News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-12-06

il Ofucf OF llle COMMISSION. / regarl
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 th(
government the right of civil action
against the beneficiary of a rebate fol
ut 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
sizing and are used as rebates.
Private Car Lines.
All private ear lines. industrial roads,
refrigerator charges and the like
should be expressly put under the SUI
pelyisiOn of the interstate commerce
commission or some similar body so
far rs rates ana agreements practical
~ affecting rates are concerned. A re-
bate in icing charges or in mileage or in
Il division of the rate for refrigerat ting
charges is just as pernicious as re-
bate in any other way.
There should be publicity of the ac-
counts Of common carriers. Only in
this way can violations or eyasions 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, if they had prop
er 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
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-e ghth congress at
its second session and further suggest
ed the appointment of commission to
make a comprehensive study of en-
ployers' liability with view 10 thc en-
actment OF wise and constitutional
law covering the subject, applicable to
all industries within the scope of the
federal power l hope thar such a law
will be prepared and enacted rs speed
ily rs possible.
There has been demand for dopyJ.u2
courts Of the power to issue iniunction5
in labor q pu;eS. Such special I'm ta
ton of tie equity powers a. our co0rys
would lie most unWise. 1t is true Nat
ao.ae judges have mi3uacd tbs power
but this does not justify Il Ge@ial Of t>p
power any more than an improper eX-
ercise OF the power to cali strike by
labor leader would justify the denial Of
the right to strike The remedy is to
regulate the procedure by requiring tie
Judge to give due notice TO the adverse
parties before granting the writ, th2t
hearing to be cT pa"te if The adverse
party does not appear at the time ANA
place ordered. What is due notice must
depend upon tho facts Of the case It
should not be used as Il pre,eIt to per
NIT violation Of law or the jcoparliz- !
ing of life or property. OF course this
would not authorize the issuing of
restraining or'or or injunction in any
case in v-'licl Il is not already author
izel by existing law.
| renew tie recommendation made |
in my last annual message for an in
vestigation by the department of com
merce and labor of general labor condi- .
tons, 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 | |
trust will be your favorable consider
alton.
As to Women who Work.
The department of commerce and la
Dor should also make a thorough inves-
tigation OF The conditions of women in .
industry. Over 5,0O0,O 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 q
subject as important as it is vast and
complicated. The Introduction of wo-
men into industry is working change
aud disturbance in The domestic and
social life of the nation The decrease /
in marriage, and especially in the BIRTH
r1te has hc7u ccinciGent with it, We
nusc face accomplished facts and the
az iustucrt p factory con- litOns must