AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13575, 5 December 1907, Page 5

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ANNUAL MESSAGE. LONG BUT OF LITTLE VALUE. CRITICAL PROBLEMS NOT MENTIONED. By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. 'WASHINGTON, December 4. President Roosevelt's message to Congress occupied three hours in reading, tt has sixty-three pages, and is the longest on record. It deals with fifty subjects, but thoro are few surprises. Tho President is not opposed to railway "pooling"; he recommends that xvust companies bo subject to inspec1 rion, the same as banks; and he would iorbid monopolies and trading, at a loss in order to crush competition. Ho urges. Federal control of inter-State business; the establishment of emergency currency to be issued under a heavy tax; the establishment of post office^ savings banks ; graduated income and inheritance taxes ; the extension of the Ocean Mail Act, 1891, to enable the Postmaster to devote the present .profit of three and a-half million dollars on the mail service abroa 1 to mail services to South America, Asia, the Philippines, and Australia, at the rate of four dollars a mile to 16-knot, steamships. He urges that tho workmen's compensation law be brought up to th<j standard of Enropean countries. President Roosevelt affirms that tho United States is definitely eonimittod to Protection, but he considers the tariff ought to be revised periodically so as to prevent excessive or improper benefits being conferred, adding that the host time for revision is after tho Presidential election. He recommends a larger army, an addition to the navy this year of four cl the largest type of battleships, and also the establishment of defensi/e. wrorlcs and coaling stations in the Pacific, which is America's coast-line equally with the Atlantic. He hopes that until the Panama Canal is opened the battle fleet will shift from one ocean to tho other every year or two. The messago dwells on the educational value of Admiral Evans's cruise. At the same time it anticipates, in terms of warm friendliness, America's participation, in the Tokio Exhibition. The message, howovor, does not mention anything about immigration. SEVERE CRITICISM. LONDON, December 4. The I fmes says that President Roose■v oifc hap locking to suggest in the way tt real ' vnfcing reform. The I ;w York correspondent of The Titoes d 3cribes the disappointment of leading bankers and financiers at the message . The Financial News says President Hoosevei i's message is valueless. : 3 inancial Times, in criticising tho mes age, declares that in time of a vrisjs like the present it is as if a "man asked for bread and were given a tract to read. SCARCITY OF PRINTING PAPER. (Received- December -5, 8.58 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Decembqr 4. President Roosevelt proposes to repeal the duty on wood pulp. Many halfpenny newspapers are increasing their price owing to the shortage of pulp.