argument for re
stricting immigration to a more desir
able class, and for the safeguarding of
American citizenship. The President
wants laws which will prevent tho
United States from serving as a dump
ing ground for Europe. At tho same
time he wants fair icallng with nil na
tions, nnd has devoted considerable
space to the question of the amend
ment of the Chinese exclusion lnw. IIo
favors continued exclusion of the la
boring classes of the Chinese, but op
poses the exclusion of the Intelligent
classes.
There Is also a full discussion of our
relations with China on the question
of the exclusion of Chinamen. Tliero
has been much ground for complaint
on the pnrt of the Intelligent Chinese
against the enforcement of the exclu
sion laws, and Congress is counseled
to act wisely In order to prevent re
prisals similar to those attempted In
the boycott of American goods In
China.
The President discusses tho encour
agement of tho merclinnt marine, tho
fostering of relations between labor
nnd capital, the necessity for economy
In government expenditures, tho Im
provement of public lands through Irri
gation and through tho enre of the for
est reserve nnd many other subjects
which are discussed at length in tho
reports of tho different heads of the
departments.
1EWSSEND CALL FOR AID
7 SCWS AT OUKSSA BAIt ANOTMK1
bKIUOU UUTIIltEAK
llllltHi-.T Antlmrlllrn tlnnhle to Con
trol Action of Their Own Troopi
nil Sltuulloit OriMT
tlnrr StiIihi
KI1CFF, Kussla, Vin Wor.aw.-
riiore lias been serious street, lighting
MM ween mutinous Suffers and Cos
lacks and between workmen ami
bauds of the " black hundred." Scoroi
af persons have been killed oi
wmndod. Martial law has been pro-
"laimcd. (
LONDON. The Daily Mail's Kiel!
jorrospondont in a ilispiiteh forwarded
by way of l'odwoloo.yskn says:
" Karly In the morning a company
nf Sappers, dissntislied with their
mnrlinul commander, mutinied and
persuaded a second company to Join
them. They left, the fortress fully
armed ami by threats compelled the
remaining Sappers' battalion to join
them. Numbering a thousand, Ihu
mutineers marched to the barracks ol
tho I'Joth Kursk infantry, which,
however, remained loyal. Jewish
musicians maivliod tit tho head of the
milt incurs. Soveial attempts were
made to induce oilier troops to join
them but these likewise failed
"A body ol .'osnoks allowed the
rebels to pass them in the street.
Finally the mutineers arrived at. tlio
barracks of the artillery division
And the A .off infantry regiment,
riie Azoff men answered their appeal
tvith insiiltti and the rebels opened
lire on them. The. A.offs answered
with three volleys. A portion of the
mutineers lied but the others' con
tinned lighting.
Thi! A.offs replied with deadly
volleys and llnally the, rebels lied
headlong, throwing down their arms.
Two hundred of them surrendered
and were conveyed to their barrack!
by Oossacks. All was over by 2 :3C
in the afternoon.
"Fifty dead and a hundred
wounded mutineers wore left on the
ground.
"A court martial has been con
vened and an order issued that 11113
further attempt at mutiny will bt
quelled by artillery. "
ODKSSA. This dispatch is sent al
the request of the Jewish comuiunitj
which fears a fresh massacre by thf
local garrison. It is asserted that 1
proclamation is being circulated ii
lilmost every regiment, calling on
I he soldiers to exterminate the Jowl
ami to destroy the newspaper ollicei
in revenge for groundless accusations
ntraitist the troonsof their narticina
tion in massacres and pillage and in
tin protection of rowdies.
This is exciting the population
against the army.
The Jews assert that the ollicen
delivers anti-seinit ic speeches in t lit
barracks after removing the Jewish
soldiers and that. Governor General
Knulbars himself has confessed that
the ollic.ers are burning for revenge
in the Jews and that he is unable tc
guarantee the preservation of order.
In view of the fact that this city it
jnt irely cut off from St. Petersburg
aud thus is altogether in the hands
af the local authorities, the Jowisl,
community implores all civilizeu
tuitions and their governments tc
take all possible measures at St
I'etersburg to prevent a catastrophe
ivhich may exceed anything that hug
vet occurred.
VIIONNA Tageblatt publishes a
Mimmunicntion from Odessa which
tvns mailed to Podwoloczyska
Gniicia, from which point it was
telegraphed. It read :
"The Ismaili and Donni regiments
stationed at Odessa mutinied but the
authorities succeeded in disarming
all the men.
"An order issued by the minister
of education Count John Tolsto
prohibiting more than the lega
percentage of Jews entering the
university was ignored by the faculty
(vhich had the streets placarded
tvith a notice to the effect that the
oniversity was open.
It is reported from Odessa that, s
peneral strike will be declared soon.
Advices from Sebastopol declare
the panic there is increasing Thf
members of the so-called military
party are holding meetings in all tin
barracks and this fact greatly i 1 1
creases the anxiety for tho future
A dispatch from Cracow, Oalieia,
lays that, news had been receivec
from Warsaw to the effect that nmnj
families are hurriedly leaving thnl
city. The banks doing Gormany and
Austrian business in Warsaw art
meeting ninny incnlls for tho immed
iate payment of considerable sums
TELLS ABOUT NAVY
UCimtrAHV 1IONAPAUTK OFFICII
ANNUAL ItKPOIlT.
Deplores Recent Fatality
Pint Fight nt Acmlcmy 011 I'rtr-
nllM With Ourllntr unit Not to
llu I'litintanuticru Adtlt
Hon to Navy
WASHINGTON. Tho report of Sec
retary Honnparto of tho nnvy was
inbinitted to tho presidont. Discuss
ing the recent fatal prize light nt tho
academy the secretary says:
'A very painful incident has
recently attracted public attention
to the naval aciidemv and caused
grave concern to the department.
One of the midshipmen there died,
early in tho month of November, as
the result of injuries received in a
1st light with another midshipman.
riie department felt bound to order
the trial of the latter by court
martial, nnd in viow of this fact I
refrain from any further comment on
this particular occurrence; but it
may be well to make perfectly clear
the attitude of the department with
r sport, to similar prearranged en
counters between midshipmen, Binco
this attitude has been apparently
misconstrued and therefore unjustly
criticised in certain quarters.
"There maybe something to bo
fairly paid in favor of permitting
Biich conllicts, just iib tliero may have
icon something to bo fairly said In'
favor of permitting dueling, but such'
considerations, ir they exist, address
themselves properly to tho legislative
branch of tho government. As the
law stands now, an encounter of this
character is a crime, nnd this do-
mrtment must and will enforce tho
law. If the congress shall soo lit to
change the law, of courso this will
alter the attitude of tho department,
but while the articles for tho gov
ernment of the navy remain un
changed all participants in such pro
ceedings must be punished with a
severity corresponding to tho grnvity
of their offense.
"The estimates submitted for tho
expenses of tho department and tho
service for tho liscal vear endinir
Juno HO, 11)07, oxcecd by some eleven
aud a half millions the amount ap
propriated for the same purpose for
tho current ilscal year. While tills
additional expense is, of course,
to bo regretted in itself, it can
hardly bo deemed unreasonable, in
view of the steady growth of tho
navy. In fact those estimates have
been reduced by more than $15,000,
000 from the aggrogato..of those sub
mitted by the several chiefs of
bureaus and T think any further re
duction will be made at the risk of
diminis.ing tho elliciency of the navy.
"It will be observed on examin
ing th sin that there is a largo reduc
tion in the amount asked for tho
increase of the navy, the aggregate
of the sums requested for this pur
pose being some $18,000,000 less than
what was asked for the present liscal
year. On the the other hand, there
is a very heavy increase in tho esti
mates of tho bureau of ordinances
and considerable additions to the
appropriations asked for those of
equipment and steam engineering,
besides the increased amounts re
quired for pay and maintenance ot
the navy and marine corps.
"A considerable amount has been
also asked for public works at tho
naval stations, although very heavy
reductions wero inude by the de
partment in the estimates submitted
for this purpose by the bureaus.
The last item is explained by tho
fact that a number of improvements,
which for reasons of economy hnvo
been postponed once or oftenct
already, are now indispensable in
the interest of the service. It ii
further explained in part by the
necessity of making provisions fo
tho advance naval basis at Guanta
namo and Olongnpo, although tho
amounts nlloted for theso purposes
have been kept as low as was con
sistent with nvoiding delay in the
final completion of this work.
"Within the past two years very
impressive Icsboub as to naval prob
lems of the highest importance have
been afforded by tho bloody war in
eastern Asia, now hnppily concluded.
As to some conclusions to be draws
from this experience, we may fairly
say that everyone is agreed, Sucb
are the paramount importance to a
belligerant of thorough preparation,
drill, discipline, target practice, and
proximity to a well supplied bast
at the moment of decisive conllict.",
