The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1905-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
, lContinncd from nnEc ID

Iar MS rates ana agreements pfHctloNl
~ affecting rates are concerned, re
hate I'm icing charges or in mileage or IN
q division VI the rate for rcrriseruuhs
charges Is Just as pernirious as re-
bate in any other way,
There should be publicity OF the &C
counts OF common carriers only Ill
this way can violations or eHaSlohs OF
the law be surely detected \ system
OF examination of railroad accounts
should be- provided similar to that now
conducted into the national banks hE
the bank examiners. \ few ilrSt class
railroad accountants, If they lad prop
er direction and proper authority To III
spect books and papers, could accom-
plish much III preventing willrul viola
tons OF the law
Empioyers' Liability Law,
IN my annual message To III" FlttN'
eIuhth congress at It's second session
recommended the passage Oi an en-
poyers' liability law for the District OF
Columbia and In our navy yards, re-
message to the flftl eighth congress AT
IT. second session aud further suggest
ed the appointment Of commission To
make Il comprehensive study or EN-
blowers liability with Il view to the Ell
actment OF wise and cons tltutiphal
law covering the subject appIIrablc u
all industries within the scope OF I'll"
federal power | hope that such law
will be prepared and enacted ~ speed
lily az possible.
There has been demand for dcprlrinS
courts VI the power to ISSUE in functions
IN labor disputes, such special limltn.
ton Of the equity powers OF our courts
would be most unwISe, II Is true that
some Judge. have misu>ed this power
but this does not Justify II denial Of the
power any more than an improper eX-
ercise of the power 70 call At strike 10y Il
labor leader would justify the denial OF
the right to strike. The remedy Is 10
regulate the procedure by requiring the
Judge to give due notice TO the adverse
parties before granting the writ the
hearing to be eX partc II the advers"
party does not appear ut the time ami
place ordered. What is due notice must
depend upon the facts OF the case, II
should not be used ~ u preteXt to per
init violation Of law or the jeopardiz-
lug OF life or property. or course this
would not authorize the issuing OF II
restraining order or injunction In any
case IN which II i not already author.
feed by existing law,
renew the rec)nllncndatio | mad"
In my last annual message for al In
vestigation by the department OF com
iperce and labor Of general labor condi.
tons, especial attention to he paid 10
the conditions Of child labor and child
labor legislation IN the several states.
Such an Investigation should take into
account the various problems with
which the question OF child labor Is
connected, In such Il republic as ours
the one thing that We cannot afford to
neglect is the problem of turning out
decent citizens. The future Of the ma
tion depends upon the citizenship OF
the generations u come. The children
of today are those who tomorrow will
shape the destiny OF our land, and we
cannot afford to neglect them, The leg
islature Of Colorado has recommended
that the national government provide
some general measure for the protec.
tion from abuse OF children and dumb
animals throughout the United States
I lay the matter before YOU for what
trust will be your favorable consider
alton
As to women who Work.
The department OF commerce and la.
Dor should also make u thorough lnves.
tigation VI the conditions OF women IN
industry. Over 6,OOU,OOU American wo
men are now engaged In gainful occu.
pations yet there Is All almost complete
dearth Of data upon which 20 base any
trustworthy conclusions as regards Il
subject as important as It is vast and
complicated The Introduction Of wo.
men into Industry Is working change
and disturbance in the domestic and
social life Of the nation. The decrease
IN marriage. and especially in the birth
rate, has been coincident with it. We
must face accomplished facts, and the
adjustment to factory conditions must
be made, but surely 1t can be made
with less friction and less harmful Of.
fccts on family life than Is now the
case. This whole matter In reality
forms one Of the greatest sociological
phenomena Of our time. II Is II social
question of the first Importance, Of far
greater Importance than any merely Pc.
htical OF economic question can be-
In any great labor disturbance not