Ill I II IS
Many Needed Laws Are Suggested to
the People's Representatives
IS STRONG ON MORALITY
Mr. Roosevelt writes a Particularly
Strong Message In Which He Deals
With Live Issues, Such as Injunc
tions, Lynching and Their Causes,
and Other Matters of Vital Inter
est to the Whole Country.
The following U the substance of
(he annual message of President
Hoosevelt to Congress, as read in bot'i
Louses:
Introductory.
To the Senate and House of Kepres-
entatives:
As a nation we still continue to en
joy a literally unprecedented prosper
ity; and it is probable that only reck
less speculation and disregard of ligi
limate business methods on the part
of the business world van materially
mar this prosperity.
No Congress in our tiuie has done
more good work of importance than
the present Congress. There were
several matters left unfinished at
your last session, however, which I
most earnestly hope you will com
plete before your adjournment.
Corporation Campaign Contributions.
I again recommend a law prohib
iting all corporations from contribu
ting to the campaign expenses of any
party. Such a bill has already past
one House of Congress. Let indivi
duals contribute as they desire: but
let us prohibit in effective fashion all
corporations from making contribu
tions for any politicul purpose, di
rectly or indirectly.
Government's Right to Appeal in
Criminal Cases.
Another bill which has past one
.House of the Congress which it is
urgently necessary should be enacted
into law is that conferring upon the
Government the right of appeal in
criminal cases on iptestious of law.
This right exists in many of the
States; it exists in the District of
Columbia by act of the Congress. It
is of course not proposed that in uny
case a verdict for the defendant on
the merits should be set uside. . He
cently in one district where the Gov
ernment had indicted certain person
for conspiracy in connection with re
bates, the court sustuined the defen
danfjs 'demurrer; while in unothcr an
indictment for- conspiracy to obtain
rebates has been sustained by the
court, convictions obtained under it,
ai'd two defendants sentenced to im
prisonment. The two cases referred
tc may not be in real conflict with
each other, but it is unfortunate thai
there should even be an appeal en.
conflict. At present there is no way
by which the Government can causu
such a conflict, when it occurs, to be
solved by an appeal to a higher court ;
and the wheels of justice ure blocked
without any real decision of the qucs-
lion.
1 can not too stroinlv iirsfi
the passage of the bill in question.
A failure to pass it. will result in
ut-ripusly hampering the Government
in its effort to obtain justice, espec
ially against wealthy individuals or
corporations who do wrong; and ma
i . . f, ,i ,
also prevent the Go,ycri.mi from ob-
famine? -nuitwia 4n ii'u.raiK-laKa
are not themselves able effectively to
contest a case where the judgment of
an inferior count has been against
them. I have specifically in view a
recent decision by a district judge
waving railway employees without
remedy for viijutiou of eertuin so
called labor statute. It seems uu ub
surdity to permit a district juedg
against what may bo the judgment
of the immense mujority of his col
leagues on the bench, to declare 'X
pclicy of resorting to the criminal
law solemnly enacted by the Congres
to be "unconstitutional," and then
to deny the Government the right to
have the Supreme Court definitely
decide the question.
It is well to recollect thut the real
efficiency of the law often depends
not upon the passive of acts as to
which there is great public excite
ment, but upon the passage of acts of
this nature" us to which there is not
much public excitement, because there
is little public understanding of their
importance, while the interested pur
ties are keenly ulive to the desira
bility of defeating them. The impor
tance of enacting into luw the par
ticular bill in question is further in
creased by the fact .hat the Govern
ment has now - delluitely begun a
luw in those trust and interstate
commerce cases where such a course
offers a reusouuhle chance of success.
Setting Aside of Judgments and
Granting of New Trials.
In connection with this matter, I
would like to cull attention to the
very unsatisfactory state of our cirui
inal law, resulting iu large part from
the habit of setting aside the judg
ments of inferior courts on technical
ities absolutely unconnected with tho
merits of the case, and where there
is no attempt to show that there ha.
been any failure of substantial jus
tice. It would be well to enact u law
CANAL BITUATION.
The President to Issue a Special Mm
aatf to Congress on the Matter.
Washington, Speciul.--Ofucial an
nouncement is made that the presi
dent will send a special message to
tongress shortly after the opening,
ftealing with the isthmus situation.
Ha prepared much data on his retura
md expects to fitiish it witbiu week,
providing something to the effect
that:
No judgment shall be set aside o;'
new trial granted in any case, civil
or criminal, on the ground of misdi
rection of the jury or the improper
admission or rejection of evidence, or
for error us to any matter of plead
ing or procedure unless, in the opin
ion of the court to which the appli
cation is made, after an examina
tion of the entire cause, it shall affir
matively appear that the error com
plained of lius resulted in a miscar
riage of justice.
Injunctions.
In ray last message I suggested the
enactment of a law in connection with
the issuance of injunctions, attention
having been sharply drawn to the
matter by tho demand that the right
of applying injunctions in labor cases
should be wholly abolished. It is at
least doubtful whether a luw abolish
ing altogether the use of injunctions
in such cases would stand the test of
the courts; iu which case of course
the legislation would be ineffective.
Moreover, I believe it would be wrong
altogether to prohibit the use of in
junctions. It 'is criminal to permit
sympathy for criminals to weuken
our hands in upholding the law; and
if men seek to destroy life or property
bv mob violence there should be no
impairment of the power of the courts
to deal with them in the most sum
mary and effective way possible. But
so far as possible the abuse of the
power should be provided against by
some such law as I advocated lust
year.
In this matter of injunctions thero
is. lodged iu the hands of the judiciary
a necessary power which is neverthe
less subject to the possibility of grave
abuse. It is a power that should be ex
eicised witli extreme care and should
be subject to the jeulous scrutiny of
ull men, and condemnation should be
meted out as much to the judge who
fails to use it boldly when necessary
as to the judge who uses it wantonly
or oppressively. Of course a judge
strong enough to be fit for his ollieel
will enjoin any resort to violence or
intimidation, especially by conspir
acy, no matter what his opinion may
he of the rights of the original quar
rel. There must be no hesitation iu
dealing with disorder. But there
must likewise be no such abuse of the
injunctive power us is implied in for
bidding laboring men to strive for
their own betterment in peaceful and
luwful ways; nor must the injunction
be used merely to aid some big cor
poration iu carrying out schemes for
its own aggrandizement.
Lynching.
In connection with the delays of
the law, 1 cull your attention and the
attention of the nation to the pre
valence of crime among us, and above
all to the epidemic of lynching and
mob violence that springs up, now in
one part of our country, now in an
other. Each section, North, South,
East, or West, has its own faults; no
section can with wisdom spend its
time jeering ut the faults of another
section; it should be busy trying to
amend its own shortcomings. To
deal with the crime of corruption it
I is necessary to have an awukaned
1 to HcrcBflBii unto au unaivoitiu
b,. conSi:ieaee alld to guppiiment
1 . ' . 1 . . .
this by whatever legislation will add
speed and certainty iu the execution
of the law. V hen we .deal with
lynching even more is necessary. A
great many white men are lynched,
, but the c,.ime u peeilIul.lv fwq'uent in
respect to black liieu. The greatest
existing cause of lynching is the per
petration, especially by black men,
of the hideous crime of rape the
most abominable iu ull the category
of crimes, ever worse than murder.
Mobs frequently avenge the commis
sion of this crime by themselves tor
turing to death the man committing
it; thus avenging iu bestile fashion a
bestile deed, and reducing themselves
to a level with the criminal.
Lawlessness grows by what it feeds
upon ; and when mobs begin to lynch
for rape they speedily extend the
sphere of their operations and lynch
for many other kinds of crimes, so
thut two-thirds of the lynching are
not for rape ut ull ; while a consider
able proportion of the individuals
lynched are innocent of all crime.
Governor Candler, of Georgia, stated
on one occasion some years ago: "I
can say of a varily that I have, with
in the last mouth, saved tho lives "of
half a dozen innocent negroes who
were pursued by the mob, and
brought them to trial in a court of a
luw in which they were acquitted."
As Bishop Galloway, of Mississippi,
has finely said: "When the rule of
a mob obtains, that which distin
guishes a high civilization js rurrend
ered. The mob which lynches a negrj
charged with rape will iu a little
whilu lynch a white man suspected of
crime. Every Christian patriot in
America needs to lift up his voice in
loud and eternal protest ugaiust the
mob spirit thut is threatening the in
tegrity of this Hepublic" Governor
iJelks, of Alabama, has recently sok
eu us follows: "The lynching of any
person for whatever crime is inex
Mortality Among Stock.
McEwen, Special. Horses and
mules are dying in this county from
some unknown disease. Apparently
they are iu good heulth up to -within
a few hours of their deuth, working
and eating as usual, when they sud
denly collapse and suffer intensely. A
similar malady affected cuttle here
last year. Sumo farmers think the
trouble is caused by rotten com. In
effect, it is something like blind stag
gers, aud no remedy hus beau dis
covered for it.
cusable anywhere it is a defiance of
orderly government; but tho killing
of innocent people under any provo
cation is infinitely more horrible; and
yet innocent people are likely to dii
when a moo s terrible lust is one
aroused. The lesson in this: No
good citizen can afford to countenance
a defiance of the statutes, no matte:'
what the provocation. The innocent
frequently suffer, and, it is my obesr
vation, more usually suffer than the
guilty. The white people of the South
indict the whole colored race on the
ground that even the better elements
lend no assistance whatever iu fer
reting out criminals of their own yol
oi. The respectable colored people
must learn not to harbor their crimi
nals, but to assist the officers in bring
ing them to justice. This is the
larger crime, and it provokes such
atrocious offenses as the one at At
lanta. The two races can never get
on until there is an understanding on
the part of both to make common
cause with the law-abiding against
criminals of any color."
Moreover where any crime commit
ted by a member of one race against
a member of another race is avenged
in such fashion that it seems as if
not the individual criminal, but the
whole race, is attacked, the result is
to exusperate to the highest degree
race feeling. There is but oue rule
in dealing with black men as with
white men; it is the same rule that
must be applied in dealing with rich
men and poor men; thut is, to treat
each man, whatever his color, his
creed, or his social position, with
even-handed justice on his real worth
as a man. White people owe it quite
as much to themselves as to the col
ored race to treat well the colored
man who show9 by his life that he de
serves such treatment; for it is sure
ly the highest wisdom to encourage
iu the colored race all those indivi
duals who are honest, industrious,
law-abiding, ond who therefore maki
good and safe neighbors and citizens.
Heward or punish the individual on
his merits as an individual. Evil
will surely come in the end to both
races if we substitute for this just
rule the habit of treating all the mem
bers of the race, good and bad, alike.
There is no question of "social equal
ity" or "negro domination" involv
ed; only the question of relentlessly
punishing bad men, and of securing
to the good man the right or Ins
life, his liberty, und the pursuit of
his happiness as his own qualities
of heart, head, und hand enable him
to achieve it.
Every colored man should reulizs
that the worst enemy of his race is
the negro criminal, mid above all the
negro criminal who commits tue
dreadful crime of rape; and it should
be felt as in the highest degree an
offense against the whole country,
und against the colored race in par
ticular, for a colored man to fail to
help the olllcers of the law in hunt
ing down with ull possible earnest
ness and zeal every such infamous of
fender. Moreover, in my judgement,
tho crime of rape should always be
pinishcd with death, as is (the case
with murder; asuult with intent to
commit rape should be made a capi
tal crime, at least iu the discretion
of the court ; and provision should be
made by which the punishment may
follow immediately upon the heels of
the offense; while the trial should be
so conducted that the victim need not
be wantonly shamed while giving tes
timony, and that the least possible
publicity shall be given to the details.
The members of the white race on
the other hand should understand
that every lynching represents by
just so much a loosening of the bonds
of civilization; that the spirit of
lynching inevitably throws into
prominence in the community all the
foul and evil creatures who dwell
therein. No man can take part in the
torture of a human being without
having his own moral nature perman
ently, lowered. Every lynching means
just so much moral deterioration iu
all the children who have any knowl
edge of it, and therefore just so much
additional trouble for the next gen
eration of Americans.
Let justice be both sure and swift;
but let it be justice under the law,
and not the wild and crooked sav
agery of a mob.
Capital and Labor.
Iu dealing with both labor and cap
ital, with the questions affecting both
corporations and trades unions, there
is one matter more important fo re
member than uught else, and thut is
tho infinite harm done by preachers
of mere discontent. These are men
who seek to excite u violent class hat
red against all men of wealth. They
seek to turn wise and proper move
ments for the better control of cor
porations und for doing away with
the abuses cunuectcd with wealth, in
to a campaign of hysterical excite
incut and falsehood in which the aim
is to inflame to madness the brutal
passions of mankind. The sinister
demagogs and foolish visionaries who
are always eager to undertake such a
cuuiupign of destruction sometimes
seek to associate themselves "with
those working for a genuine reform
iu governmental and social methods,
and sometimes masquerade us the
reformers. In reulity they ure the
worst enemies of the cause they pro
fess to udvocute, just us the purvey
ors of seusuntiouul slander in news
paper or magazine ure the worst
enemies of ull men who are engaged
iu an honest effort to better what is
bad in our social and governmental
conditions. To preach hatred of tho
rich man us such, to curry on a cam
paign of slander and invective aguinHl
BRIEF ITEMS OF NBW8.
Witte's enemies aotive against him
in Russia and meanwhile he prepares
to uguin become a potentiul factor in
country's affairs.
Congressman John Sharp Williams
attributes South 's rapid development
to practical politicul disfranchise
ment of the negro,.
The J. J. Astor Camp of Spanish
War Veterans indorsed the uclion of
President Uooseveit iu dismissing tho
bsUllhui of colorej troops.
him, to seek to mislead and inflame
to madness honest men whose lives
are hard and who have not the kind
of mental training which,, will permit
them to appreciate the danger in the
doctrines preached all this is to com
mit a crime against the body politic
and to be false to every worthy prin
ciple and tradition of American nat
ional life. Moreover, while such
I teaching and such agitation may
give a livelihood and a certain noto
riety to some of those who take part
in it, and may result in the tempor
ary political success of othres, iu the
long run every such movement will
cither fail or else will provoke a vio
lent reaction, which will itself result
not merely in undoing the mischief
wrought by the demagog and the agi
tator, but also in undoing the good
that the honest reformer, the true
upholder of popular rights, has pain
fully and laboriously achieved. Cor
ruption is never so rife as in com
munities where the demogog and the
agitator bear full sway, because in
such communities all moral
bands become loosened, and hys
teria and sensationalism replace the
spirit of sound judgment and fair
dealing as between man and man. In
sheer revolt against the squalid anar
chy thus produced 'men are sure in
the end to run toward any leader who
can restore order, and then their re
lief at being free from the intoler
able burdens of class hatred, violence,
and demogogy is such that they can
not for some time be aroused to in
dignation against masdeeds by men of
wealth; so that they permit a new
growth of the very abuses which were
in part responsible for the original
outbreak. The one hope for success
for our people lies in a resolute and
fearless, but sane and cool-headed,
advance along the path marked out
lust year by this Congress. There
must be a stern refusal to be misled
into following either thut base crea
ture who appears and panders to the
lowest instincts and passions in order
to arouse one set of Americans
against their fellows, or that other
creature, equally base but no baser,
who in a spirit of greed, or to accu
mulute or add to an already huge
fortune, seeks to exploit his fellow
Americans with callous disregard to
their welfare of soul and body. The
man who debauches others in order to
obtain a high office stands on an evil
equality of corruption with the luan
who debauches other for financial
profit ; and when hatred is sown the
crop which springs up cau only be
evil.
The plain people who think the
mechanics, farmers, merchants, work
ers with head or hand, tho men to
whom Americu traditions are dear,
who love their cotintrv and try to
act decently by their neighbors, owe
t to themselves to remember that the
most damaging blow that cau be
iven popular government is to elect
un unworthy and sinster usitator on
a platform of violence and hypocrisy.
Whenever such an issue is raised in
this country nothing can be gained
by flinching from it, for m such cas
democracy is iteself on trial. The
triumph of the mob is just as evil a
thing as the triumph ot the pluto
cracy, ond to have escaped one danger
! I . .11 ! t .
avuns noiuing wnaiever it we suc
cumb to the other.
Railroad Employees' Hours and Eight
Hour Law.
I call your attention to the need of
passing u bill limiting the number of
hours of employment of railroad em
ployees. The measure is a very mod
erate one and I can conceive of no
serious objection to it. Indeed, so
far as it is iu our power, it should be
our aim steadily to reduce the num
ber of hours of labor, with as a goul
the general introduction j an eight
hour, day. There ure industries iu
which it is not possible that the houri
of labor should he reduced; just as
there are communities not fur enough
advanced for such a movement to be
for their good, or, if in the Tropics,
so situuted thut there is no analogy
between their needs and ours in this
mutter. On the Isthmus of Panama,
for instance, the conditions are in
every way so different from what
they are here that an eight-hour day
would be absurd ; just as it is absurd,
1 so far as the Isthmus is concerned,
I where while labor can not be employ
ed, to bother as to whether the lieces
sury work is done by alien bluck men
or by alien yellow men. But tho
wageworkers of the United States are
of so high a grade that alike from
the merely industrial standpoint and
from the civic standpoint it should
be our object to do what we can in
the direction of securing the general
observance of an eight-hour day.
Employers' Liability.
Among the excellent laws which the
Congress past at the last session was
an employers' liability law. It wa3
marked step iu advance to get the
recognition of employers' liability on
the statute books; but the law did not
go far enough. In spite of ull precau
tions exercised by employers there are
unavoidable accidents and even
deaths envolved in nearly every lino
of business connected with the me
chanic arts. This is inevitable sacri
fice of life may be reduced to a mini
mum, but it can not be completely
eliminated.
Investigation of Disputes Between
Capital and Labor.
The commission appointed by the
President October lb, 190:2, at the re
quest of both the authricite coal ap
eialors aud miners, to inquire into,
ccusider, and pass upon the questions
i.t controversy iu connection with the
strike iu the authricite regions of
First Woman to Hold Office.
New Orleans, La., Special. Mis
Jeanne Gordon, a leader in work for
the musses, wus appointed Tuesday
by Mayor Bchrmun as factory iuspeo-
ftor. to create which position the State
constitution had to be amended at the
recent general election. The office
pays $750 per year. Miss Gordon
will be the first womau to hold public
office iu Louisiana.
Pennsylvania and the causes out of
which the controversy arose, in their
report, findings, and award rxprcst
the belief "that the State and Fed-
eial governments should provide the
machinery for what may be culled th;
cumpiilsory investigation or contro
versies btween employers and
employees when they arise."
Withdrawal of Coal Lando. .
It is not wise tliHt the Nation
should alienate its remaining coal
lands. I have temporarily withdrawn
from settlement all the lands which
the Geological Survey has indicated
as containing, or in all probability
containing, coal. The question, how
ever, can be properly settled only by
hcislation, which in my judgment
should provide for the withdrawal of
these lauds from sale or from entry.
save iu certain especial circumstances.
The ownership would then remain in
the United States, which should not,
howevor, attempt to work them, but
permit them to be worked by privatj
individuals under a royalty system,
the Government keeping such control
as to permit it to see that no exces
sive price was charged consumers.
Corporations.
The present Congress has taken
long strides in the direction of secur
ing proper supervision and control
by the National Oovernmmt over
corporations engaged iu interstate
business and the enormous majority
of corporations of any size are engag
ed iu interstate business lhe pas
sage of the railway rale bill, and onl
to a less degree the passage ot the
puro food bill, and the provision for
increasing and rendering more effec
tive national control over the beef
pn eking industry, mark an important
advance in the proper direction. Iu
the short session it will perhaps b;
difficult to do much further along thij
line; aud it may be best to wait unt l
the laws have been in operation for a
number of mouths before endeavoring
t increase their scope, because only
operation will show with exactnes-t
their merits and their shortcomings
end thus give opportunity to defins
what further remidiul legislation is
needed, let in my judgment it will
in the end be advisable iu connection
with the packing house inspection law
t- provide for putting a date on the
label and for charging the cost or in
spection to the packers. All these
laws have already justified their en
actmeul.
Agriculture.
The only other persons whose, wel
fare is as vital to the welfare of the
whole country as is the welfare of the
wageworkers are the tillers of the
scil, the larmers. It is a mere truism
to say that no growth of cities, no
growth of wealth, no industrial de
velopment can atone tor anv lalhu.,'
off in the character und stunding of
the farming population. During the
lust few decades this fact has been
recognized with ever-increasing clear
ness. There is no longer uny failure
to realize thut funning, at least in
certain branches, must become u tech
nical and scientific profession. This
means that there must be open to
farmers the chance for technical and
scicntilio training, not theoretical
merely but of the most severely prac
tical type. The farmer represents a
peculiarly high tvpe of American
citizenship, and he must have the
samu chance to rise and develop us
other Americuu citizens have. More
over, it is exactlv as true of the far
mer, us it is of the business man and
the wageworker, that the ultimate
success of the Nation of which he
forms a part must he founded not
alone on material prosperity hut upon
high moral, mental, aud physical de
velopment. This education of the
firmer self-education by preference,
but also education from the outside,
as with all other men is peculurly
necessary here in the Tutted States,
where the frontier conditions even in
the newest States have now vanished,
where there must be a substitution of
a more intensive system of cultiva
tion for tho old wasteful farm man
agement, and where there must be a
better business orgunizatiou anions
the farmers themselves.
Marriage and Divorce.
1 am well aware of how ditlicult it
is to pass a constitutional amendment.
Nevertheless in my judgment the
whole question of marriage und di
vorce should be relegated to the au
thority of the National Congress. At
present the wide difference in the
laws of the different States on this
subject result in scandals and abuses;
and surely there is nothing so vitally
essential to the welfare of the nation,
nothing around which the nation
should so bend itself to throw every
safeguard, as the home life of the
average citizen. The chuuge would
ho good from every standpoint. In
particular it would be good because
it would confer on the Congress the
power at once to deal radically and
efliciuiitly with polygamy; and this
should be done whether or not mar
riage and divorce are dealt with. It
is neither safe nor proper to leave
the question of polygamy to be deult
wilh by the several States. Power to
deul with it should be conferred on
the Nationul Government.
When home ties ure loosened; when
men aud women ceuse to regard a
worthy family life, with all its du
ties fully performed, and ull its re
sponsibilities lived up to, as the life
best worth living; then evil days fur
the commonwealth are at hand. There
are regions iu our laud, und classes
of our population, where the birth
rate has sunk below the death rate.
TELEGRAPHIC TICKS.
Cases of yellow fever appear in Cu
ba. ,
Last vestige of disorder in Cuba is
suid to have disappeared.
Conductor captures train robber af
ter fierce battle in Missouri.
Former minister of French flnunce
was shot by a woman at Puris.
Health of employos in Panama Ca
nal zone is pronounced excellent.
An American leading a strike at
Hamilton, Ont., deflies orders to leave
Canada.
Surely it should need no demonstra
tion to show that wilful sterility is,
from the standpoint of the nation,
from the standpoint of the human
race, the one sin for which the penal
ty is national death, race death; a
sin for which there is no atonement;
sin which is the more dreadful
exactly in proportion as the men and
women thereof are in other respects,
iu character, ond bodily ond mental
powers, those whom for the sake of
the state it would be well to see the
fathers and mothers of many healthy
children, well brought up in homes
made happy by their presence. No
man, no woman, can shirk the pri
mary duties of life, whether for Iovj
of ease und pleasure, or for any other
cause, aud retain his or her self
respect. International Morality.
On the question of International
morality Mr. Koosevelt comes out
strongly, advocating cleau dealing bu
tween the nations of earth and also
strongly advocates international arbi
tiation as a meuns of settling all di.
ficulti'JS thut may arise.
American Shipping.
Let me once again call the atten-1
lion of the Congress to two subject!"
concerning which I have frequently
before communicated with them. One
is the question of developing Ameri
can shipping. I trust that a law em
bodying in substance the views, or a
major part of the views.exprest in tho
report on this subject luid before tho
House at its last session will be past.
I am well aware that in former years
objectionable measures have been pro.
posed in reference to the encourage
ment of American shipping; but it
seems to me that the proposed meas
ure is as nearly unobjectionable at
any can be. It will of course bene
fit primarily our seaboard States,
Maine, Louisiana, and Washington;
but what benefits part of our people
in the end benefits all; just as Gov
ernment aid to irrigation and forestry
in the West is really of benefit, not
only to the Rocky Mountain States,
but to all our country. If is prove
impracticable to enact a law for the
encouragement of shipping generally,
then at least provision should be made
for better communication with South
America, notably for fast mail lines
to the chief South American ports.
It is discreditable to us that our busi
ness people, for lack of direct com
munication in the shape of lines of
steamers with South Americu, should
iu that great sister continent be at a
disadvantage compared to the busi
ness people of Europe.
Currency Reform.
I especially call your attention to
the second subject, the condition of
our currency laws. The national
bank act has ably served a great pur
pose in aiding the enormous business
development of tho country; and
within ten years there has been au
increase in circulation per capita
from $l1.4l to $;13.08. For several
years evidence bus been accumulating
that additional legislation is needed.
The recurenco of each crop season
emphasizes the defects of the present
laws. There must soon be a revision
of them, because to leave them as they
ure means to incur liability of busi
ness disaster. Since your body ad
journed there hus been a fluctuation
iu the interest on call money from 2
per celit to III) per cent ; and the fluc
tuation was even greater during the
preceding six months. The Secretary
of the Treasury had to step iu and by
wise action put a stop to the most
violent period of oscillation. Even
worse than such fluctuation is the ad
vance iu commercial rates and the un
certainty felt in the sufficiency of
credit even at high rates. All com
mercial interests suffer during each
crop period. Excessive rates for call
money in New York attract money
from the interior banks into the spe
culative fields; this depletes the fund
that would otherwise he availuble foi
commercial uses, and commercial bor
rowers are forced to pay abnormal
rales; so that each fall a tax, in the
shape of increased interest charges.
is placed on the whole commerce of
the country.
Our Island Possessions.
It is urged that these shall receive
the careful c msideratiou of Congress
and that tariffs, etc., shall be upon a
just basis.
Army and Navy.
The message goes at length into the
mutter of the ctlicicncy of our army
and navy. The President is much
gratilicd at lhe progress we are mak
ing in both branches of our common
defense. In the matter of rifle pitic
lice tho President says:
The Congress bus most wisely pro
vided for a National Board for tho
pioinotiou of rifle priclise. Excellent
results have already come from this
law, but it does not go far enough.
Our Uegular Army is so small that in
any great war we should have to
trust mainly to volunteers; und iu
such event these volunteers should
already know how to shoot; for if a
soldier has the fighting edge, and
ability to take care of hiui.-elf in tho
open, his elliciency on tho line of
buttle is. almost directly proportion
ate to excellence iu murkmauship.
We should establish shooting trail a r
ies in the large public and military
si hoids, should maintain national tar
get ranges in different parts of tho
country, and should iu every way en
courage ths formation of rifle clubs
tl roiighout ull parts of the land. The
little Hepublic of Switzerland offer
u- an excellent example in all mailers
connected with building up an effi
cient citizen soldiery.
Tl 1 KODOH K KOOSEVELT.
The While House, Dec, M. Willi.
Whole Family Gone.
Kuoxville, Special. Joseph Moore
a resident of Limestone, was run
down aud killed by a Southern pas
senger train. He was caught ou a
bridge near his homo. Ouly recently
Moote's wife and daughter died of
typhoid fever, his death wiping out
the family.
i
Kev. Algernon S. Crapsey, in a let
ter to his bishop, renounced his min
istry and declared that the church
will oome to his way of thinking.
IMPROVED METHODS.
Ct used t be when I was bad ny moMitr'd
surely spank me,
Plie d nay, "Thin hurts me worn than you
but nnrne day you will thank me. '
Hut now ahe's joined a mother' club, itpdt
goes 'mott every day,
To find out how to train me in just the
proper way.
It lined to be when I would get real impu
dent or pert.
I'd hove tn go iipMaira to bed, or do with'
out dessert ;
Hut now ahe lei a me go ahead and aays
that it will teaeh
Not only independent thought, but fluency
o speech.
It uaeil to be wIimi I would yell ahe'd takr
nie well in hand.
But now ahe leta ine go ahead to make mf
Inn da expand.
Juat once when 1 got mad and kicked, ah
showed aome aliqlit aurpriac,
But finally aaid that kicking waa a health
ful exercise.
Xo train me mother ued to strive with all
her might and power,
But now ahe leta mv aoul unfold just like
a springtime flower;
She aaya the club's a splendid thing; I'd
sure that's vorUdc,
But, oh, 1 wiah mv father soon would join
that same club, too.
Woman's Home Companion.
Ferdy "Why did you stop calling
on the Malnchance girl?" Algy
"Why, the whole family seemed too
glad to see. me!" Life.
"Everybody is telling exactly what
you wtll do if you are elected to
office." "Yes," answered the candi
date. "Well, what will you do?" "I
don't know yet." Washington Star.
Little dropa of water.
Little graina of Band,
Make the aeaaide landlord
Charge to beat the band.
Baltimore American.
"What funny little noises your
baby mukes with his mouth, doesn't
It?" "Yes. I think It wants to learn
to become a railroad brakeman."
Mflwaukee Sentinel.
She "Would you like to have me
sing 'For All Eternity' for you?" He
(seizing the opportunity, also her
hand) "Indeed Indeed I would."
Boston Transcript.
"Is that all the work you can do
in a day?" asked a discontented em
ployer. "Well, Buh," answered Mr.
Erastus Pinkley, "I s'pose I could do
mo", but I never was much of a hand
Ion showln' off." Washington Star.
If Life be but a wayside dream
Of certainty or doubt,
Tray heaven Death do not wake us up '
Lntil the dream's dreamed out! '
Atlanta Constitution.
"My speech was received with en
thusiastic cheers." "Well." answered
Senator Sorghum, "that doesn't mean
that you made any converts. People
are most likely to applaud you for
telling them what they already be
lieved." Washington Star.
Wigg "Is Harduppe going to
marry old Smith's daughter?" Wagg
"No; the old man put a stop to it."
Wigg "Refused to give his consent,
eh?" Wagg "Oh! it wasn't a ques
tion of consent. He lost all his
money." Philadelphia Record.
Fltz "I say, are all your beaters
out of the wood?" Keeper "Yes,
sir." Fltz "Aro you sure?" Keep
er "Yes. , sir." Fltz Have you
counted them?" Keeper "No, sir;
but I know they're a'rlght." Fltz
"Then I've shot a roe deer!" Punch.
, Miss Duhley "She was braggtn'
about how successful her dinner
party was. She suld it wound up
'with great eclaw.' What's 'eclaw,
anyway?" Miss Mugley "Why, I
guess that was the dessert. Didn't
you never eat a chocolute eclaw?"
Philadelphia Press.
Obtrusive Citizen "I ask you, sir,
are you one of those who profess to
believe that tariff revision spells
ruin?" Cautious Candidate "I have
only to reply, sir, that in all which
relates in any way to spelling, I am
proud to stand squarely In line with
our fearless and peerless President,
Theodore Roosevelt." (Applause,
long continued). Puck. . . -
Candidate 'Does His ltest.
At the general election a candi
date was unexpectedly asked to what
religious denomination he belonged.
There was no opportunity to prompt
him, so the candidate had to do the
best he could on his own.
"Well," said the candidate, "you
ask me an honest question and I will
tve you a straightforward answer.
My grandmother was a Scotchwoman
a rigid Presbyterian." A percepti
ble chill promptly tell over the com
pany. "My grandfather was Eugltsh,
and naturally an Episcopalian" ha
added quickly. A frown appeared ou
the forehead ot the chill. "My fath
er believed in IminersiouB, and was a
good Baptist," he continued, looking
anxiously for the verdict, to see in
shaking heads an indication that he
had not struck It yet. It was grow
ing desperate. He squared his shoul
ders, and went on solemnly: "My
dear old mother, whom I loved and'
honored with my whole soul, -was
Methodist." Instantly every face was
adorned with a lumiuunt smile, and
in a burst ot enthusiasm be con
cluded: "And, gentlemen, I followed
the precepts of my dear old mother.
I am a Methodist, and I don't car
who knows It." Tit-Bits.
The" Penalty of Sarcasm.
Senator Iugalls, durlug his early
life, was unable to restrain his pro
pensity to indulge In sarcasm. This
habit eventually lost him his place
and his popularity. On one occasion;'
an Intimate friend wrote to him uig
lug the appointment of another
friend to a position under the Gov
ernment. To this letter the Senator
returned a very sarcastic answer, and
received the following reply: "My
Dear Senator: I think it would ba
well for you to reserve your sarcasm
for the rapidly increasing number of
your enemies, iustead ot offering it
to the decreasing number of your
friends, of whom I am one." It is
aid Mr. Ingalls never forgot the re
buke, but It was too late. Chicago
Evening Post.
It is said that only two kinds ot
birds are absolutely peculiar to Brit
ain. These ar the red grouse arl
the coal tit.
V