The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-05

I called attention to the necessity Tor
Legislation requiring the use Of block
signals upon railroads engaged in in.
terstate commerce. The number Of
serious collisions upon unlocked roads
that nave occurred within the past year
adds force to the Recommendation then
made. The Congress should provide.
by appropriate legislation, for the in.
PRODUCTION Of block signals upon all
railroads engaged in interstate com
merce at the earliest practicable date,
as measure OF increased safety to the
travelling public,
Through decisions Of the Supreme
Court OF the United States and the low.
or Federal courts in cases brought be.
fore Them for adjudication the safety.
appliance law has been materially
strengthened, and the government has
been enabled to secure Its effective
enforcement In almost all cases, with
the result that the condition of rail.
road equipment throughout he coun-
try is much improved and railroad en-
ployes perform their duties under safer
conditions than heretofore. The gov.
ernment's most effective aid in alriv.
ing at this result has been It's inspec.
ton service, aud that these improved
conditions are not more general is due
to the insufficient number of inspectors
employed. The inspection service has
fully demonstrated It's usefulness, and
in appropriatlng for It's maintenance
the Congress- should make provision
for an increase in the number Of in.
spec;ors.
The Insurance Question.
The great Insurance companies af-
ford striking examples of corporations
whose business has extended SO far
beyond the jurisdiction Of the States
which created them as to preclude
strict enforcement OF supervision and
regulation by tie parent States. II
my last Message recommended that
the Congress carefully consider wheth.
err the power of the Bureau Of Corpora
tons can not constitutIonally be ex.
tended to cover interstate transac ions
In insurance
Recent events have emphasized the
Importance of an early and exhaustive
consideration OF this question, to see
whether 1t is not possible to furnish
better safeguards than the several
States have been able to furnish
against corruption of the tiagrant kird
which has been exposed. It has be IN
only too clearly shown that certain Of
the men et the head of these large cor
porations take but small note Of the
ethical distinction between honesty anil
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 condi.
lion must be found in an aroused pub
lie conscience, higher sense Of eth
lcal 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
condemns all dishonesty, whether In
rich man or in poor man, whether 1t
takes the shape Of bribery or Of black.
mail. But much can be done by legis-
latIon wh.ch is not only. drastic but
practical. There is need Of far
ST 'cter and more uniform regulation
Of tie vast insurance interests Of this
country. The United staes should In
this respect follow the policy Of othe"
nations by providing adequate nation
al supervision Of commercial interests
when are clearly national in charac-
ter My predecessors have repeated
Iy recognized that the foreign business
of these companies is an important
part of our foreign commercial rela-
lions. During the administrations Of
Presidents Cleveland. Harrison and
Mckinley the State Department exer
ciscd It's influence, through diplomatic
channels, to prevent unjust discrimi-
InanJn by foreign countries against
American insurance companies. These
negotiations illustrated the prophety
of The Congress recognizing the ma
tiOnal character Of insurance, for ii.
the absence of Federal Liquidation the
Stale Department could only give el.
preston to the wishes OF the authorl.
ties OF several States, whose policy was
Ineffective through want Of uniformity,
repeat my previous recommends
ton that the Congress should also con.
slider whether the Federal Government
has any power or owes any duty with