A RECORD MESSAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8996, 5 December 1907, Page 5

A RECORD MESSAGE.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONGRESSSOME SURPRISES. Received December 4, 9.57 p.m. WASHINGTON. December 4. President Roosevelt's message to Congress occupied three hours in reading-. It comprised 68 pages and was the longest on record. The message dealt with fifty subjects. There were a few surprises. The message is not opposed to raiiway pooling; recommends the suspension of trust companies the same as banks; the forbidding of monopolies and trading at a loss in order to crush competition; urges Federal control of interstate business establishments; an emergency currency to be issued cmder a heavy tax; the establishment of post office savings banks; graduated income and inheritance taxes, and the extension of the Ocean Mail Act 1891 to enable the postmaster to devote the present profit of three and a half million dollar." on the mail service abroad to che mail service in South America, Asia, Philippines and Australia. The workmen's compensation law should, the message said, b?. brought I up to the standard of European countries. UNITED STATES DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO PROTECTION. Received December 5, 12.46 a.m. WASHINGTON, December 4. President Roosevelt affirms that the United States is definitely committed to protection, but the tariff ought to he revised periodically to prevent excessive or improper benefits being conferred. He added that it would be best to revise the tariff after the Presidential election. He recommends a larger army, and the , building of four of the largest typo of battleships this year, and also the es-1 tablishing of defensive works and coaling stations in the Pacific, which is America's coastline, equally with the Atlantic. He hopes that until the Panama Canal is opened that the battle fleet wil' shift from one'oiem ; to the other every year or two. I In his message to Congress the J I President deals with the educational ; value of Admiral Evans' cruhe, and j refers in terms of warm friendliness i to America's participation in the Tokio exhibition. He does not mention immigration. PRESS COMMENTS. Received December 5, 12.4G a.m. LONDON, December 4. The Times says that President Roosevelt has nothing to suggest in the way of real banking reform. The "New York correspondent of The Times describes the disappointment of the leading bankers andfinanciers in this connection. The Financial News says that President Roosevelt's message is valueless. The Financial Times declares that in the time of a crisis 'he message is like a man asking for bread and being given a tract.