TAFT’S MESSAGE IS
SENT TQCONGRESS
Currency Reform, Waterways, Creation of Body
to Deal With Interstate Commerce
and Other Topics Handled.
Gorernnent Expenditures and Revenues a Most Important Question
—Relations with Other Nations, Nicaragua Excepted,
Are Declared To Be Generally Satisfactory.
Washington, Dec. 7.—The president
to-day transmitted to congress a mes
sage substantially as follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre
. sentatives:
The relations of the United States with
all foreign governments have continued
upon the normal basis of amity and good
understanding, and are very generally
satisfactory.
Europe.
Pursuant to the provisions of the gen
eral treaty of arbitration concluded be
tween tlie United States and Great Bri
tain, April 4, UI08, a special agreement
was entered into between the two coun
tries on January 27, 19u9. for the submis
sion of questions relating to the fisher
ies on the North Atlantic coast to a tribu
nal to be formed from members of the
permanent court of arbitration at The
Hague.
In accordance with the provisions of
the special agreement the printed case
of each government was, on October 4
last, submitted to the other and to the
arbitral tribunal at The Hague, and the
counter case of the United States is now
in course of preparation.
The American rights under the fisher
ies article of the lieaty of ISIS have been
a cause of difference between the United
States and Great Britain for nearly 70
years. The interests involved are of
gnat importance to the American fishing
Industry, and the final settlement of the
•ontroversy will remove a source of con
stant irritation and complaint. This is
the first case involving such great In
ternational questions which has been sub
mitted to the permanent court of arbitra
tion at The Hague.
The president tells of the sending
of a commission to investigate the
interests of the United States and its
citizens in Liberia, the commission's
report now being under examination
by the department of state.
He also notes the invitation extend
ed by the Norwegian government to
take part in an international confer
ence next year to devise means to
remedy existing conditions in the
Spitzbergen islands, and of its accept
ance under certain reservations. Men
tion is made of several international
conferences, and then the president
urges that provision be made for
American participation in the world's
fair at Brussels next year. The ques
tions arising out of the Belgian an
nexation of the Congo Free State, he
says, are in a more hopeful stage.
Latin America.
The message speaks with enthusi
asm of the settlement of the boun
•iary dispute between Bolivia and
Peru, and of the fourth Pan-American
conference, to be held in Buenos Aires
next July. Mention is made of the
Argentine republic’s great internation
al agricultural exhibition, which is to
open in May, 1910. and the president
continues:
To-day, more than ever before, Ameri
can capital is seeking investment in for
eign countries and American products are
more and more generally seeking foreign
markets. As a consequence, in all coun
tries there are American citizens and
American interests to be protected, on
occasion, by their government. These
movements of men, of capital and of
commodities bring peoples and govern
ments closer together and so form bonds
of peace and mutual dependency, as they
must also naturally sometimes make
passing points of friction. The resultant
situation inevitably Imposes upon this
government vastly increased responsibili
ties. This administration, through the
department of state and the foreign ser
vice, is lending all proper support to le
gitimate and beneficial American enter
prises in foreign countries, the degree of
such support being measured by the na
tional advantages to be expected. A citi
zen himself cannot by contract or other
wise divest himself of the right, nor can
this government escape the obligation of
his protection in his personal and prop
erty rights when these are unjustly in
fringed In a foreign country. To avoid
ceaseless vexations It is proper that in
considering whether American enterprise
•hould be encouraged or supported in a
particular country, the government
should give full weight not only to the
national, as opposed to the individual
benefits to accrue, but also to the fact
whether or not the government of the
country in question is in its administra
tion and In Its diplomacy faithful to
the principles of moderation, equity and
Justice upon which alone depend interna
tional credit, in diplomacy as well as in
finance.
The I'an-American policy of this govern
ment has long been fixed in its principles
and remains unchanged. With the
changed circumstances of the United
States and of the republics to the south
of us, most of which have great natural
resources, stable government and pro
gressive ideals, the apprehension which
gave rise to the Monroe doctrine may be
said to have nearly disappeared and nei
ther the doctrine as it exists nor any oth
er doctrine of American policy should be
permitted to operate for the perpetuation
of Irresponsible government, the escape
of Just obligations or the Insidious allega
tion of dominating ambitions on the part
of the United States.
Beside the fundamental doctrines of our
Pan-American policy there have grown
up a realization of political interests,
community of institutions and ideals and
a flourishing commerce. Ail these bonds
will be greatly strengthened as time goes
on and increased facilities, such as the
great bank soon to be established in
Latin America, supply the means for
building up Uie colossal intercontinental
commerce of the future.
My meeting with President Diaz and
the greeting exchanged on both American
and Mexican soil served, I hope, to sig
nalize the close and cordial relations
which so well bind together this republic
and the great republic immediately to the
south, between which there Is so vast a
network of material interests.
I am happy to say that all but one of
■i . ■ .»... - ■
• — ■ ■■ —»- ■ ' ■ - I _—————————————————^
Men Not Heroes in Dreams. Great Britain’. Meat Trade. Wherefore “Dixie ” Moving Picture Improvement. Well Described. Economic Anesthesia. =
As to dreams, there was a discus- More lard, according to the British Ul*le ,,an, '™aSinary Place in the To get rid or the fluttering effect Three-year-old Louise, when riding A Missouri dentist says rosewater
sion at the club lunch, and one man returns is imported into Great Brit- soutae,'n *-nited States, celebrated in of moving pictures an inventor has on a rapidly moving electric car, is as good as cocaine to inject into
• remarked that no man dreamed of ain from this than from any other a Popular negro melody as a paradise applied the principle of the stereo- gazed intently out of the window a gums for painless tooth pulling -nd
himself as braver than he is. When country—$18,000,000 worth in 1908. of usurious ease and enjoyment. The scope, the picture being thrown on the -few moments, then exclaimed: "Moth- asserts that all that is needed is to
the dream came, the dreamer was al- The same is true of bacon—$30,000,- mfe °dy wa® ad°Pted as a favorite tune screen by two lenses, in front of which er, just look at the sticks (telephone make the patient believe it w,,l not
ways the under dog. He was in hor- 000 worth, and of hams. $11,000,000 °. e con*ederate armies during the shutters open and close alternately so poles) running home!”—The Delinea- hurt and he will feel no Dain This
I rlble danger, and never did anything worth. Australia has Great Britain’s because U was catchy and rapidly that there is no break in the tor. economical tip might also be used to
picturesque to face it. There may be mutton trade. In 1908 Great Britain’s sp r ng‘ _ series. —--7TT advantage by physicians applying he
men who are brave in their sleep, total imports of provisions reached a No Mustaches in Columbia Fr#nrh A?*?e?n ,ndu8try- radium treatment.
But it would be Interesting to find one value of $425,000,000. of which the’ Columbia univereity boys have ta- The nl, i.™ t ^ w tW° yearS the oil --
man outside of the dozen sleeping United States supplied $86,500,030, ken a step in the matter of reform insufficient fnr her needs /S pl'oducti°n bas doubled in America. New Life-Saving Apparatus,
cowards who is a hero in a dream.— worth. Denmark led with $94,300,- that will meet with commendation the last ten vears ft has i °Ugh 'a pf°duction ls *16,000,000 greater A Scotchman has invented a new
London Chrome!., 000 worth, largely; butter. They have barred mulches. * from 30., loSooTle,000,000 to™* 5£“lS*°,d B“W ‘D SK’ffiUKTSe Sfa
BACKACHE iS KIDNEYACHE.
Usually There Are Other Troubles to
Prove It.
Pain in the back is pain in the kid
neys, in most cases, and it points to
the need of a spe
cial remedy to re
move and cure the
congestion or in
Iflammation of the
kidneys that is in
terfering with their
work and causing
that pain that
» makes you say:
“Oh, my back.”
Thompson Wat
kins, professional
nurse, 420 N. 23rd
St., Parsons, Kan.,
says: “For some
time I was annoyed with sharp twinges
across the small of my bach and Ir
regular passages of the kidney secre
tions. Since using Doan’s Kidney Pills,
I am free from these troubles.’*
Remember the name—Doan’s. Sold
by all dealers. 50 cents a box. Foster
Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y.
THE NEW DISH.
"What do you call this—Ice pud
ling?”
"Well, sir, it used to he called ice
oudding, but now it is known aa the
north pole, or the Cook’s Surprise.”
FOR OLD PEOPLE.
After reaching the age of forty the
human system gradually declines. The
accumulated poisons in tha blood
cause rheumatic pains in the joints,
muscles and back. These warnings
should be promptly relieved and seri
ous illness avoided by using the fol
lowing prescription which shows won- ■
derful results even after the first few
doses and it will eventually restore
physical strength.
“One ounce compound syrup of
Sarsaparilla; one ounce Toris com
pound; half pint of high grade whis
key. This to be mixed and used in
tablespoonful doses before each meal
and at bedtime. The bottle to be well
shaken each time.” Any druggist has
these ingredients or can gat them
from hi3 wholesale house.
May Paste Million Posters.
Artists, billposters, printers, paper
manufacturers and tuberculosis fight
ers are all united in a gigantic crusade
against tuberculosis which is about to
be started under the direction of the
National Association for the Study
and Prevention of Tuberculosis. In
addition to the gifts of free space on
billboards and free printing of posters
made by the Associated Iliilposters
and Distributors of America and the
Poster Printers’ Association, several
hundred paper manufacturers have
given paper for the posters to the
value of several thousand dollars, and
artls o from all over the Jnited States
si • contributing sketches for posters,
free of charge. The local, state and
national anti-tuberculosis associations
will see that the posters are placed
in cities and towns where they are
most needed.
The posters are nine feet long and
seven feet wide and will be printed In
several colors. If sufficient paper Is
procured a million will be pasted up
The value of these various contribu
tions would reach fully $2,000,000 if
paid for at commercial rates.
__
Astonished the Company.
A famous dean was once at dinner,
when, just as the cloth was removed,
the subject of discourse happened to
be that of extraordinary mprtality
among lawyers. “We have lost,” said
a gentleman, “not less than six emi
nent barristers in as many months.”
The dean, who was quite deaf, rose as
his friend finished his remarks, and
gave the company grace—"For this
and every other mercy, make us truly
thankful.”
Unburdening.
“You must at least give that candi
date credit for speaking his mind.”
“Yes,” replied Miss Cayenne. “But
it’s unfortunate that people most will
ing to speak their minds are so often
those whose mentalities are more or
less unpleasant.”
Rebuked.
Clarice—Don’t you think that our
flat is lots nicer than the Browns’?
Friend—Tut, tut, Clarice! It’s bad
I form to match quarters.
RESULTS OF FOOD
Health and Natural Conditions Corns
From Right Feeding.
Man, physically, should be like a
perfectly regulated machine, each part
; working easily in Its appropriate place,
i A slight derangement causes undue
I friction and wear, and frequently ruins
I the entire system.
A well-known educator of Boston
found a way to keep the brain and the
; body in that harmonious co-operation
j which makes a joy of living.
"Two years ago,” she writes, "being
| in a condition of nervous exhaustion, I
j resigned my position as teacher, which
I had held over 40 years. Since then
the entire rest has, of course, been a
benefit, but the use of Grape-Nuts has
removed one great cause of illness In
the past, namely, constipation, and its
attendant evils.
"I generally make my entire break
-ast on a raw egg beaten into Wur
spoonfuls of Grape-Nuts, with a little
hot milk or hot water added. I like
It extremely, my food assimilates, and
my bowels take care of themselves. I
find my brain power and physical con
dition much greater and I know that
the use of the Grape-Nuts has contrib
uted largely to this result
“It Is with feelings of gratitude that
I write this testimonial, and trust ft
may be the means of aiding others in
their search for health.”
Look in pkgs. for the little hook, "The
Road to Wellville." "There’s a Reason.”
Ever rend the above letter? A new
-ne appears from time t:; time. They
•i-e genuine, true, and full of human
interest.
the case;/ which for so long vexed our
relations with Venezuela have been set
tled within the past few months and that,
under the enlightened regime now direct
ing the government of Venezuela, provi
sion has been made for arbitration of the
remaining case before The Hague tri
bunal.
On July JO. 1909. the government of
Panama agreed, after considerable nego
tiation, to indemnify the relatives of the
American officers and sailors who were
brutally treated, one of them having, in
deed, been killed by the Panama police
this year.
The sincere desire of the government of
Panama to do away witli a situation
where such an accident could occur is
manifest in the recent request in compli
ance with which this government has
lent the services of an officer of the army
to be employed by the government of
Panama as Instructor of police.
This government was obliged to inter
vene diplomatically to bring about arbi
tration or settlement of the claim of the'
Emery Company against Nicaragua,
which it had long before been agreed
should be arbitrated. A settlement of
this troublesome case was reached by
the signature of a protocol on September
18. 1909.
Many years ago diplomatic Intervention
became necessary to the protection of the
interests in the American claim of Alsop
& Co. against the government of Chile.
The government of Chile had frequently
admitted obligation in the case and had
promised this government to settle it.
There had been two abortive attempts to
do so through artdtral commissions,
which failed through lack of jurisdiction.
Now, happily, as the result of the recent
diplomatic negotiations, the governments
of the United States and of Chile, actu
ated by the sincere desire to free from
ar.y strain those cordial and friendly re
lations upon which both set such store,
have agreed by a protocol to submit the
controversy to definitive settlement by
his Britannic majesty. Edward VI1.
Since the Washington conventions of
1907 were communicated to the govern
ment of the United States as a consult
ing and advisory party, this government
has been almost continuously called upon
by one or another, and in turn by all of
the five Central American republics, to
exert itself for the maintenance of the
conventions. Nearly every complaint has
been against the Zelaya government of
Nicaragua. which has kept Central
Amerca in constant tension and turmoil.
The responses made to the representa
tions of Central American republics, as
due from the United States on account
of its relation to the Washington conven
tions, have been at all times conservative
and have avoided, so far as possible, any
semblance of interference, although it Is
very apparent that the considerations of
geographic proximity to the Canal Zone
and of the very substantial American in
terests in Central America give to the
United States a special position in the
zone of these republics and the Carib
Dean sea.
1 need not rehearse here the patient ef
forts of this government to promote
peace and welfare among these republics,
efforts which are fully appreciated by
the majority of them, who are loyal to
their true interests. It would be no less
unnecessary to rehearse here the sad
tale of unspeakable barbarities and op
pression alleged to have been committed
by the Zelaya government. Recently two
Americans were put to death by order of
President Zelaya himself. They were of
ficers in the organized forces of a revo
lution which had continued many weeks
and was in control of about half of the
republic, and as such, according to the
modern enlightened practice of civilized
nations, they were entitled to be dealt
with as prisoners of war.
At the date when this message is print
ed this government has terminated dip
lomatic relations with the Zelaya govern
ment. for reasons made public in a com
munication to the former Nicaragua
charge d'affaires, and is intending to take
sucli future steps as may be found most
consistent with its dignity, its duty to
American interests and its mo’al obliga
tions to Central America and to civiliza
tion.
The Far East.
In the far east this government pre
serves unchanged Its policy of support
ing the principle of equality of opportu
nity and scrupulous respect for the Integ
rity of the Chinese empire, to which pol
icy are pledged the Interested powers of
both east and west.
Mention is made of the sending of
students to America by the Chinese
government, of China’s progress
toward the eradication of the opium
evil, and of this government's con
tinued cordial relations with the Jap
anese empire.
The Department of State.
Favorable action by congress on the
estimates submitted by the depart
ment of state Is urged, especially legis
lation for the development and reor
ganization of the department to make
it efficient in furthering our foreign
trade, improvement In the consular
service is noted. Mr. Taft then says:
' Under a provision of the act of Au
gust 5, 1909. I have appointed three
officials to assist the officers of the
government in collecting information
necessary to a wise administration of
the tariff act of August 5. 1909. As to
questions of customs administration
they are cooperating with the officials
of the treasury department and as to
matters of the needs and the exigen
cies of our manufacturers and export
ers, with the department of commerce
and labor, in its relation to the domes
tic aspect of the subject of foreign
commerce. In the study of foreign
tariff treatment they will assist the
bureau of trade relations of the de
partment of state. It is hoped thus to
co-ordinate and bring to bear upon this
most important subject all the agencies
of the government which can contrib
ute anything to Its efficient handling.
As a consequence of Section 2 of
the tariff act of August 5. 1909, it be
comes the duty of the secretary of
state to conduct as diplomatic business
all the negotiations necessary to place
him in a position to advise me as to
whether or not a particular country
unduly discriminates against the
United States fn the sense of the stat
ute referred to. The great scope and
complexity of this work, as well as
the obligation to lend all proper aid
to our expanding commerce, is met by
the expansidn of the bureau o.f trade
relations as set forth in the estimates
for the department of state.
Government Expenditures and Reve
nues.
Perhaps the most important question
presented to this administration is that
of economy in expenditures and suffi
ciency of revenue. The deficit of the
last fiscal year, and the certain deficit
of the current year, prompted congress
to throw a greater responsibility on
the executive and the secretary of the
treasury than had heretofore been de
clared by statute. This declaration
imposes upon the secretary of the
treasury the duty of assembling all the
estimates of the executive departments
bureaus, and offices, of the expendi
tures necessary in the ensuing fiscal
year, and of making an estimate of
the revenues of the government for
the same period; and if a probable
deficit is thus shown, it Is made the
duty of the president to recommend
the method by which such deficit can
be met.
T ic report of the secretary shows
that the ordinary expenditures for the
current fiscal year ending June 30. 1910.
will exceed the estimated receipts by
$34,075,620. If to this deficit is added
the sum to be disbursed for the Pan
arm. Canal, amounting to $38,000,000
and $1,000,000 to be paid on the public
debt, the deficit of ordinary receipts
and expenditures will be increased to
a total deficit of $73,075,620. This de
ficit the secretary proposes to meet by
the proceeds of bonds issued to pay
the cost of constructing the Panama
Caral. I approve this proposal.
The policy of paying for the con
struction of the Panama Canal, not out
of current revenue, hut by bond issues
was adopted in the Spooner act of
1890. and there seems to be no good
reason for departing from the prio
ri pe by which a part at least of the
burden of the cost of the canal shall
fall upon our posterity who are to en
joy it; and there is all the more rea
son for this view because the actual
cost to date of the canal, which is now
half done and which will be completed
anuary 1, 1915, shows that the cost of
engineering and construction will be
$297 766 000. instead of $139,705,200. as
originally estimated. In addition to
engineering and construction, the other
expenses, including sanitation and gov
errment. and the amount paid for the
properties, the franchise, and the privi
lege of building the canal, increase the
cost of $75 435.000. to a total of $375.
201.000. The increase in the cost of
engineering and construction is due to
a substantial enlargement of the plan
of construction by widening the canal
100 feet in the Culebra cut and by in
creasing the dimensions of the locks,
to the underestimate of the quantity of
the work to be done under the orig
inal plan, and to an underestimate of
the cost of labor and materials, both of
which have greatly enhanced in price
since the original estimmate was made.
In order to avoid a deficit for the
ensuing fiscal year. I directed the
heads of departments in th** prepara
tion of their estimates to make them
as low as possible consistent with im
perative governmental necessity. The
result has been, as I am advised by the
secretary of the treasury, that the es
timates for the expenses of the gov
ernment for the next fiscal year end
ing June 30. 1911, are less than the ap
propriations for this current fiscal
year by $42,818,000. So far as the sec
retary of the treasury is,able to form
a judgment as to future income and
compare it with the expenditures for
the next fiscal year ending June 30.
1911, and excluding payments on ac
count of the Panama Canal, which will
doubtless be taken up by bonds, there
will be a surplus of $35,931,000.
In the present estimates the needs
of the departments and of the govern
ment have been cut to the quick, so to
speak, and any assumption on the
part of congress, so often made in
times past, that the estimates have
been prepared with the expectation
that they may be reduced, will result
in seriously hampering proper admin
istration
To reduce the co^t of permanent
administration, says the president, a
thorough reorganization of bureaus,
offices and departments would be nec
essary. An expert accountant has
been making an investigation into this
matter and the result of his work
shows opportunity for both substan
tial reductions in cost and increase of
efficiency.
Frauds in the Collection of Customs.
T regret to refer to the fact of the dis
covery of extensive frauds in the collec
tion of the customs revenue at New York
city, in which a number of the subor
d nate employes in the weighing and
olher departments were directly con
cerned. and in which the beneficiaries
were the American Sugar Refining Com
pany and others. The frauds consisted
in the payment of duty on underweights
of sugar. The government has recovered
from the American Sugar Refining Com
pany all that it Is shown to have been de
frauded of. The sum was received in full
of the amount due. which might have
been recovered by civil suit against the
beneficiary of the fraud, but there was
an express reservation in the contract of
settlement by which the settlement should
not interfere with, or prevent the crim
inal prosecution of everyone who was
found to be subject to the*same.
Criminal prosecutions are now proceed
ing against a number of the government
officers. The treasury department and the
department of justice are exerting every
effort to discover all the wrongdoers, in
cluding the officers and employes of the
companies who may have been privy to
the fraud. It would seem to me that an
investigation of the frauds by congress at
present, pending the probing by the treas
ury department and the department of
justice, as proposed, might by giving im
munity and otherwise prove an embar
rassment in securing conviction of the
guilty parties.
Maximum and Minimum Clause in
Tariff Act.
Two features of the new tariff act call
for special reference. By virtue of the
clause known as the "maximum and min
imum” clause, it Is the duty of the exec
utive to consider the laws and practices
of other countries with reference to the
importation Into those countries of the
products and merchandise of the United
States, and if the executive finds such
laws and practices not to be unduly dis
criminatory against the United States, the
minimum duties provided In the bill are
to go imo force Unless the president
makes such a finding, then the maximum
duties provided in the bill, that Is. an In
crease of 25 per cent, ad valorem over the
minimum duties, are to be in force. Fear
has been expressed that this power con
ferred and duty imposed on the execu
tive Is likely to lead to a tariff war. I
beg to express the hope and belief that
no such result need be anticipated.
The discretion granted to the executive
by the terms "unduly discriminatory” Is
wide. In order that the maximum duty
Shall be charged against the imports from
a country, it is necessary that he shall
find on the part of that country not only
discriminations in its laws or the prac
tice under them against the trade of the
United States, hut that the discrimina
tions found shall be undue: that Is. with
out good and fair reason. I conceive
that this power was reposed In the presi
dent with the hope that the maximum du
ties might never be applied in any case,
but that the power to apply them would
enable the president and the Btate depart
ment through friendly negotiation to se
cure the elimination from the laws and
the practice under them of any foreign
country of that which is unduly discrim
inatory. No one Is seeking a tariff war
or a condition in which the spirit of re
taliation shall be aroused.
The new tariff law enables me to ap
point a tariff board to assist me in con
nection with the department of state In
the administration of the minimum and
maximum clause of the act and also to
assist officers of the government in the
administration of the entire law. An ex
amination 6f the law and an understand
ing of the nature of the facts which
shouid be considered in discharg
ing the functions imposed upon the execu
tive show that I have the power to direct
the tariff board to make a comprehensive
glossary and encyclopedia of the terms
used and articles embraced in the tariff
law, and to secure information as to the
cost of production of such goods in this
country and the cost of their production
in foreign countries. I have therefore ap
pointed a tariff board consisting of three
members and have directed them to per
form all the duties above described. This
work will perhaps take two or three
years, and I ask from congress a continu
ing annual appropriation equal to that al
ready made for Its prosecution. I believe
that tlie work of this hoard will he of
prime utility and importance whenever
congress shall deem it wise again to re
adjust the customs duties. If the facts
secured by the tariff board arc of such a
character as to show generally that the
rates of duties imposed by the present
tariff law are excessive under the prin
ciples of protection as described in the
platform of the successful party at the
late election. I shall not hesitate to in
vite the attention of congress to this fact
and to the necessity for action predicated
thereon. Nothing, however, halts busi
ness and Interferes with the course of
prosperity so much as the threatened re
vision of the tariff, and until the facts are
at hand, after careful and deliberate in
vestigation, upon which such revision can
properly be undertaken, it seems to me
unwise to attempt it. The amount of mis
information that creeps into arguments
pro and con in respect to tariff rates is
such ns to require the kind of investiga
tion that I have directed the tariff board
to make, an investigation undertaken by
it wholly without respect to the effect
which the facts may have in calling for a
readjustment of the rates of duty.
War Department.
In the Interest of immediate economy
and because of the prospect of a deficit.
I have required a reduction in the esti
mates of the war department for the
coming fiscal year, which brings the to
tal estimates down to an amount forty
five millions less than the corresponding
estimates for last year. This could only
be accomplished by cutting off new
projects and suspending for the period
of one year all progress in military rtiat
ters. For the same reason I have direct
ed that the army shall not be recruited
up to its present authorized strength.
These measures can hardly be more than
temporary—to last until our revenues are
In better condition and until the whole
question of the expediency of adopting
a definite military policy can be submitted
to congress, for I am sure that the inter
ests of the military establishment are se
riously in need of careful consideration by
congress. The laws regulating the organ
'xatlon of our armed forces it^ the event
of war need to be revised in order that
the organization can be modified so as
to r roduce a force which would be more
consistently apportioned throughout Its
numerous branches. To explain the cir
cumstances upon which this opinion is
based would necessitate a lengthy discus
sion, and I postpone it until the first con
venient opportunity shall arise to send to
congress a special message upon this sub
ject.
Of the changes recommended by
the secretary of war, the president
especially urges the passage of a bill
that will permit the elimination of the
less efficient officers. He concurs in
the opinion of the military and naval
joint board in favor of making an ex
tensive naval base at Pearl Harbor,
near Honolulu, and not in the Philip
pines.
The Navy.
The return of the battleship fleet from
its voyage around the world, in more ef
ficient condition than when it started, was
a noteworthy event of interest alike to
our citizens and the naval authorities of
the world. Besides the beneficial and far
reaching efTect on our personal and dip
lomatic relations in the countries
which tile fleet visited, the marked suc
cess of the ships in steaming around the
world in all weathers on schedule time
has Increased respect for our navy and
has added to our national prestige.
Early In the coming session a compre
hensive plan for the reorganization of the
officers of all corps of the navy will be
presented to congress, and I hope It will
meet with action suited to its urgency.
Owing to the necessity for economy in
expenditures. I have directed the curtail
ment of recommendations for naval ap
propriations so that they are thirty-eight
millions less than the corresponding es
timates of last year, and the request for
new naval construction is limited to two
first-class battleships and one repair ves
sel.
Mr. Taft urges upon congress that
the naval observatory be dedicated to
science under control of some emi
nent astronomer.
Expedition in Legal Procedure.
The deplorable delays In the adminis
tration of civil and criminal law have re
ceived the attention of committees of the
American Bar association and of many
state bar associations, as well as the con
sidered thought of judges and jurists. In
my judgment a change in judicial pro
cedure. with a view to reducing its ex
pense to private litigants In civil cases
and facilitating the dispatch of business
and final decision In both civil and crim
inal cases constitutes the greatest need
in our American institutions. I do not
doubt for one moment that much of the
lawless violence and cruelty exhibited
In lynchings is directly due to the uncer
tainties and injustice growing out of the
delays in trials, Judgments and the exe
cutions thereof by oer courts. Of course
these remarks apply quite as well to the
administration of justice in state courts
as to that in federal courts, and without
making invidious distinction it is per
haps not too much to say that, speaking
generally, the defects are less in the
federal courts than in the state courts.
But they are very great in the federal
courts. The expedition with which busi
ness is disposed of both on the civil and
the criminal side of English courts under
modern rules of procedure makes the
delays In our courts seem archaic and
barbarous. The procedure in the federal
courts should furnish an example for the
state courts. I presume it is Impossible,
without an amendment to the constitu-.
tion, to unite under one form of action
the proceedings at common law and pro
ceedings In equity in the federal courts,
but it is certainly not impossible by a
statute to simplify and make short and
direct the procedure both at law and In
equity in those courts. It is not impos
sible to cut down still more than It is cut
down, the jurisdiction of the supreme
court, so as to confine it almost wholly to
statutory and constitutional questions.
Under the present statutes the equity
and admiralty procedure In the federal
courts is under the control of the su
preme court, but In the pressure of busi
ness to which that court is subjected It
is Impossible to hope that a radical and
proper reform of the federal equity pro
cedure can be brought about. 1 therefore
recommend legislation providing for the
appointment by the president of a com
mission with authority to examine the
law and equity procedure of the federal
courts of first instance, the law of ap
peals from those courts to the courts of
appeals and to the supreme court, and the
costs Imposed In such, procedure upon the
private litigants and upon the public treas
ury and make recommendations with a
view to simplifying and expediting the
procedure as far as possible and making
it as inexpensive as may he to the liti
gant of little means.
Injunctions Without Notice.
The platform of the successful party In
the last election contained the following:
"The Republican party will uphold at
all times the authority and integrity of
the courts, state and federal, and will
fever insist that their powers to enforce
their process and to protect life, liberty
and property shall lo preserved inviolate.
We believe, however, that the rules of
procedure in the federal courts with re
spect to the issuance of the writ of in
junction should be more accurately de
fined try statute and that no injunction
or temporary restraining order should be
issued without notice, except where ir
reparable injury would result from delay,
in which case a speedy hearing there
after should be granted.”
I recommend that In compliance with
the promise thus made appropriate legis
lation be adopted. The ends of justice
will best be met and the chief cause of
complaint against ill-cons'iered injunc
tions without notice will be removed by
the enactment of a statute forbidding
hereafter the issuing of any injunction
or restraining order, whether temporary
or permanent, by any federal court,
without previous notice and a reasonable
opportunity to be heard on behalf of the
parties to be enjoined; unless it shall ap
pear to the satisfaction of the court that
the delay necessary to give such notice
and hearing would result in irreparable
Injury to the complainant and unless also
the court shall from the evidence make
a written finding, which shall be spread
upon the court minutes, that immediate
and irreparable injury is likely to ensue
to the complainant, and shall define the
injury, state why it is irreparable and
shall also indorse on the order issued the
date and the hour of the issuance of the
order. Moreover, every such Injunction
or restraining order issued without pre
vious notice and opportunity by the de
fendant to be hard should by force of
the statute expire and be of no effect .
after seven days from the issuance there
of or within any time less than that pe
riod which the court may fix, unless
within such seven days or such less pe
riod the injunction or order is extended
or renewed after previous notice and op
portunity to be heard.
My judgment is that the passage of
such an act which really embodies the
best practice in equity and Is very
like the rule now in force in some
courts will prevent the issuing of ill
advised orders of injunction without
notice and will render such orders
when issued much less objectionable
by the short time in which they may
remain effective.
New Laws Needed.
The jurisdiction of the general gov
ernment over interstate commerce has
led to the passage of the so-called
"Sherman anti-trust law” and the “in
terstate commerce law" and its amend
ments. The developments in the oper
ation of those laws, as shown by In
dictments, trials, judicial decisions,
and other sources of information, call
for a discussion and some suggestions
as to amendments. These I prefer to
embody in a special message instead
of including them in the present com
munication. and I shall avail myself
of the first convenient opportunity to
bring these subjects to the attention of
congress.
Second-Class Mail Matter.
The deficit every year in the post
office department is largely caused by
the low rate of postage of 1 cent a
pound charged on second-class mail
matter, which includes not only news
papers but magazines and miscellan
eous periodicals. The actual loss
growing out of the transmission of
this second-class mail matter at 1 cent
a pound amounts to about $63,000,000
a year. The average cost of the trans
portation of this matter is more than
9 cents a pound.
It appears that the average distance
over which newspapers are delivered
to their customers is 291 miles, while
the average haul of magazines is 1,049.
and of miscellaneous periodicals 1,128
miles. Thus, the average haul of the
magazine is three and one-half times
and that of the miscellaneous period
ical nearly four times the haul of the
daily newspaper, yet all of them pay
the same postage rate of 1 cent a
pound. The statistics of 1907 show
that second-class mail matter consti
tuted 63.91 per cent of the weight of
all the mall, and yielded only 5.19 per
cent of the revenue.
The figures given are startling, and
show the payment by the government
of an enormous subsidy to the news
papers, magazines and periodicals, and
congress may well consider whether
radical steps should not be taken to
reduce the deficit in the post-office de
partment caused by this discrepancy
between the actual cost of transporta
tion and the compensation exacted
therefor.
A great saving might be made,
amounting to much more than half of
the loss, by Imposing upon magazines
and periodicals a higher rate of post
age. They are much heavier than
newspapers, and contain a much higher
proportion of advertising to reading
matter, and the average distance of
their transportation is three and a half
times as great.
The total deficit for the last fiscal
year in the postoffice department
amounted to $17,500,000. The branches
of its business which it did at a loss
were the second-class mail service, In
which the loss, as already said, was
$63.(810,000. and the free rurtil delivery in
which the loss was $28,000 300. These
losses were in part offset hy the
profits of the letter postage and
other sources of income. It would
seem wise to reduce tile loss upoti
second-class mail matter, at least
to the extent of preventing a deficit
in the total operations of the post
office.
I commend the whole subject to con
gress. not unmindful of the spread of
intelligence which a. low charge for
carrying newspapers and periodicals
assists. I, very much doubt, however,
the wisdom of a policy which consti
tutes so large a subsidy and requires
additional taxation to meet it.
Postal Savings Banks.
The second subject worthy of men
tion in the postofllce department is the
real necessity and entire practicability
of establishing postal savings banks.
The successful party at the last elec
tion declared in favor of postal sav
ings banks, and although the proposi
tion finds opponents in many parts of
the country. I am convinced that the
people desire such hanks, and am sure
that when the banks arc furnished
they will be productive of the utmost
good. The postal savings banks are
not constituted for the purpose of cre
ating competition with other banks.
The rate of interest upon deposits to
which they would be limited would be
so small as to prevent their drawing
deposits away from other banks.
I believe them t® be necessary In
order to offer a proper inducement to
thrift and saving to a great many
people of small means who do not
now have banking facilities, and to
whom such a system would offer an
opportunity for the accumulation of
capital. They will furnish a satisfac
tory substitute, based on sound prin
ciple and actual successful trial in
nearly all the countries of the world,
for the systeir of government guar
anty of deposits now being adopted In
several western states, which with
deference to those who advocate it
seems to me to have tn It the seeds of
demoralization to conservative banking
and certain financial disaster.
Ship Subsidy.
Following the course of my distin
guished predecessor. I earnestly recom
mend to congress the consideration
and passage of a ship subsidy bill,
looking to the establishment of lines
between our Atlantic seaboard and the
eastern coast of South America, as
well as lines from the west coast of
the United States to South America.
China, Japan and the Philippines. The
profits on foreign malls are perhaps a
sufficient measure of the expenditures
which might first be tentatively ap
plied to this method of inducing
American capital to undertake the es
tablishment of American lines of
steamships in those directions in which
we now feel It most important that we
should have means of transportation
controlled in the Interest of the expan
sion of our trade.
The president recommends the ad
mission of New Mexico and Arizona
as separate states, and strongly op
poses legislation looking to the elec
tion of a territorial legislature for
Alaska.
Conservation of National Resources.
In several departments there Is present
ed the necessity for legislation looking to
the further conservation of our national
resources, and the subject is one of such
importance as to require a more detailed
and extended discussion than can be en
tered upon In this communication. For
that reason I shall take an early oppor
tunity to send a special message to con
gress on the subject of the improvement
of our waterways, upon the reclamation
and irrigation of arid, semi-ar d, and
swamp lands; upon the preservation of
our forests and the reforesting of suit
able areas; upon the reclassification of
the public domain with a view of sep
arating from agricultural settlement min
eral, coal, and phosphate lands and sites
belonging to the government bordering on
streams suitable for the utilization of
water power.
The White Slave Trade.
I greatly regret to have to say that the
investigations made in the bureau of im
migration and other sources of informa
tion lead to the view that there Is urgent
necessity for additional legislation and
greater executive activity to suppress the
recruiting of the ranks of prostitutes from
the streams of immigration into this
country—an evil which, for want of a bet
ter name, has been called ••The White
Slave Trade.” I believe It to be constitu
tional to forbid, under penalty, the trans
portation of persons for purposes of pros
titution across national and state lines;
and by appropriating a fund of $50,000 tc
be used by the secretary of commerce
and labor for the employment of special
inspectors It will be possible to bring
those responsible for this trade to Indict
ment and conviction under a federal law.
Bureau of Health.
For a very considerable period a move
ment has been gathering strength, espe
cially among the members of the medi
cal profession. In favor of a concentra
tion of the Instruments of the national
government which have to do with tht
promotion of public health. In the nature
of things, the medical department of the
army and the medical department of the
navy must be kept separate. But there
seems to be no reason why all the other
bureaus and offices In the general gov
ernment which have to do with the pub
lic health or subjects akin thereto should
not be united in a bureau to be called the
"bureau of public health.” This would
necessitate the transfer of the marine
hospital service to such a bureau. T am
aware that there Is a wide field In re
spect to the public health committed tc
the states In which the federal govern
ment cannot exercise jurisdiction, but we
have seen in the agricultural department
the expansion into widest usefulness of
a department giving attention to agricul
ture when that subject is plainly one ;
over which the states property exercise
direct jurisdiction. The opportunities of- 1
fered for useful research and the spread
of useful information in regard to the
cultivation of the soil and the breeding :
of stock and the solution of many of the
intricate problems in progressive agricul
ture have demonstrated the wisdom of
establishing that department. Similar
reasons, of equal force, can. be given for
the establishment of a bureau of health
that shall not only exercise the police
jurisdiction of the federal government re
specting quarantine, but which shall also \
afford an opportunity for Investigation |
and research by competent experts intc !
questions of health affecting the whole
country, or Important sections thereof,
questions which, in the absence of fed
eral governmental work, are not likely
to be promptly solved.
Political Contribution.
I urgently recommend to congress that:
a law be passed requiring that candi- i
dates In elections of members of the I
house of representatives and committees i
in charge of their candidacy and cam
paign file in a proper office of the United
States government a statement of the
contributions received and of the expen
ditures incurred in the campaign for such
elections and that similar legislation bn
enacted In respect to all other elections
which are constitutionally within ths
control of congress:
Conclusion.
I have thus. In a message compressed
as much as the subjects will permit, re
ferred to many of the legislative needs
Of the country, with the exceptions al
ready noted. Speaking generally, the
country is in a high state of prosperity.
There is every reason to believe that we
are on the eve of a substantial business
expansion and we have just garnered a
harvest unexampled in the market value
of our agricultural products. The high
prices which such products bring mean
great prosperity for the farming com
munity, but on the other hand they
mean a very considerably increased bur
den upon those classes in the commu
nity whose yearly compensation does not
expand with the improvement in busi
ness and the general prosperity. Various
reasons are given for the high prices.
The proportionate increase in the output
of gold, which to-day is the chief medi
um of exchange and is in some respects
a measure of value, furnishes a substan
tial explanation of at least part of rhe
increase in prices. The increase in pop
ulation and the more expensive jnode of
living of the people, which have not been
accompanied by a proportionate increase
in acreage production, may furnish a fur
ther reason. It is well to note that the
increase in the cost of living is not con
fined to this country, but prevails the
world over and that those who would
charge increases in prices to the existing
protective tariff must meet the fact that
the rise in prices has taken place almost
wholly in those products of the factory
and farm in respect to which there ha*
been either no increase in the tariff or in
many instances a very considerable re
duction.
WM. H. TAFT,
The White House, December 7. 1S09.