The news & observer., 1905-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

policy-holderS were.
Failure to enact such legislation as Is
demanded in the Democratic Natloldl
platform and in the Presidents mes
sage would be failure to do the press
ing duty Of the hour.
Yesterday Mr.. Thomas, of North
Carolina, introduced a bill to put pr1-
vate car lines and refrigerator cars
under the Interstate Commission, ana
the President makes that recommen-
dation in his message. This is mat
ter of vital interest to the large truck
ing interests of Eastern North Caro-
lima. The car line monopoly would
have almost bankrupted the straw
berry section this year if the Legisla-
ture had not enacted law imposing
heavy penalties upon railroads when
did not furnish prompt dispatch, but
the cost of refrigeration and other
charges has imposed an unduly heavy
burden upon the truckers. Unless the
legislation demanded in the Demo-
cratic National platform and urged by
the President is enacted, there Is no
hope of securing proper reductions in
the present high charges. The Presl-
dent truly says that "the question of
transportation truly lies at the root of
all industrial success and this is
particularly true in the matter of
truck and perishable products
where quick dispatch and moderate
,,,iy,
AS related to regulation of railroad
rates. the President urges safety ap-
pliances to reduce accidents to en-
ployes and the travelling public and
also urges a regulation of the hours
of labor of men employed on railroads.
Nine-tenths of the railroad accidents
are preventabIe by the proper invest
ment of money in safety appliances.
the keeping up of track and equip
ment, and not keeping men at work
long hours until they cannot exercise
the vigilance necessary to avert acci-
dents.
Upon the question of labor. the
President reiterates his we'll known
views and adds recommendations that
full and complete statistics on child
labor and labor by women be secured
with a view to legislation that Will
prevent the grinding of the seed-corn
or the decrease of marriage and the
birth-rate now consequent upon the
employment of five million women in
gainfu pursuits.
The scandals exposed in the gigantic.
insurance companies are used by him
as an argument for Federal control of.
all insurance companies doing inter-,
State business. The argument he
makes is plausible, but what can Con
gress4 do, eifS it were in a mood TO
carry out his recommendation, in the
face of the" Supreme. Court decision.
that life insurances is not Interstate:
commerce. and therefore not under
the control of Congress? National su-
pervision of insurance is not desirable
if it were legal AS long as that de-
cision stands. Congress cannot grant
the power asked by Mr.. Roosevelt
and desired by certain great life IN
surance companies that think such
s,1pervision and control would relieve
them of State taxes, State supervision,
and enable them to escape all real
taxation and supervision. AS a matter
of fact no State has done it's duty as
to insurance companies, but with the
much more apt to get proper reguia-
ton by forty-five States than by one
central power. In North Carolina,
the Governor will recommend such
changes in insurance laws as will give
power in this State to compel insur-
ance companies to do justice to the.r
policy-holders, instead of policy-sellers
If the Legislature is composed OF
policy holders, instead of policy7sef lers,
the needed legislation and enforce
ment can be secured. but if the in
surance trust can pack the State Sen
ate (as is now their plan acting I'M
concert with the transportation trust
the State can do nothing. But we
have ten-fold more chance of defeat
ing the monopolists in the State than
in the Federal government.
The President repeats his recon-
mendaton for a law making public
all campaign contributions, but is
careful not to advocate requiring polit-
ical managers of 1904 to make rest1-
tuition for all trust money received for
carrying on the campaign that re-
suited in his election. That would be
embarrassing, very. But all the same
his recommendation for the future is
on the right line and is what the
Democrats tried to get before the last
Presidential election. He makes no
further alusion under the head of
Federal elections. giving no aid or
comfort in the message to the Crum-
packer or Force bill schemes that
have threatened the South in the past
Congresses and seemed to have ap-
proval at the White House.