St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-12-06

justice. DellSNc tndt iSS uioCAOA anu
supervision Of great corporations, ETC.,
can be obtained by the enactment Of
law by the congress.
The immediate and most pressing
need so far as legislation is concerned
Is the enactment into law Of some
scheme to secure to the agents of the
government such supervision and regu.
lation of the rates charged by the rail-
roads of the country engaged in inter-
state traffic as shall summarily and eff
fectIvely prevent the imposition Of I'M
Just or unreasonable rates. 1t must
include putting a complete stop to re-
bates in every shape and form.
In my judgment, the most important
provision which such law should con-
tain is that comforting upon some COM
petent administrative body the power
to decide upon the case being brought
before it, this decision to 60 into effect
within a reasonable time and to obtain
from thence onward, subject to review
by the courts.
All private car lines, industrial roads,
refrigerator charges and the like
should be expressly put under the SUI.
pervision of the interstate commerce
commission or some similar body so
far as rates and agreements practical
ly affecting rates are concerned. A re-
bate in icing charges or in mileage or in
a division of the rate for refrigerating
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 evasions of
the law be surely detected.
l hope that an employers liability
law will be prepared and enacted as
speedily as possible.
The remedy is to regulate the pro.
cedure In issuing injunctions in labor
disputes Is 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 or
dered. What is due notice must depend
upon the facts of the case.
recommend an investigation by the
department of commerce and labor Of
general labor conditions, especial at
tention to be paid to the conditions Of
child labor and child labor legislation
In the several states.
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 in 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.
Recent events have emphasized the
Importance of an early and exhaustive
consideration of the insurance question,
to see whether it is not possible to fur
nish better safeguards than the several
states have been able to furnish against
corruption of the fragrant kind which
has been exposed
It is impossible to outline what shape
a reimbursement Of the revenues should
take, for it is as yet too early to say
INa r
should be considered whether it is moi
desirable that the tariff laws should
provide for applying as against or in
favor of any other nations maximum
by the congress, so as to secure a Ger.
tain reciprocity Of treatment between
other nations and ourselves.
I earnestly recommend to the con,
gress the need of economy and, to this
end, of rigid scrutiny Of appropriation
Every consideration of prudence de.
mands the addition Of the element OF
elasticity to our currency system. In.
Station must be avoided, but some pro-
vision should be made that will insure
larger volume Of money during the
fall and winter months than in the less
active seasons of the year, so that the
currency will contract against specula.
tion and will expand for the needs Of
legitimate business.
1.-THE president repeats his recon-
mendation in his last annual message
regarding federal electlons.l