WELT'S ME
What tiie President Has To Say To the Fifty-
Seventh Congress.
Regarding the Big Combinations of Capital , He Declares That i : : : ! ! Isat the
Present Time the Only Sure Remedy.
FAVORS FEDERAL CONTROL OF THE TRUSTS.
Opposes Any General Change In the Present Tariff Laws , But Upholds and Recom-
\
mends the Principles of Reciprocity ,
Advocates Reduction of Duty on Cuban Imports Into This Country. The
portance of the Isthmian Canal and Pacific Cable.
Washington- . C. ( Special. ) The
president in his"annual message to
congress says :
The congress assembles this year un
der the shadow of a great calamity.
On , the 6th of September President Mc
Kinley was shot by an anarchist while
attending the Pan-American exposi
tion 'at Buffalo and died in that city
on the 14th of that month.
Of the last seven elected presidents
Se is the third who has been murdered ,
and the bare recital of this fact is
sufficient to Justify grave alarm among
all. loyal American citizens. Moreover ,
the circumstances of this , the third as
sassination of an American president ,
Lave a peculiarly sinister significance.
Both President Lincoln and President
Garfield were killed by assassins of
type unfortunately not uncommon in
history , President Lincoln falling a
victim to the terrible passions aroused
"by four years of civil war and Presi
dent Garfield to the revengeful vanity
of a disappointed office seeker. Presi
dent McKinley was Idlled by an utter
ly depraved criminal belonging to that
body of criminals who object to all
governments , good and bad alike , why
are against any form of popular lib
erty if it is guaranteed by even the
most just and liberal laws and who
are as hostile to the upright exponent
of a free people's sober will as to the
tyrannical and irresponsible despot.
ANARCHY AND ANARCHISTS.
, The president continues with an
eulogy of Mr. McKinley , then turns to
the subject of anarchy , denouncing its
dOQtrines and preachers. He says :
I earnestly recommend to congress
that * in the exercise of its wise discre
tion it should take into consideration
the coming to this country of anarch
ists or persons professing principles
hostile to all government andjustify
ing the murder of those placed in au
thority. Such individuals as those Avho
not long ago gathered in open meeting
to glorify the murder of King Hum
bert of Italy perpetrate a crime , and
the law should insure their rigorous
punishment. They and those like them
should be kept out of this country.and
if found here they should be promptly
deported to the country whence they
came.and farreaching provision should
"be made for the punishment of those
.who stify. No matter calls more
'urgently for the wisest thought of the
congress.
SUBJECT FOR FEDERAL COURTS.
The federal courts should be given
jurisdiction over any man who kills
or'attempts to kill the president or any
man who by the * * constitution or by
law is in line * of succession for the
presidency , while the punishment for
an unsuccessful attempt should be pro
portioned to the , enormity of trie of-
lense against our institutions.
Anarchy is a crime against the whole
Human race , and all mankind should
band against the anarchist. His crime
should be made an offense against the
law of nations , like piracy and that
form of man stealing known as the
slave trade. '
The president next considers busi
ness conditions , which he finds highly
'satisfactory. He continues : ,
The' tremendous and highly complex
industrial development which went on
with ever accelerated rapidity during
the latter half of the nineteenth cen
tury brings us face to face at the be
ginning of the twentieth with very
serious social problems. The old laws
and the old customs which had almost
the binding force of law were once
quite sufficient to regulate the ac
cumulation and distribution of wealth.
Since the industrial changes which
have so enormously increased the pro
ductive power of mankind they are no
longer sufficient.
TRADE COMBINATIONS.
The growth of cities has gone on be
yond comparison faster than the
growth of the country , and the up
building of the great industrial centers
Has meant a startling increase not
merely in the aggregate of wealth , but
in the number of very large individual
and especially of very large corporate
fortunes. The creation of these great
sorporate fortunes has not been due
to the tariff nor to any other govern
mental action , but tb natural causes
in the business world , operating in
other countries as they operate in our
'
own. .
The process has aroused much an
tagonism , a'great part of which is
wholly without warrant. It is not tiue
that as the richhave grown richer the
poor have grown : poorer. On , the con-
ifTary , never .b&fqre has the average
man , the , wageworker , the farmer , the
small 'trader , bee"h so well off as in this
country and at the present time. There
fiasre been abuses connected with the
accumulation of wealth , yet it remains
{ rue that d fortune accumulated in
legitimate business can be aocuniulat-
edby the person specially benefited
only on condition of conferring im
mense incidental benefits upon oth
ers. Successful enterprise of the type
which benefits all mankind can only
exist if the conditions are such as to
offer great prizes as the rewards of
success.
REASONS FOR CAUTION
The president adds that there are
many reasons for caution in dealing
with corporations. He says :
The same business conditions which
Bave produced the great aggregations
of corporate and individual wealth
have made them very potent factors in
international commercial competition.
Moreover , it cannot too often be
pointed out that to strike with Ignorant
violence at the interests of one set of
men almost inevitably endangers the
interests of all. The fundamental rule
in ournational life the rule which un
derlies all others Is that , on the whole
and in the long run we shall go up or
down together.
The mechanism of modern business
is so delicate that extreme care must
be taken not to interfere with it in
a spirit of rashness or ignorance. In
dealing with business interests , for
the government to undertake by crude
and ill considered legislation to do
what may turn out to be bad , would
be to incur the risk of such farreach
ing national disaster that it would be
preferable to undertake nothing at all.
The men who demand the impossible
or the undesirable serve as the allies
of the forces with which they are nom
inally at { War , for they hamper those
who would endeavor to find out in ra
tional fashion what the wrongs really
are and to what extent and in what
manner it is practicable to apply reme
dies.
HOW TO CORRECT THE EVILS.
All this is true , and yet it is also
true that there are real and grave evils
one of the chief being overcapitaliza
tion because of its many baleful con
sequences , and a resolute and practical
effort must be made to correct these
evils.
It is rio limitation upon property
rights or freedom of contract to re
quire'that when men receive from gov
ernment the privilege of doing busi
ness under corporate form , which frees
them from individual responsibility
and enables them to call into their en
terprises the capital of the public , they
shall do so upon absolutely truthful
representations as to the value of the
property in which the capital is to be
invested. Corporations engaged in in
terstate commerce should be regulated
if they are found to exercise a. license
working to the public injury. It should
be as much the aim of those who seek
for social betterment to rid the busi
ness world of crimes so cunning as to
rid the entire body politic of crimes of
violence. Great corporations exist only
because they are created and safe
guarded by our institutions , and it is
therefore our right and our duty to
see that they work in harmony with
these institutions.
PUBLICITY FIRST ESSENTIAL.
The first essential in determining
how to deal with the great industrial
combinations is knowledge of the facts
publicity. In the interest of the pub
lic the government should have the
right to inspect and examine the work
ings of great corporations engaged
in interstate business. Publicity is the
only sure remedy which wecan mnv
invoke. What further remedies are
needed in the way of governmental
regulation or taxation can only be de
termined after publicity has been ob
tained by process of law and in the
course of administration. The first
requisite is knowledge , full and com
plete knowledge which may be made
public to the world.
Artificial bodies , such as corporations
and joint stock or other associations ,
depending upon any statutory law for
their existence or privileges should be
subject to proper governmental super
vision , and full and accurate informa
tion as to their operations should be
made public regularly at reasonable
intervals.
The large corporations , commonly
called trusts , though organized in one
state , always do business in many
states , often doing very little business
in the state where they are incorpo
rated. There is utter lack of uniform
ity in the state laws about them , and ,
as no state has any exclusive interest
in or power over their acts , it has in
practice proved impossible to get ade
quate regulation through state action.
Therefore , in the interest of the whole
plople , the nation should , without in
terfering with the power of the states
in the matter itself , also assume power
of supervision and regulation over all
corporations doing an interstate busi
ness'
AMEND CONSTITUTION.
When the constitution was adopted ,
at the endof the eighteenth century ,
10' hurnart' wisdom could foretell tha
sweepingchanges , alike in industrial
ind political conditions , whichwere to
: ake place by the beginning of the
; wentieth century. At that time it
, vas accepted as a matter of course
: hat the several states were the proper
luthorities to regulate , so far as was
: hen necessary , the comparatively In-
si : lificant and strictly localized cor-
jorate bodies of the day. The condi-
: ions are now wholly different , and
vholly different action Is called for.
I believe that a law can be framed
vhich will enable the national govern-
nent to exercise control along the lines
ibove indicated , profiting by the expe-
ience ga'ned through the passage and
Ldministration of the interstate com-
nerce act. If , however , the judgment
> fthe congress is that its lacks the
institutional power to p"ass such an
ict , then a constitutional amendment ,
should be submitted to confer th <
power.
There should be created a cabinet of
fleer , to be known as secretary oi
commerce and industries , as provided
in the bill introduced at the last ses
sion of the congress. It should be his
province to deal with commerce In Its
broadest sense , including among man >
other things whatever concerns laboi
and all matters affecting the greal
business corporations and our mer
chant marine.
LABOR.
The president declares that he re
gards it necessary to re-enact the Chi
nese exclusion law. In regard to labor
he says that the government should
provide in its contracts that all work
should be done under "fair" conditions
and that all night work should be for
bidden for women and children as-well
as excessive overtime' . He continues :
Very great good has been and will be
accomplished by associations or unions
of wageworkers when managed with
forethought and when they combine in
sistence upon their own rights with
law abiding respect for the rights of
others. The display of these qualities
in such bodies is a duty to the nation
no less than to the associations them
selves. Finally , there must also in
many cases be action by the govern
ment in order to safeguard the rights
and interests of all. Under our consti
tution there is much more scope for
such action by the state and the mu
nicipality than by the nation. But on
points such as those touched on above
the national government can act.
He asserts that the immigration laws
are unsatisfactory and that a law
should be enacted to keep out not only
anarchists , but persons of a low moral
tendency or of unsavory reputation
and those who are below a certain
standard of economic fitness to enter
our industrial field as competitors with
American labor.
TARIF AND RECIPROCITY.
The prosident declares that nothing
could be more unwise than to disturb
the business interests of the country
by any general tariff change at this
time. He adds :
Yet it is not only possible , but emi
nently desirable , to combine with the
stability of our economic system a sup
plementary system of reciprocal bene
fit and obligation with other nations.
Such reciprocity is an incident and re
sult of the firm establishment and pre
servation of our present economic pol
icy. It was specially provided for in
the present tariff law.
Reciprocity must be treated as the
handmaiden of protection. Our first
duty is to see that the protection gran
ted by the tariff in every case where it
is needed is maintained , and that reci
procity be sought for so far as it can
safely be done without injury to our
home industries. Just how far this is
must be determined according to the
individual case , remembering always
that every application of our tariff pol
icy to meet our shifting national needs
must be conditioned upon the cardinal
fact that the duties must never be
reduced below the point that will cover
the difference between the labor cost
here and broad. The well being of
the Avageworker is a prime considera
tion of our entire policy of economic
legislation.
NEED FOR WIDER MARKETS.
Subject to this proviso of the proper
protection necessary to our industrial
well being at home , the principle of
reciprocity must command our hearty
support. The phenomenal growth of
our export trade emphasizes the ur
gency of the need fpr wider markets
and for a liberal policy in dealing with
foreign nations. Whatever is m'erely
petty and vexatious in the way of
; rade restrictions , should be avoided.
The customers to whom we dispose of
our surplus products in the long run ,
directly or indirectly , purchase those
surplus products by giving us some
thing in return. Their ability to pur
chase our products should as far as
possible be secured by so arranging
our tariff as to enable us to take from
them those products which we can use
without harm to our own industries
and labor or the use of which will be
or marked benefit to us.
It is most important that we should
maintain the high level of our present
prosperity. We have now reached the
point in the development of our in
terests where we are not only able to
supply our own markets , but to pro
duce a constantly growing surplus for
which we must find markets abroad.
To secure these markets we can util
ize existing duties in any case where
they are no longer needed for the pur
pose of protection , or in any case
where the article is not produced here
and the duty is no longer necessary
for revenue , as giving us something to
offer in exchange for what we ask.
The cordial relations with other na
tions which are so desirable will nat
urally be promoted by the course thus
required by our own interests.
Thenatural line of development for
a policy of reciprocity will be in con
nection with those of our productions'
which no longer require all of the sup
port once needed to establish them
upon a sound basis and with those oth
ers where either because of natural or
af economic causes we are beyond the
reach of successful competition.
I ask the attention of the senate to
Lhe reciprocity treaties laid before it
by my predecessor.
THE MERCHANT MARINE.
The condition of the American mer-
2hant marine is such as to call for im
mediate remedia laction by the con-
jress. It is discreditable to us as ja.
nation that our merchant marine
should be utterly insignificant in com-
mrison to that of other nations which
ve overtop in other forms of business. j
We should not longer submit to condi-
; ions under which only a trifling por-
ion of our great commerce is , carried
n , our own ships. To remedy this state
f things would not merely serve to
mild up our shipping interests , but it
vould also result in benefit to all who
ire interested in the permanent 'estab-
ishment of a wider market for Amer-
can products and would provide an
Luxiliary force for the navy. Ships
vork for their own countries just as
ailroads work for their terminal
loints. Shipping lines.if established to
he principal countries with which we
lave dealings , would be of political as
veil as commercial benefit. From ev-
ry standpoint it is unwise for the
Jnlted States to continue to rely upon
he ships of competing nations for the
listrlbutlon of our goods. It should be
nade advantageous to carry American
; oods in American built ships.
At present American shipping Is un-
ler certain great disadvantages when
i
* *
„
put in competition with the shipping
of foreign countries. Many of the fast
foreign steamshlps.at a speed of 'four
teen knots or above , are subsidized ,
and all our ships , sailing vessels and
steamers alike , cargo carriers of slow
speed and mail carriers of high speed ,
have to meet the fact that the original
cost of building American ships is
greater than Is the case abroad that
wages paid American officers and sea
men are very much higher than those
paid the officers and seamen of foreign
competing countries , and that the
standard of living on our ships is far
superior to the standard of living on
the ships of our commercial rivals.
Our government should take such ac
tion as will remedy these inequalities.
The American merchant marine should
be restored to the ocean.
FINANCIAL.
* ! ! passage of the act establishing
gold as the standard money has , it is
declared , been shown to be timely and
judicious. The president adds :
In many respect the national bank-
Sftg law furnishes sufficient liberty for
! the proper exercise of the banking
function , but there seems to be neea
pf better safeguards against the de
ranging influence of commercial crises
and financial panics. Moreover , the'
currency of the country should be
made responsive to the demands of our
lomestic trade and commerce.
Economy in expenditures is urged.
Amendment of the interstate commerce
act is advised to Insure the cardinal
provisions of that act. The work car
ried on by the department of agricul
ture is next considered and praised
highly. The president then turns to
forest preservation and Irrigation of
arid lands , saying that both are highly
necessary. He would put all the work
In connection with the forest reserves
In charge of the bureau of forestry.
IRRIGATION.
The president continues by tracing
the connection-between the forest re
serves and the water supply. He says :
The forests are natural reservoirs.
By restraining the streams in flood
and replenishing them in drought they
make possible the use of waters oth
erwise wasted. They prevent the soil
from washing and so protect the stoi--
age reservoirs from filling up with
silt. Forest conservation is , therefore ,
an essential condition of water conser
vation.
The forests alone cannot , however ,
fully regulate and conserve the waters
of the arid region. Greatstorage works
are necessary to equalize the flow of
streams and to save the flood waters.
Their construction has been conclu
sively shown to be an undertaking
too vast for private effort. Nor can it
be best accomplished by the individual
states actingalone. . The government
dom , Indeed to the vital need , of pro
viding for a substantial reduction In
the tariff duties on Cuban Imports Into
the United States.
In dealing with the Philippine peo
ple we must show both patience and
strength , forbearance and steadfast
resolution. Our aim is high. We do not
desire to do for the islanders merely
what has elsewhere been done for
tropic people by even the best foreign
governments. "We hope to do for them
what has never before been done for
any people of the tropics to make
them fit for self government after the
fashion of the really free nations.
The only fear is lest in our overanx-
iety we give them a degree of inde
pendence for which they are unfit ,
thereby inviting reaction and disaster.
As fast as there is any reasonable hope
that in a given district the people can
govern themselves , self government
has been given in that district. There
is not a locality fitted for self govern
ment which has not received it. But it
may be well that In certain cases it
will have.to be withdrawn because the
inhabitants show themselves unfit to
exercise itsuch ; instances have already
occurred. In other words , there is not
the slightest chance of our falling to
show a sufficiently humanitarian spirit.
The danger comes In the opposite di
rection.
' TROUBLES AHEAD YET.
There are still troubles ahead In the
slands. The Insurrection has become
an affair of local banditti and maraud
ers , who deserve no higher regard
than the brigands of portions of the
old world. Encouragement , direct or
Indirect , to these insurrectos stands on
the same footing as encouragement to
hostile Indians in the days when we
still had Indian wars.
The president declares that the time
has come for additional legislation for
Lhe Philippines. He says :
It is necessary that the congress
should pass laws by which the re
sources of the islands can be developed ,
; o that franchises ( for limited terms of
fears ) can be granted to companies do-
: ng business in them and every en
couragement given to the incoming of
ausiness men of every kind. It is ur-
jently necessary to enact suitable laws
lealing with general transportation ,
nining , banking , currency.homesteads
ind the use and ownership of the lands
md timber. These laws will give free
) lay to industrial enterprise , and the
! ommercial development which will
surely follow will afford to the people
f the islands thebest , proofs of the
incerity of our desire to aid them.
THE CABLE AND THE CANAL.
I call your attention most earnestly
o the crying need of a cable to Hawaii
Lnd the Philippines , to be continued
rom the Philippines to points in Asia.
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT. t
1
should construct and maintain these
reservoirs as it does other public work.
Where their purpose is to regulate the
flow of streams , the water should be
turned freely into the channels in the
dry season to take the same course
under the same laws as the natural
flow.
The reclamation of the unsettled arid
public lands presents a different prob
lem. Here it is not enough to regulate
the flow of streams. The object of the
government is to dispose of the land
to settlers who will build homes upon
it. To accomplish this object water
must be brought within their reach.
The pioneer settlers on the arid pub
lic domain chose their homes along
streams from which they could them
selves divert the water to reclaim their
holdings. Such opportunities are prac
tically gone. There remain , however ,
vast areas of public land which can be
made'available for homestead settle
ment , but only by reservoirs and main
ine canals impracticable for private
jnterprise. These irrigation works
should be built by the national govern
ment. The lands reclaimed by them
should be reserved by the government
: or actual settlers , and the cost of con
struction should , so far as possible , be
epaid by the land reclaimed. The dis-
; ribution of the water , the division of
: he streams among irrigators , should
je left to the settlers themselves in
jonformity with state laws and with-
> ut interference with those laws or
rested rights.
The declaration is made that in the
irid states the only right to water
vhich should be recognized is that of
ise. The president says that the doc-
rine of' private ownership of water
ipart from land cannot prevail with-
> ut causing wrong.
INSULAR PROBLEMS.
"
Insular questions are next treated.
n Hawaii our aim must be to develop
he territory on the traditional Amer-
can lines. Porto Rico is declared to be
hriving as never before. The atten-
ion of congress is called to the need
f legislation concerning the island's
iublic lands. In Cuba it is stated that
mch progress has been made toward
utting the independent government of
he island upon a firm footing , and it is
eclelred that independence will be an
ccomplished fact. The president
dds :
Elsewhere I have discussed the ques-
[ on of reciprocity. In the case of Cu-
a , however , there are weighty reasons
f morality and of national interest
rhy the policy should be heldMo have
peculiar application , and I most ear-
estly ask your attention to the wls-
We should not defer a day longer than
necessary the construction of such a
cable. It is demanded not merely for
commercial but for political and mili
tary considerations. Either the con
gress should immediately provide for
the construction of a government ca
ble or else an arrangement should be
made „ by which like advantages to ]
those accruing from a government ca
ble may be secured to the government (
by contract with a private cable com- .
pany. {
No single great material work which
remains to be undertaken on this con-
c
tinent is of such consequence to the r
American people as the building of a
cana lacross the isthmus connecting
North and South America. Its impor
tance to the nation is by no means lim
ited merely to its material effects upon
our business prosperity.and yet with a
view to these effects alone it would be
to the last degree important for us im
mediately to begin it. While its bene
ficial effects would perhaps be most
marked upon the Pacific coast and the
julf and south Atlantic states.it would
also greatly benefit other sections. It t ,
is emphatically a work which it is for
the interest of the entire country to tl
begin and complete as scon as possi
ble.
ble.I
I am glad to be able to announce to
you that our negotiations on this sub
ject Avith Great Britain , conducted on
both sides in a spirit of friendliness
and mutual good will , have resulted in
my being able to lay before the sen
ate a treaty which , if ratified , will en
ableus"to begin preparations for an
isthmian banal at any time and which
guarantees.to "this nation every right tla
that it has ever asked in connection a
with the canal. It specifically pro
vides .that the United States alone shall
do the work of building and assume
the responsibility of safeguarding the
canal and shall regulate its neutral use al
by all nations on terms of equality tld
without the guarantee or interference d (
of any outside nation from any quar iz
ter. '
THE MONROE DOCTRINE.
The Monroe doctrine should be the ot
cardinal feature of the foreign policy th
of all the nations of the two Americas , ly
as it is of the United States. The Mon as
roe doctrine is a declaration that there
must be no territorial aggrandizement
by any non-American power at the ex
pense of any American power on Amer
ican soil. It is in noAvise intended as
hostile to , any nation in the old world. in
Still less is it intended to give cover to ar
any aggression by one new world pow ed
er at the expense * of any other It Is pa
simply a step , and a long step , toward paHi
1
assuring the universal peace of th
world by securing the possibility or
permanent peace on this hemisphere.
During the past century other Influ
ences have established the permanence
and Independence of the smaller states
of Europe. Through the Monroe doc
trine we hope to be able to safeguard ,
like Independence and secure like per
manence for the lesser among the new
world nations. ,
This doctrine has nothing to do with
the commercial relations of any Amer
ican poAver save that it In'truth allows
each of them to form such as It desires.
In other words , It Is really a guarantee
of the commercial Independence of tne
Americas. We do not ask under this
doctrine for any exclusive commercial
dealings with any other American
not guarantee any stato
state. Wej3o
against punishment if It misconducts
that punishment does
itself , provided
of the acquisition or
not take the form
non-American P ° wer.
territory by any
Our attitude In Cuba is a sufficient
, vv e
good faith
guarantee of our own
have not the slightest desire to secure
the of any or
any territory at expense
our neighbors.
THE NAVY.
The president devotes considerable
, the upbuilding of
space to the navy
which , he says , should be steadily con
tinued. The navy offers us , It Is declar
ed , the only means of Insisting on the
Monroe doctrine , and a strong navy Is
the best guarantee against war. He
recommends that provision be made
not only for more ships , but for more
additional sea
men. Four thousand
men and 1,000 additional marines
should be provided , as well as an In
crease In officers. After Indorsing the
naval militia forces the president says :
But in addition we should at once
provide for a national naval reserve ,
organized and trained under the direc
tion of the navy department and sub
ject to the call of the chief executive
whenever nvar becomes imminent. It
should be a real auxiliary to the naval
seagoing force establishment and offer
materia Ito be drawn on at once for
manning our ships in time of war.
THE ARMY.
It is not necessary to increase our
army beyond Its present size at this
time , but it is necessary to keep It at
the highest point of. efficiency. The in
dividual units who as officers and en
listed men compose this army are , we
tiave good reason to believe , at least as
efficient as those of any other army In
the entire world. It is our duty to see
that their training is of a kind to in
sure the highest possible expression of
lOAver in these units when acting In
combination.
A general staff should be created.
Promotions should be made solely .
ivith regard to the good of the service.
Congress ought to provide , the presi-
lent adds , for field exercises. He con-
: lnues :
Action should be taken in reference
; o the militia and to the raising of vol-
mteer forces. Our militia law is ob
solete and worthless The organization
ind armament of the national guard of
*
, he several states , Avhich are treated
is militia in the appropriations by the
: ongressshould be made identical with
hose provided for the regular troops ,
[ "he obligation and duty of the guard
n time of war should be carefully de-
ined and a system established by law
mder which the method of procedure
> f raising volunteer forces should be
Described in advance. '
'
THE MERIT SYSTEM.
The president indorses the merit sys-
em of making appointments and says :
I recommend the passage of a law -
vhich Avill extend the classified serv- -
ce to the District of Columbia or Avill
.t least enable the president thus to
ixtend it. In my judgment all laws
> roviding for the temporary employ-
nent of clerks should hereafter con-
ain a provision that they be selected '
inder the civil service law.
*
It is important to have this system
btain at home , but it is even more im-
iortant to have it applied rigidly in our
nsular possessions. The importance
f improving the consular service by
he passage of neAv laAA's is emphasized. '
The president then turns to the In- <
ian question. He says :
We should noAv break up the tribal
unds , doing for them Avhat allot
ment does for the tribal lands that
3 , they should be divided into individ-
al holdings. There will be a transi-
ion period during which the funds
- ill in many cases have to be held m
rust. This is the case also with the
inds. A stop should be put upon the
discriminate permission to Indians
0 lease their allotments. The effort
hould be steadily to make the Indian
ork like any other man on his own
round. The marriage laws of the Z = -
lans should be made the same aa
lose of the whites. In the schools the
aucation should be elementary and
irgely industrial.
Cordial support from congress and
eople is asked for the St. Louis expo-
tion. The Charleston exposition is
> mmended to thesgood will of the
eople. The work of the Pan-American
cposition is praised.
It is recommended that the census
fice as noAv"constituted should ba
ade a parmanent government
bureau.
THE POSTAL SERVICE ,
A tribute is paid to the postal service
id the extension of free rural delivery
commended. The postoffice depart-
ent should be sustained.the president
ys , in its efforts to remove the abus-
in connection with second class mail
atter.
Much attention is paid to the situa-
m in China , and the progress toward
e establishment of peace there i ? T-P ,
pitulated. Stress i ? laid on the iSl
rtance of pur continuing to advocate
Deration in the dealings with ChS ?
le president concludes
his
follows : message
The death of Queen Victoria
people , of the United States
d heartfelt sorroAv , to which the
nment gave full expression. Vr
esident McKinley died , our nation
ra received from
every quarter oc
e Bntish empire
expressions of CTief
* j v * 4 ICA.
ft tVi
cvrnnu r * % T
* * i-ijjdLiijf no less sincGrpTVI
ah ° J * he Empress Dowager Fred
ck of Germany aiso
aroused th-
nume sympathy of the
ople , and this sympathy
y reciprocated
by
when
1 president
3d , from
d world we reepivw ? at ,
assurances - nf
to continue unbroken ' suoh
natations of