Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-12-06

commodities III transit. Inc history
Of the eases litigated under the pres
ent commerce act shows that its eff
cacay has been to a great degree des-
troyed by the weapon of delay, al
most the most formidable weapon
in the hands of those whose purpose
it is to violate the law.
Safety Appliances.
In my annual Message to the Fifty
c;2hth Congress, at its third session
! allied attention to the necessity for
le, i%slation requiring the use of block
signals upon railroads engaged in
interstate ommerce. The number Of
serious collisions upon unlocked
roads that have occurred within the
past year adds force to the recon-
mendation then made. The Congress
should provide, by appropriate legis-
lation. for the introduction of block
signals upon all railroads engaged in
interstate nlme at the earliest
practicable date, as a measure of in
creased safety to the travelling pub
lie.
Hours Of Labor of Railroad En-
ployees.
The excessive hours of labor to
which railroad employees in train ser
vice are in many cases subjected is
also Il matter which may well engage
the serious attention of the Con-
gress. The strain, both mental and
physical, upon those who are engaged
in the movement and operation Of
railroad trains under modern condi-
tons is perhaps greater than that
which exists in any other industry,
and if there are any reasons for limit
ing by law the hours Of labor in any
employment, they certainly apply with
peculiar force to the employment Of
those upon whose vigilance and alert
ness in the performance Of their du-
ties the safety Of all who travel by
rail depends.
Labor.
The National Government has as
a rule but little occasion 10 deal with
the formidable group Of problems
connected more or less directly with
what is known as the labor question,
for IN the great majority of eases
these problems must be dealt with by
the State and municipal authorities
and not by the National Government.
The National Government mas con
trol of the District of Columbia. how
ever, and it should see to it that the
City of Washington is made a model
city IN all respects, both as regards
parks. public grounds, proper ,regu!a-
ton of the system of housing SO as
to do away with the evils of alley
tenements. a proper system of educa-
ton, a proper system Of dealing with
truancy and juvenile offenders, a pro-
per handling Of the charitable work
Of the District. Moreover. there
should be proper factory laws to pre-
vent all abuses in the employment of
women and children in the District.
These will be useful chiefly as OBJ
jet lessons, bat even this limited
amount Of usefulness would be IF real
national value.
There has been demand for depriv-
ing courts OF the power to issue in
functions iii labor disputes. Such
special limitation of the equity pow
ers OF or courts would be most I'M
wise. 1T Is true ;hat some Jldees
have misused this power; but this
does not justify a denial of the power
any o than an improper exercise
of the power to call a strike by a
labor leader would justify the denial
Of the right to strike.
The Department Of Commerce and
Labor should also make a thorough in
vestigation of the condition Of
women in industry. Over five
million American women are now
engaged III gaintul occupations; vet
there Is an almost complete iearth
Of data upon which to base any trust
worthy conclusions as regards a sub
Ject as important as it is vast and
complicated There IS need Of full
knowledge on which to base action
looking toward Stale and municipal
legislation for the protection OF work
ing women The introduction of wo-
men into industry is working change
and disturbance in the domestic and
social life Of the Nation.
Insurance.
The great insurance companies af-
ford striking examples of corpora
lions whose business has extended so
far beyond the jurisdiction Of the
State which created them as to pre-
clude striet enforcement of suDervi-
sion and regulation by the parent
States. In my last annual Message,
| recommended "that the Congress-
carefully consider whether the pow
er of the Bureau of Corporations can