Commercial America Volume 3 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 Excerpt: ... of view. The main point is that mutual concessions have been made, and the commercial relations between the two countries need not suffer rupture. There are rumors that this agreement is to be made the basis of a "test case" to determine the limits of the power of the Executive to enter into reciprocity arrangements which modify the revenue and other laws passed by Congress. But that is a matter of Constitutional law. And if this test case ever does come to light it will probably be in process of settlement a good while after the present arrangement has become obsolete. THE PRESIDENT'S POSITION President Roosevelt is not what would be termed a great orator. He excels neither in rhetorical scroll-work nor in apt epigrams, but there is something fine, stirring and convincing in the way he strips a problem down to its fundamentals and then shows how these square with the moral law. This is a method of reasoning which seems to be strangely rare in public affairs, probably because it takes a peculiarly rugged type of conscience to make it effective. In an address in Indianapolis, on May 30th, the President made a characteristic statement of his views on the question of the relations between the Government and the railways, on which subject he has been frequently misquoted. He claimed responsibility only for turning on the light, and not for the conditions which the light revealed, stated that it was "not merely a matter of business, but also a matter of morals," and repeated that the law's sole discrimination between men was on the basis of "whether they act as honest and upright citizens should act." The physical condition of the railways of the country is little short of marvelous. Improvements and new construction are being carr...