Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-12-06
The Presidents
Annual Message
Continued from first page.)

complaint ana arrer mvesugaurun. a
heavy penalty should be exacted from
any corporation which fails to respect
. an order of the commission. I regard
this power to establish a maximum
rate as being essential to any scheme
of real reform In the matter Of railway
regulation.
1t Is worth while considering whether
IT would not be wise to confer on the
government the right Of civil action
against the beneficiary Of rebate for
at least twice the value Of the rebate
This would help stop what is really
blackmail. Elevator allowances should
be stopped, for they have now grown
to such an extent that they are demon
alizing and are used as rebates.
Private Car Lines.
All private car lines, industrial roads,
refrigerator charges and the like
should be expressly put under the su-
pervision of the Interstate commerce
commission or some similar body 30
far as rates and agreements practical
ly affecting rates are concerned. A re-
bate in icing charges or in mileage or In
q division OF the rate for refrigerating
charges is just as pernlcious as a re-
bate In any other way.
There should be publicity Of the ac-
counts Of common carriers. Only in
this way can violations or evasions Of
the law be surely detected. A system
OF examination of railroad accounts
should be provided similar to that now
conducted into the national banks by
the bank examiners. A few first class
railroad accountants, IL they had prop
err direction and proper authority to In
spect books and papers, could accom-
plish much in preventing willful viola
tons of the law.
EmplOyers' Liability Law.
In my annual message to the Fifty
eighth congress at its second session 1
recommended the passage Of an en-
ployers' liability law for the District Of
Columbia and In our navy yards. re-
newed that recommendation In my
message to the Fifty eighth congress at
its second session and further suggest
ed the appointment Of commission to
make comprehensive study Of en-
ployers' liability with view to the en-
actment Of wise and constitutional
law covering the subject, applicable to
all industries within the scope of the
federal power. / hope that such law
will be prepared and enacted as speed
I''y as possible.
There has been demand for depriving
courts of the power to issue injunctions
In labor disputes. Such special limita-
ton Of the equity powers of our courts
would be most unwise. 1t is true that
some judges have misused this power,
but this does not justify denial Of the
power any more than an improper ex-
ercise of the power to call a strike by a
labor leader would justify the denial of
the right to strike. The remedy Is to
regulate the procedure by requiring the
judge to give due notice to the adverse
parties before granting the writ, the
hearing to be ex parte If the adverse
party does not appear at the time and
place ordered. What Is due notice must
depend upon the facts of the case. 1t
should not be used as pretext to per-
NIT violation Of law or the jeOpardiz-
ing of life or property. OF course this
would not authorize the issuing of
restraining order or injunction In any
case In which it Is not already author
tied by existing law.
I renew the recommendation / made
In my last annual message for an In
vestigation by the department Of COM
merce and labor Of general labor condi-
tions, especial attention to be paid to
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 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
ton depends upon the citizenship of
the generations to 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-
ton from abuse Of children and dumb
animals throughout the United States.
lay the matter before you for what I
trust will be your favorable consider
alton.
As to Women Who Work.
The department Of commerce and Ia
Dor should also make thorough inves-
tigation Of the conditions of women in
industry. Over 100000 American wo-
men are now engaged In gainful occu-
pations, yet there is an almost complete
dearth of data upon which to base any
trustworthy conclusions as regards a
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 it can be made
with less friction and less harmful ef-
fects on family life than Is now the
case. This whole matter In reality
forms one of the greatest sociological
phenomena Of our time. 1t is social
question of the first Importance, Of far
greater importance than any merely po-
litical or economic question can be.