The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, December 14, 1905, Image 3
| "Si|| ?
Hj ^ III I
I . Questions Demar
STRONG "ON RATE REGULATION
The Country is Enjoying a Season of
Unprecedented Prosperity?Subje<T
fhat Will Engage the Atten- 1
tion of the People's Representatives?A
Thoughtful and Exhaustive
Document.
5 Following is in substance the annual
message of President Roosevelt,
as read in both houses of Congress:
Introduction.
I To the Senate and House of Representatives
:
jfrr ? v The people of this country continue
^ to enjoy great prosperity. Undouhtedlv
there will be ebb aud flow in
W ^sueh prosperity, and this ebb and flow
' will be felt more or less by all meni
n a!1 4lio AAtnmnnilv lmth Kv the i
f ' * ? ,U^J9 VI iUV Wiuuiviio^^ f wv... ^ .
deserving and the undeserving.
K Against tho wrath of the Lord the wisdom
of man can not avail: in times
of flood or drought human ingenuity
I can but partially repair tire disasterA
general failure of crops would hurt
B 'i/os. Again, if the folly of man mars
the general well-beiug, then those who
* are innocent of the folly will have to
? % pay part of the penalty incurred by
v; those who are guilty of the folly. A
" panic brought on by the speculative
? folly of part of the business commuuiiy
would hurt the whole business
eommmptv. But such stoppage of
. welfare, though it might be severe,
k? ' would not be lasting. In the long
run the one vital factor in the per5#?<icnt
prosperity of the country is
v the high individual character of the I
average American worker, the aver^
age American citizeD. no matter
'whether his work fie mental or man
Bill ual, whether he Be fanuer or wagejMh
worker, business man or professional
Hr nan.
In our industrial and social system
f\t ^.the interests of all meu are so closely
' intertwii;ed that in the immense majoHty
of eases a straight-dealing man
?. v who by his efficiency, by his ingenuity
and industry, benefits himself must
also benefit others. Normally the man
: * of great productive capioity who beeoaaes
rich by guiding the labor of
^ many other men does so by enabling
^ , them to produce more than they could
^ ^ -TirQdiifeo without his guidance; and
W~~. both he'and they share in the bcuclit.
which comes al>o t<? the public at
- , large. The superficial fact that the
' sharing may be unequal must never
- ? 1 i?. 1 il x
Mind us to tne underlying iaci mai
there is this sharing, and that the benefit
runes in some degress to each man
I concerned. Normally the wage-work.
. er, the man of small means, and the
1 [Z+ average consumer, as well as the average
producer, are all alike helped
, bv making conditions such that the ,
man of exceptional business ability
receives an exceptional reward for his ,
ability. Something can be done by leg- j
islation to help the general prosjierity;
but no such help of a perman-1
ently beneficial character can be given j
to the less able and less fortunate,
save as the results of a policy which
shall inure to the advantage of ail industrious
and efficient people who act;
. . decently; and this is only another
t ? way of saying that any benefit which
^ comes to the less able and less for.
, tunat^e- muSt of necessity come even
more to the more able and more fortunate.
If, therefore, the less f?ri
? tunate man is moved by envy of his
I more fortunate brother to strike at the |
(conditions under which they have
both, though unequally, prospered, the I
rc^plt will assuredly be that while
damage may come to the one struck at
it will visit with an even heavier load
the one who strikes the blow. Taken
as a whole we must all go up or go
down together.
Corporations.
Yet, while not merely admitting, but
' insisting upon this, it is also true that !
wuric Micro is uv ri iiuicmai icstraint
or supervision some of the exceptional
men use their energies not
_r in ways that are for the common
r . good, but in ways which tell against
this common good. The fortunes
amassed through corporate organiza-.
tion are now so large, and vest such j
power in those that wield them, as j
to make it a matter of necessity to {
, give to the sovereign?that is, to the
Government, which represents the
people as a whole?some effective
Dower of suDervision over their cor
porate use. In order to insure a healthy
social and industrial life, every
big: corporation should be held respon,
sible by, and be accountable to, somo
sovereign strong enough to control its
conduct. I am in no sense hostile to
corporations. This is an age of combination,
and any effort to prevent all
combination will be not only useless,
but in the end vicious, because of the
> 1 ?
Pointed Paragraphs.
- ?
" Street car conductors are personalllv
conductored.
' ' > *
Better a temperance pledge than a
pawn broker's.
Greatest of all things is love?if j
it's the real thing.
J. Some men find it easier to acquire
?j^ a reputation than to earn a living.1
fv1 A sensible man neither deprecites
?& * himself nor makes light of his abilities.
s
ion of the Leadihg
iding Legislation
contempt for law whicL the failure to
enforce law inevitably produces. We
should, moreover, recognize in cordial
and ample fashion the immense good
effected by corporate agencies in a
country such as ours, and the wealth
of intellect, energy, and fidelity devoted
to their service, and therefore normally
to the service of the public, by
thefr officers and directors. The corporation
has come to stay, just as the
trade union has come to stay. Each
can do and has done great good. Each
should be favored so long as it does
good. But each should be sharply
checked where it acts against law and
justice. So long as the finances of the
Nation are kept upon an honest basis
no other question of internal economy
with which the Congress has the power
to deal begins to approach in importance
the matter of endeavoring
to secure proper industrial conditions
under which the individuals?and especially
the great corporat ions?doing
an interstate business are to act. The
makers of our National Constitution
provided especially that the regulation
of interstate commerce should come
within the sphere of the General Government.
Tli^ argument.^ in favor of
their taking this stand were even
then overwhelming. But they are far
stronger to-day. in view of the enormous
development of great business
agencies, usually corporate in form.
Experience has shown conclusively
that it is useless to try to pet any
adequate regulation and supervision
of these pre at corporations by State
action. Such regulation and supervision
can only be effectively exereised
by a sovereign whose jurisdiction is
coextensive with the field of work of
the corporations?that is, by the National
Government.
I am well aware of the difficulties
of the legislation that I am suggesting,
and of the need of temperate and
cautious action in securing it. I should
emphatically protest against improperly
radical or hasty action. .The first
thing to do is to deal with the great
corporations engaged in the business
of interstate transportation. As 1
said in my Message of December G
last, the immediate and most pressing
need, so far as legislation is concerned,
is the enactment into law of some
scheme to secure to the agents of the
Government such supervision and regulation
of the rates charged by the
railroads of the country engaged in
interstate traffic as shall summarily
and effectively prevent the imposition
of unjust or unreasonable rates. It
must include putting a complete stop
to rebates in every sha|)c and form.
This power to regulate rates, like all
similar powers over the business
world, should be exercised with modi
ncation, caution and self-restraint;
but it should exist, so that it can be
effectively exeeised when the need
t rises.
The first consideration to be kept in
mind is that the power should be affirmative
and should be given to some
administrative body created by the
Congress.
Illegal transactions often occur under
the forms of law. It has often occurred
that a shipper has been told
by a traffic officer to buy a large
quantity of some commodity and then
after it has been bought an open reduction
is made in rate take effect
immediately, the arangement resulting
to the damage of all their competitors;
for it must not be forgotten
that the big shippers are at least as
much to blame as any railroad in the
matter of rebate*. The law should
make it clear so tliut nobody can fail
to understand that any kind of commission
paid on freight shipments,
whether in this form or in the form of
lictitious damages, or of a concession
a frcss pass, reduced passenger rate,
or payment of brokerage, is illegal.
All private-car lines, industrial
roads, refrigerator charges, and the
like should be expressly put under
the supervision of the Interstate Commerce
Commission or some similar
body so far as rates, and agreements
practically affecting rates, are concerned.
The private-ear owners and
the owners of industrial railroads are
entitled to a fair and reasonable compensation
on their investment, but
neither private cars nor industrial
railroads nor spur tracks should be
utilized as devices for securing preferential
rates. A rebate in icing charges,
or in mileage, or in a division of the
rate for refrigerating charges is just
as pernicious as a rebate in any other
way. No lower rate should'apply on
poods imported than actually obtains
on domestic yroods from the American
seaboard to destination except in
cities where water competition is the
controlling influence. There should
be publicity of the accounts of commou
carriers; no common carrier enpaped
in interstate business should
keep any books or memoranda other
than those reported pursuant to law
or reputation, and these books or
memoranda should be open to the inspection
of the Government. Only
in this way can violations or evasions
of the law be surely detected. A system
of examination of railroad accounts
should be provided similar to
that now conducted into the national
News Notes.
Governor-elect Swanson, it is stated
has decided to reappoint Labor Commissioned
Doherty.
Russian military oflieers say that
not one of the line regiments is to
be trusted.
lu opening the German Reichstag
Emperor William spoke of internal
dangers, the restoration ot peace in
the Far East and the Morroccau irabrofho.
banks by the bank examiners; a few
first-class railroad accountants, if
they had proper direction and proper
authority to inspect books and papers,
could accomplish much in preventing
willful violations of the law.
I I urge upon the Congress the need
of providing for expeditious action
by the Interstate Commerce Commission
in all these matters, whether in
regulating rates for transportation or
for storing or handling property or
commodities in transit. The history
of the cases litigated under the present
commerce act shows that its efMcaeav
has been to a great degree destroyed
by the weapon of delay, almost
the most formidable weapon
in the hands of those whose purpose
it is to violate the law.
Safety Appilances.
In my annual Message to the Fiftyeighth
Congress, at its third session
I called attention to the necessity for
legislation requiring the use of block
signals upon railroads engaged in
interstate commerce. The number of
serious collisions ui>on unblocked
roads that have occurred within the
past year adds force to the recommendation
then made. The Congress
should provide, by appropriate legislation,
for the introduction of block
signals upon all railroads engaged in
interstate commerce at the earliest
practicable date, as a measure of increased
safety to the traveling public.
Hours of Labor of Railroad Employees.
The excessive hours of labor to
which railroad employees in train service
are in many cases subjected is
also a matter which may well engage
the serious attention of the Congress.
The strain, both mental and
physical, upon those who arc engaged
in the movement and operation of
railroad trains under modern conditions
is perhaps greater than that
which exists in any other industry,
and if there are any reasons for limiting
by law the hours of labor in any
employment, they certainly apply with
peculiar force to the employment of
those upon whose vigilance and alertness
in the performance of their duties
the safety of all who travel by
rail depends.
Labor.
The National Government has as
a rule but little occasion to deal with
the formidable group of problems
connected more or less directly with
what is known as the labor question,
for in the great majority of cases
these problems must be dealt with by
the State and municipal authorities
and not by the National Government.
The National Government has con
?v?l tl?A riwti'i/W r\(* ^'AlnmKio ln,\r?
ever, and it should see to it that the
City of Washington is made a model
eitv in all respects, both as regards
parks, public grounds, proper regulation
of the system of housing so as
to do away with the evils of alley
tenements, a proper system of education.
a proper system of dealing with
truancy and juvenile offenders, a proper
handling of the charitable work
of the District. Moreover, there
should be proper factory laws to prevent
all abuses in the employment ot
women and children in the District.
These will be useful chiefly as object
lessons, but even this limited
amount of usefulness would be of real
national value.
There has been demand for depriving
courts of the power to issue in
junctions in labor disputes. Such
special limitation of 1 he equity powers
of our courts would be most unwise.
It is true that some judges
have misused this power; but this
does not justify a denial of the powei
any more than an improper exercise
of the {lower to call a strike by r
labor leader would justify the denial
of the right to strike.
The Department of Commerce and
Lal?or should also make a thorough investigation
of the condition ol
women in industry. Over five
million American women are now
engaged in gainful occupations; ye I
there is an almost complete deartl:
of data upon which to base any trust
worthy conclusions as regards a sub
ject as important as it is vast anc
complicated There is need of ful
knowledge on which to base actior
looking toward State and municipa
legislation for the protection or work
ing women. The introduction of wo
men into industry is working ehang<
and disturbance in the domestic am
social life of the Nation.
Insurance.
The great insurance companies af
ford striking examples of corpora
tions whose business has extended s<
far beyond the jurisdiction of th<
State which created them as to pre
elude strict enforcement of supervi
sion and regulation by the paren
States. In my last annual Message
I recommended "that the Congress
carefully consider whether the pow
.. rtl' 4 1> .1 D-I HArt 11 y-v C Mrvy\ MM 4 AA .
t'l U1 IMC UUICtlU UL WipiUlIUII> V*U!
not constitutionally be extended t<
cover interstate transactions in in
surance." Recent events have em
phasized the importance of an earl;
and exhaustive consideration of thi:
question, to see whether it is not pos
sible to furnish betier safeguards thai
' the several States have been able t<
furnish against corruption of tin
flagrant kind which has been exposed
It has been only too clearly showi
that certain of the men at the hea<
of these large corporations take bu
small note of the ethical distinctioi
between honesty and dishonesty; the;
draw the line only this side of wha
mav he called law-honesty, the kint
of iionestv necessary in order to avoi<
| falling into the clutches of the law
I
By Wire and Cable.
Ex-Captain Carter testified a
Chicago that hehad saved the Gevern
ment large sums of money on certaii
contracts.
Witnesses told in court the grew
some story of how Suasanua A. Gcarv
the suitcase victim, died under a crim
. inal operation and how her body wa
disposed of.
Mrs. Mary B. Worthington, o
South Norfolk, was burned to deat;
by a bursting lamp.
i 9
1 ' { "
the only complete Remedy
fo^^H^ondition must be f rand in
an aroused public conscience, a higher
sense of ethical conduct in the community
at largo, and especially among
business men and in the great profession
of the law, and in the gro\*th
of a spirit which condemns all dishonesty,
whether in rich man or in
poor man, whether it takes the shape
ot' bribery or of blackmail. But much
can be done by legislation which is
not only drastic but practical.
The Revenues.
There is more need of stability
than of the atempt to attain an ideal
perfection in the methods of raising
revenue; and the shock and strain to
the business world certain to attend
any serious change in these methods
render such change inadvisable unless
for grave reason. It is not possible
to lav down anv ercneral rule by
which to determine tlie moment when
the reasons for will outweigh those
against such a change. Much must
depend, not merely on the needs, but
on the desires, of the people as a
whole; for needs and desires are not
necessarily identical. Of course no
change can be made on lines beneficial
to, or desired by, one section
or one State only. There must be
something like a general agreement
among the citizens of the several
States, as represented in the Congress,
that the change is needed and
desired in the interest of the people as
a whole; and there should thena be
a sincere, intelligent, and disin crested
effort to make it in such sit. pe
as will combine, so far as possible,
the maximum of good to the people
at large with the minimum of necessary
di regard for the special interests
of localities or classes. But in time of
peace tile revenue must on the average,
taking a series of years together.
equal the expenditures or else^
the revenues must be increased. Last
year there was a deficit. Unless our
expenditures can be kept within the
revenues then our revenue laws must
be readjusted.
Economy in Exepnditurea.
I earnestly recommend to the Congress
the need of economy and to
this end of a rigid scrutiny of appropriations.
As examples merely, I call
your attention to one of two'specific
matters. All unnecessary offices
should be abolished. The Commissioner
of the General Land Office
recommends the abolishment of the oflice
of receiver of public moneys for
United States land offices.
Yet, in speaking of economy, I must
in no wise be understood as advocating
the false economy which is in
the end the worst extravagance. To
cut down on the Navy, for instance,
would lip n nrimo nvniiKt +10 Vfifinn
To fail to push forward all work on
the I'anama Canal would be as great
a folly.
At various times I have instituted
; investigations into the organization
and conduct of the business of the
Executive Departments. While none
of these inquiries have yet progressed
far enough to warrant final conclusions.
they have already confirmed
, and emphasized the general imression
that the organization of the I)e
partments is often faulty in principle
and wasteful in results, while
many of their business methods are
[ artiquidnted and inefficient. There
I is every reason why our executive
governmental machinery should bo at
. least as well planned, economical, and
. efficient as the best machinery of the
, great business organizations, which
. at present is not the case.
Monroe Doctrine.
s One of the most. effective instru
mcnts for peace is the Monroe Doc'
trine as it has been and is boinsr crad
1 ually developed by this Nation and
' accepted by other nations. No other
policy could- have been as efficient
I in promoting peace in the Western
Hemisphere and in giving to each na^
tion thereon the chance to develop
; along its own lines. It' we had refused
' to apply the Doctrine to changing
t conditions it would now be coraplete1
ly outworn, would not meet any of the
needs of the present day, and indeed
" would probably by this t;me hTTve
' sunk into complete oblivion. It is
' useful at home, and is meeting with
1 recognition abroad because we have
1 adapted our application of it to meet
" the growing and changing needs of
" our Hemisphere. When we announce
J a policy, such as the Monroe Doel
trine, we thereby <*ommit ourselves
to the consequences of the policy, and
those consequences from time to time
alter. It is out of the question to
- claim a right and yet shirk the re
cnnncihilitv for its crcrcisp. Wit nn.
i v ? -"7? ^
) ly we, but all American Republics
?' who are benefitted by the existence
. of the Doctrine, must recognize the
. obligations each nation is under as
t regards foreign peoples no less than
its duty to insist upon its own rights'.
s That our rights and interests are
- deeply concerned in the maintenance
! of the Doctrine is as clear as hardly
:> to need argument. This is especially
. true in viev. of die construction of
. the Panama Canal. As a mere mater
, of self-defense we must exercise a
s close watch over the approaches to
.'this canal; and this means that we
i I must be thoroughly alive to our inter>
ests in the Caribbean Sea.
hifiiswor arsea iMd'es Ezrh hrdluu
' Santo Domingo.
1 Santo Domingo, in her turn, has
t now made an appeal to its to help
1 her. and not only every principle of
r wisdom but every generous instinct
t within us bids us "respond vo the ap1.
peal. It is not of the sligutest con1
sequence whether we grant the aid
. | needed by Santo Domingo as an inMusieian
Adjudged Insane.
* lioanoke, Special.?Harry Ward, a
musician and a member of the Aead1
cmy of Music orchestra, who was adjudged
insane by a commission of lun
icy, was placed in confinement he
'. can be taken to the asylum for the
- insane at Marie n.
s
Reflection!! of a Batchelor.
f Wise is the employer who knows
b how to do the things he employs others
to do.
' i''
rW.lt fl \u, *;?.w, v'.-...
Monroe Doctrine, or because "we re^
gaid the ca9e of Santo Domingo ds/
standing wholly by itself, and to be
treated as auch, and not on general
principles or with any reference to
the Monroe Doctrine.
Army and Nary.
We cannot consider the question of
our foreign policy without at the
same time treating of the Array and
the Navy. We now have a very
small army?indeed, one well-nigh
infinitesimal when compared with the
army of any other large nation. Of
course the Army we do have should
be as nearly perfect of its kind and
for its size as possible. I do not believe
that any army in the world has
a better average of enlisted man or
a better type of junior officer; but
the Army should be trained to act
effectively in a mass. Provision
should be made by sufficient appropriations
for maneuvers of a practical
kind so that the troops may learn
how to take care of themselves under
actual service conditions; every march
for instance, being made with the
soldier loaded exactly as lie would
be in active campaign. The generals
and colonels would thereby have opitortunity
of handling regiments,
brigades, and divisions, and the comniisary
and medical departments
would be tested in the field. Provision
should be made for the exercise
at least of a brigade and by preefrencc
of a division in marching and
embarking at some point and continuing
its march. The number of posts
in which the Army is kept in time of
peace should be matrially diminshed
and the posts that are left made correspondingly
larger. No local interests
should be allowed to stand in
th?? way of assembling the greater
part of the troops which would at
need form our tield armies in stations
of such size as will permit the best
training to be given to the personnel
of all grades, including the high officers
and staff officers. To accomplish
this end we must have not company
or regimental garrisons^ btu
brigade and division garrisons.
Federal Elections.
The President touches upon the
question of Federal elections, quoting
the well known con&itutional
provision that .Congress shall be the
tinal judge of the qualification of its
own members. He also declares
strongly against all forms of corruption
and expresses regret at the growing
tendency to increase expenses in
connection with the conduct of political
campaigns. Briefly, he advocates
the greatest -possible purity
of the ballot and the fulest freedom
of the exercise of the elective
franchise consistent with good government.
Immigration.
Thes ubjeet of immigration is treated
by Mr. Roosevelt in a particularly
able and thoughtful manner. The
tendency of foreigners to congregate
in sections of the country already
congested with people is deplored.
High-class foreigners are desirable
and are welcomed, but only those
with tendencies towards good citizenship
and of industrious and law-abiding
habits will add to the general
welfare of the nation. It is pointed
out that our farming sections need
labor, and that all who, come with a
will to work will find a ready welcome.
Criminal Laws.
In my last Message I asked the
attention of the Congress to the urgent
need of action to make our
criminal law more effective; and I
most earnestly request that you pay
heed to the report of the Aattorney
Uetierar on tnis suojecr. leniurics
ago it was especially needful to
throw even* safeguard round the accused.
Such danger then was lest
he should be wronged by the state.
The danger is now exactly the reverse.
Breaches of Trust in Public Service.
There seems to be no statute of
the United States which provides
for the punishment of a United
States attorney or other officer of
the Government who corruptly agrees
to wrongfully do or wrongfully refrain
from doing any act when the
consideration for such corrupt agreement
is other than one possessing
money value. This ought to be remedied
by appropriate legislation.
Public Land Laws.
Once again I call your attention to
. the condition of the public-land laws.
IXI'ITIH UC* tiupuicuio 11 a ? c yen uvn
urgency to the need for such changes
as will fit these laws to actual present
conditions. The'honest disposal
and right u; t of the remaining public
lands is e fundamental importance.
The in.quitous methods by
which the monopolizing of the public
lands is being brought about under
the present laws are becoming move
generally known, but the existing laws
do not furnish effective remedies.
rlhc recommendations of the Public
Lands Commission upon this subject
are wise and should be given effect.
The Jamestown Tercentennial.
This enterprise is highly commendI
id by the President, who heartily sets
?ihc seal of his approval upon everything
Congress may see fit to do to
assist in making it a success.
Onr Island Possessions.
Good work has been done by our
government in all the territorial acquired
by our recent war with Spain.
Order is rapidly being brough alxmt
and the people are becoming contented
and prosperous. .
1
McCurdy Resigns Mi 'ual.
New York, Special.?Kit >ard A.
McCurdy resigned as preside t of the
Mutual Life * Insurance C /mpany.
Ilis resignation was accepter by the
board of trustees, and Frederick
Cromwell, treasurer of the Mutual,
was named as his temporary successor.
While no definite announcementwas
made regarding the selection of a
permanent successor for Mr. Mc1
Curdy, it was persistently reported
that the presidency of the company
had b^n offered to James H. Eckels
'\\1i8 trib ua,f ished tot tht |
pm^ose of arbitrat ig matters of international
difference, has already accomplished
much good. Matters of |
armament and defense and also the
duties of neutral powers in time of
war have been brought up and discussed
before this high tribunal, and
a better understanding between the \
grown out of the meetings,
nations of the earth has already
National Park Reservations.
The President recommends to the
Congress the enlargement of the
bounds of the Yellowstone National
Park, the protection of the Niagara
Falls and the establishment of such
other park reservations as congress ,
may see fit to set apart. The great (
benefits of these national parks to j
science as well as to the health and (
happiness of the people is pointed j
out. (
Merchant Marine.
To the spread of our tra.'e in peace ]
niul tlip flot'pns* oC onr tta-* in war
n great and prosperous me-chanl ma \
line is indispensible. We shold have ,
ships of our own and seaman of our? ,
own to convey our {roods to neutral
markets, and in case of need to re- ,
enforce our battle line. It can not
but be a source of regret and un- {
easiness to us that the lines of commmiicaticn
with out sister republics i
f South America should he chie;'y
under foreign control.
Pensions. <
The soldier who did his duty in i
the time of war "should receive the
benefits of a grateful country, but ,
here as elsewhere, a strict watch ,
should be kept to prevent fraud.
Mississippi Levees. i
The National Government already ,
does something in connection with j
the construction and maintenance of
the great system of levees along the
lower course of the Mississippi; in
iny judgment it should do much
more.
The Civil Service.
The civil service law has been on
the statute books for twenty-two
years. Every President and a vast
majority of heads of departments 1
fvho have been in office during that |
period have favored a gradual extension
of the merit system. The *
more thoroughly its principles have
been understood, the greater has
been the favor with which the law has
hem legarded by administrative of- (
officers. Any attempt to carry on the
great executive departments of the ,
Government without this law wouid ]
inevitably result in chaos. The Civil i
Service Commissioners arc doing excellent
work; and their compcnsa- .
tion is inadequate considering the
service they perform.
Admission to Statehood.
I recommend that Indian Territory
and Oklahoma be adiintted as one ;
State and that Mexico and Arizona
be admitted as one State. There is
no obligation upon us to treat territorial
subdivisions, which are matters
of convenience only, as binding
us on the question of admission
to statehood.
Panama Canal.
The treatment between the United
States and the Republic of Panama,
under which the construction of the
Panama Canal was made possible,
went into effect with its ratification
by the United States on April 23,
! 1904. on payment of $40,000,000 to
that company. On April 1, 1905, the
Commission was reorganized and
it now consists of Theodore P.
Shonts, chairman, Charles E. MaAdmiral
Mordecai T. Endicott, Brig.
Gen. Peter C. Hains, and Col. Oswald
j H. Ernst. -
The Department of State.
t m/iammmd mnrp adenuate Dro
X IVWUiUivnu 1 *
vision than has been made heretofore
for the work of the Department
of State. Within a few years
there has been a very great increase
in the amount and importance of the
work to be done by that Department,
both in *\Vashington and abroad. This
has been caused by the great increase
of our foreign trade, the in-,
crease of wealth among our people,
which enables them to travel more
generally than heretofore, the increase
of American capital which is
seeking investment in foreign countries,
and the growth of Our power
and weight m the councils of the
civilized world.
Conclusion..
t Suitable provision should be madf
for the expense of keeping our diplomatic
officers more fully informed
of what is being done from day to
day in progress of our diplomatic
affairs with other countries. The
lack of such information, caused by
UlSUIIlcieni appropriations atauomc
for cable tolls and for clerical and
mesenger service, frequently puts our
ollicers at a great disadvantage and
detracts from their usefulness. The
salary list should be readjusted. It
does not now correspond either to
the importance of the service to be
rendered and the degrees of ability
and experience required in the different
positions, or to the differences
in the cost of living. In many cases
the salaries are quite inadequate.
THEODQRE ROOSEVELT.
The White House,
December 5, 1905.
Alabama Growers Meet.
Montgomery, Special.?A convention
of the Alabama division of the
Southern Cotton Association was held
at Montgomery. Harvie Jordan, of
Georgia, president of the Association
was present and delivered and address.
Pledges were received for
holding 25,000 bales of cotton for
115 cents a pound and a campaign
to remove from the market all cotiton
yet in the hands of the growers
WILLIAMS DEMOCRATIC LEADER
3peaken Cannon is Re-elected aad"
Rules of Last Congress Are Adopt-*
ed After Humorous .Speech in Op- v ^
position by Mr. Williams. f fjj
Washington, Special-Congress con- V
'ened with little of the pomp and
lircumstance of other days. The
)resence of so much fuss and flowers ? pM
lonflicted with the idea of the eternal
itness of things jentertained by the . v
ilder statesmen. Hence, the formalty
of the opening session has become ugjl
t somewhat less spectacular affair.
However, much fine raiment in the
rail cries relieved the sombre aspect of *'
he floor, where flowers were Dare, ?
uul the event proved as interesting in
nanv respects as of yore.
The following caucus nominations *
vere elected:
Clerk?Alexander McDowell, Pennsylvania.
jSergeant-at-Arms?Henry Cassoin, $ . |
Wisconsin.
Doorkeeper?F. B. Lyon, New York'.- '.' ^
Postmaster?Joseph C. McElroy,
Chaplain?Rev. Henry N. Couden,
Michigan.
The mles of the Fifty-eighth Con- ,jg
rress. including the standing orders > \;l
relating to the consideration of pension
and claim bills on Fridays, on .
notion of Mr. Dalzell, of Pennsylvania,
were ordered continued during
Lhe Fifty-ninth Congress. This resolution
will be offered by Mr.'Dalzell,
when the House is organized next . ?
Monday.
Several New Senators Sworn Is.
Washington, Special?In t^e Senate .: "M
Monday several new Senators were
sworn in, including Mr. Frabler, of
Tennessee. The credentials of Sena- ,/?
tor Taliaferro, of Florida, were pre- *)
:ented by Senator Mallory. Senators
Allison and Morgan were appointed
as a committee to wait upon the
President, together with a similar
rummittee from the house.
The Message Bead.
President Roosevelt's message
Congress received the attention of the ^
House for two and a half hours Taea- ^
day. Its reading was listened to with
marked attention and at its concln- $
sion the documents was applauded. '%
Preliminary steps were taken toward 1
appropriating the needed emergency
funds for the Panama Canal. Should \.
unanimous consent be refused for its g*
consideration, a special rule from the
committee on rules will be available
which will put the bill on its passage
after a limited period for discussion. <
Mr. Webb, of North Carolina, introduced
a bill to have daily reports - jflH
made on the amount of cotton ginned, aHI
during the ginning season.
In the Senate.
The Senate was in session for al- \
most three hours Tuesday and gave y
practicially all of its time to listening
to the reading of the President's *?
annual message. There was a laige V'
attendance of Senators, and the gal- '
leries were well filled, most of the
time with representatives of the general
public. The document received $
' * 1 *.!_ -1
Close auenuon irom ,uutu ciu.-vxra,
senators following the reading from
beginning to end with printed copies V
in their hands.
Wednesday in the House.
With an opportunity for unlimited
debate on the subject of the Panama
Canal, the House exhausted its ora-^
torv on that subject (in a session of* xW
four and three-quarter hours Wednesday.
The bill appropriating $16,500,000
for the canal work, which was the
subject of discussion, will be re/id for ^
amendment and placed on its* final * a j
passage . The feature of the debate
was the criticism indulged in by both ^ V..
Republicans and Democrats regarding * ' ,
the incompleteness of the state men i
expenditures and estimates furnished
by the canal commission.
Mr. Hepburn (Iowa) reviewed the
canal work, stating that $10,000,000
had been expended and that part4<?ular
attention had been paid, to boos- ."
ing employes on the isthmus and ia
rehabitating the machinery the French * ^
company had left there.
* In the Senate.
Senator Latimer re-introduced hia jfjj
good roads bill. Senator Simmons introduced
a bill providing for a permanent
commission to investigate the t
executive departments. Senator Overman
presented a bill providing for at '
coramissibu whose duty it shall be to
enlarge the foreign market for Amer- j * '1
ican cotton. A
Senator Culberson introduced a bill Fi
making it a felony for an insurance ' ' 3$
company or any other corporation to '
contribute money or anything of value
toward the election of a President f H,
or a Vice-President of the United
States.
To Apportion Direct Tax.
Mr. William Kitehiu has introduced /
the following joint resolution, propose ? {??$
ing an amendment to the Constitution
relating to direct t^axes: , ' .
Resolved by the Senate and House
of the Representatives of the United / v.-'*
States of America in Congress as
' i
semblcd (two-thirds of each Hons* ..
concurring therein), that the following
amendment be proposed to the
Leglisiatures of the several States
which when ratified by the Legislatures
of three-fourths of the scleral
States shall become, and be a part . . 'b
of, the Constitution, to wit:
"Direct tax^s shall be portioned
among the several Stat(\ac jrdir^:
to the real and personal pi*ftpw<y, ^ts
assessed for taxation, situated in caeh
State not belonging to each State or .
to the United States."
For Public Buildings. ,
Congressman Bloekhum has intro- '<
duced a bill approjp-iating $100,000 '
for the erection of a public building
at Salisbury, jyul a bill appropriating
$30,bp0 for- a public building at Mt. s
Airy. . Representative W. Kit chin has
ntio?|*ced a bill appropriating $o0,r
a public building at High Point.