The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-12-08

1900 -ApAAI dlH4s On EEglS I'M
ported thar actually obtains on domestic
goods from the American seaboard ia des.
uhalloh except in cases where water COM
petition is the controlling influence.
4neFe shou4d be publicity of the accounts
" common carriers; no common carrier
engaged in Interstate business should
heep any books or memoranda other than
nose reported pursuant to law or recula-
tIoh' and these books or memoranda should
pe open to the inspection Of the govern
meht only in this way can Violations or
eNsslohs OF the law be surely detected. A
system OF examination of railroad ac-
COUNTS should be provided similar to that
~ =" eohoueted into the national banks by
tue pahK examiners; a few flrst-c!ass rail-
Ioad accountants, If they had proper oirec-
tion and proper authority to inspect hooks
ana papers, could accomplish much In pre-
venting wlilful violations Of the law L;
"outd not be necessary for them to exam
the mo the accounts Of any abroad unless
Ior sood reasons they were directed to do
80 by the interstate cree commits
SION. 1t is greatly 10 be desired that some
way might be found by which an agree.
heht as 10 transportation within a state
intended to operate as a fraud upon the
Ieoerai interstate commerce laws could he
Drought under the jurisdiction of the fed,
eral authorities. At present 1t occurs that
large shipments of interstate tranc are
controlled by concessions on purely state
business, which of course amounts TO an
evasion of the law. The commission should
nave power to enforce fair treatment by
the great trunk lines of lateral and branch
lines.
urge upon the congress the need of
providing for expeditions action by the In
terstate commission in all these
matters, whether in regulating rates for
transportation or for storing or for hand
ing property or commodities in transit.
The history of the cases litigated under the
present m act shows that its eff
cacy has been to a great degree destroyed
py the weapon of delay, almost the most
formidable weapon in the hands of those
whose purpose it is to violate the law"
Labor Questions.
The national government, the president
says, has as a rule but little occasion to
deal with the group of problems known as
the labor question. State and municipal
authorities must deal with these in most
cases. The recommendation Is again made
as In the message of last year, that the de-
partment of commerce and labor investl-
gate the general labor condition and that
especial attention be paid to the conditions
% NAho ldooE anu CHlIQ LABOR leSlSLaLlOn
in the several states. An Investigation of
the condition of the women engaged in in
dustry in the United States and state and
municipal legislation looking to their pro-
lection is recommended. Continuing. he
says: THE introduction of women into
industry Is working change and disturb
ance In the domestic and social life of the
nation. The decrease in marriage, and
especially In the birth rate, has been CO.
incident with it. We must face accom-
plished facts, mt the adjustment to fac
tory conditions must be made; but surely
II can be made with less friction and less
harmful effects on family life than Is now
the case. This whole matter In reality
forms one of the greatest sociological phe-
nomena of our time; 1t Is a social question
OF the first Importance, of far greater i'm
portance than any merely political or eco
nomic question can be; and to solve it we
need ample data, gathered in a sane and
scientific spirit in the course of an exhaust
i've investigation"
The question of securing a healthy and
self-respecting and mutually sympathetic
attitude as between employer and laborer is
discussed at length. In discussing the
problem, he says, we must adopt the priu-
ciple of treating a man on his worth as a
man rather than with reference to his So
cial position, his occupation or the class
to which he belongs. The demand for de-
priving courts of the power to issue %injunc-
tons in labor disputes is also touched upon.
The Insurance Scandal.
In the section devoted to the recent life
insurance scandal the president declares
there is need of a far stricter and more uni
form regulation of the vast insurance in
terests of the country; much can be done
by legislation which is not only drastic but
practical. The United States should in this
respect follow the policy of other nations
by providing adequate national supervi-
sion of commercial interests which are
clearly national in character. He scores
certain officials of the life insurance COM
panies in the following words: Recent
events have emphasized the Importance Of
an early and exhaustive consideration of
this question, to see whether it is not pos
sible to furnish better safeguards than the
several states have been able to furnish
against corruption of the fragrant kind
which has been exposed. 1t has been only
too clearly shown that certain of the men
at the head of these large corporations take
but small note of the ethical distinction be-
tween honesty and dishonesty; they draw
the line only this side of what may be called
law-honesty, the kind of honesty necessary
in order to avoid falling into the clutches
of the law. OF course the only complete
remedy for this condition must be found
in an aroused public conscience, a higher
sense of ethical conduct in the community
at large, and especially among business
men and In the great profession of the law,
and in the growth of a spirit which con-
dennis all dishonesty, whether in rich mar
or in poor man, whether 1t takes the shape
of bribery or Of blackmail."
Hague Peace Conference.
The second peace conference to be held
at The Hague at an early date Is dis
cussed at considerable length, and this gov
m will do everything in It's power
to secure the success Of the conference to
the end that substantial progress may be
made in the cause of international peace,
justice and good will. He favors n general
arbitration treaty among all nations If this
is possible. The Monroe doctrine, he says.
has been an effective instrument for peace
and it is being gradually accepted by other
nations.
The arrangements made with Santa Do
mingo by which the United States has TAX
en- charge. of her customs revenues from
which all Just and reasonable debts Will
he raid has proved a boon to that country
and enabled her to maintain her independ-
ence. Peace Is also being restored there.
The appeal made to our government for
help has been answered and a treaty is
now pending in the senate with the repub-
lie.
The Army and Navy.
In connection with our foreign policy the
president discusses the condition Of our
army and navy Considering the small
number OF our soldiers, he says, they should
be trained as nearly perfect as possible.
he sayg: "ProyisiOn should