The midland journal., 1905-12-08

be affirmative and should be given
to some administrative body Great
ed by the Congress.
All private-car lines, industrial
roads, refrigerator charges, and the
like should be expressly put under
the supervision of the Interstate Com
merce Commission or some similar
body so far as rates and agreements
practically affecting rates, are con-
cerned.
Safety Appliances.
In my annual Message to the Fifty
eighth Congress, at its third session,
/ called attention to the necessity for
legislation requiring the use of block
signals upon railroads engaged in
interstate commerce. The number of
serious collisions upon unblocked
roads that have occurred within the
past year adds force to the recon-
mendation then made.
Hours of Labor of Railroad EN-
ployees.
The excessive hours of labor to
which railroad employees in train SER
vice are in may cases subjected is
also 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-
tions 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.
The Revenues.
There is more need of stability
than of the attempt to attain an ideal
perfection in the methods of raising
revenue; and the shock and strain
to the business world certain to at
tend any serious change in these
methods rendering such change mad
visable unless for grave reason.
But in time of peace the revenue
must on the average, taking a series
Of years together, equal the expen-
ditures or else the revenues must
be increased. Last year there was
a deficit. Unless our expenditures
can be kept within the revenues
then our revenue laws must be re-
adjusted.
But in making this statement
must in no wise be understood as
advocating the false economy which
is in the end the worst extravaganza.
To cut down on the Navy, for in
stance, would be a crime against the
Nation. To fail to push forward all
work on the Panama Canal would be
as great folly.
One of the most effective instru-
ments for the peace is the Monroe
Doctrine as it has been and is being
gradually developed by this Nation
and accepted by other nations.
National Park Reservations.
The President recommends to the
Congress the enlargement of the
bounds of the Yellowstone National
Park, the protection of the Niagara
Falls and the establishment of such
other park reservations as Congress
may see fit to set apart. The great
benefits of these national parks to
science as we'll as to the health and
happiness of the people is pointed
out.
The Hague Conference.
This tribunal, established for the
purpose of arbitrating matters of in
ternational difference, has already ac-
complished much good. Matters Of
armament and defense and also the
duties Of neutral powers in time of
war have been brought and dis
cussed before this high tribunal, and
a better understanding between the
nations of the earth has already
grown out of the meetings.
I. The Civil Service.
The civil service law has been on
the statute books for twenty-five
years. Every President and a vast
majority of the heads of departments
who have in Office during that period
have all along been strong advocates
of the merit system The move
thoroughly its principles have been
understood, the greater has been the
favor with which the law has been
regarded by administrative Of
ficers. Any attempt to carry on the
great executive departments of the
Government without this law would
inevitably result in choas. The Civil
Service Commissioners are doing ex-
cellent work; and their compensa-
ton is inadequate considering the
service they perform.
Labor.
The National Government has as
a rule but little occasion to 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 cases
these problems must be dalt with by