The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-07

5V,vvV men. q NUMBER WHICH ne says, Is
no more than sufficient to maintain the
army at the state Of efficiency which
should be the object of both officers
and men,
A recommendation in the message on
which there viii be no difference OF
opinion calls for legislation tending TO
cause diminution in the number Of
preventable railway accidents 1t is
true. as the president says. that such
accidents have been alarminely. fire.
quent. The railroads themselves have
done a great deal to prevent accidents.
for they realize that It is cheaper to
prevent wrecks than 10 meet the losses
they involve but a more rigid govern
ment supervision, the passage and APP
pication Of reasonable lawson the sub
jet. could not fail to be healthful.
Says the president:
THE passage OF a law requiring the
adoption of a block signal system has
been proposed to the congress. 1 earn
estly concur in that recommendation,
and would also point cut to the con-
gress the urgent need of legislation in
the interest OF the public safety limit
ing the hours of labor for railroad en-
ployes in train service upon railroads
engaged in interstate commerce, and
providing that only trained and eX-
perienced persons be employed in po-
sitions OF responsibility, connected
with the operation of trains. OF course,
nothing can ever prevent accidents
caused by human weakness or mis-
conduct; there should be drastic pun
ishment for any railroad employee,
whether officer or man. who by issu-
ance of wrong orders or by disobedi-
ence of orders causes disaster"
or special interest to the west is the
subject of irrigation. The executives
well known views on this subject have
not changed He is still in favor OF
national aid for irrigation, and he
takes occasion to commend the work.
ings of the Newlands act.
The reference to ship subsidies is
brief, the president contenting himself
with recommending 1.-The encourage
ment of our merchant marine by APP
propriate legislation" This means, of
course, that il ship subsidy should
be enacted into law he would sign it
with pleasure.
Our postal revenues are shown to
have increased about 6 per cent. but
eur postal operation expenses have in
! creased 8 per cent. go that we are per
cent worse off than we were before.
The president makes no recommended
/ ton on the subject, but it seems to us
that if the much abused congressional
ranking privilege could be curtailed
the postohice department might be able
to make ends meet
Towards the close of his message
President Roosevelt. nirabiIe dictu.
takes occasion TO deliver himself of an
essay on peace. It is a very well writ
ten essay and it points out very Well
7 indeed. the. advantages of peace. At
! the same time the president talks so
much about the necessity for fighting
against what ne calls the peace Of ty-
rannous terror, the peace Of craven
weakness. the peace of injustice" that
we are forced to conclude that way
I down in his heart he still retains his
| fOndness for war.
1t is manifestly impossible, in the
space of brief review, to touch upon
all the subjects taken up by President
Roosevelt. Generally speaking, though,
and with the reservations herein set
forth, his comments on national affairs
are timely. With many of them we dc
rot agree. but it IS only fair to give
the president credit for doing, or at
tempting to do. that which he thinks
lie for the best interests Of all the peo-
pie.