Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Both Houses Of Congress Hear
Reading.
FIRM ON RATE LAW.
Corporations, Panama Canal and Many
Other Important Topics Are Thor
oughly Discussed.

AuCuI lGOOSCFCl I1CSSdSc was ISdu ~
Congress today. 1t is in substance as
| follows:
The Nation
The people of this country continue to
enjoy great prosperity. Undoubtedly
there will be ebb and flow.
Something can be done by legislation
to help the general prosperity on a pol
| icy which shall insure to the advantage
| OF all people who act decently.
| If the less fortunate man is moved
| to envy to strike at the conditions under
which they both live, the result will be
| that while damage may come to the one
struck at, it will visit with an even heav-
| Ter load the one who strikes the blow.
Taken as whole we must all go up and
| down together
Corporations.
The corporation has come to stay just as
| the labor union has come to stay. Each
should be favored as long as it does good.
| Experience has shown that it is use
less to try to get an adequate regulation
and supervision of great corporations by
state action: believe that it can be OBJ
tanned by the enactment of law by the
Congress. If necessary the constitution
| must be amended
1t has been a misfortune that national
laws on this subject have been of pro-
hlbltlve rather than an affirmative kind.
| Ihe successful prosecution of one device
to evade the law Immediately develops
another devise. What is needed is not
sweeping prohibition but supervision and
| regulation.
Of these abuses perhaps the chief is
| apitalization.
Railway Rates Law.
! 1t must include putting a complete
| stop over rebates. The power should be
| affirmative and should be given to some
administrative body created by the Con
gress. The most important provision is
| conferrlng on some administrative body
! the power to decide whether a rate is
just * if unjust, to prescribe the
reasonable maximum rate, this to go into
| effect within reasonable time, subject
to review by the courts. A rebated rate
should be made the maximum on all
similar transportation. My proposal is
| not to give the commission power to in
ltiate Or originate rates, but to regulate.
The best possible regulation would be an
| agreement among the railroads to carry
! out the law. 1t would put a stop
to determinations. A system of exam
| lnatiOn for railroad accounts similar to
| that now conducted in national banks
should be provided. Present laws have
been greatly destroyed by delay in the
courts. The question of transportation
| lies at the root of all industrial success.
We must understand that the public
| servants who are to do this work must
be Of the highest type. They must be
well paid
Safety Appliances.
| The Congress should provide for the
! Introduction Of block signals on all rail
roads engaged in interstate commerce.
If there are any reasons for laws limit
! ing the hours of labor they certainly ap
! ply to railroad workers with peculiar
| force
An employers liability law applicable
| to all industries within the scope of the
federal government should be enacted.
Labor.
There has been demand for depriv-
| ing courts of the power to issue injunc-
tons in labor disputes. Such limitation
would be unwise Some judges
have misused this power but it does not
justify a denial any more than of the
| power to call strike for improper exer-
else of the power
In such a republic as ours the one
thing that we cannot afford to neglect is
the problem of turning out decent citi-
ZenS; the children of today are those who
will share the destiny of the land tomor
row.
The introduction of women into indus
try is working change and disturbance in
domestic and social life. The decrease
in marriage and especially the birth rate
is coincident with it. There is need for
knowledge on which to base legislation
for protection of working women
If the class spirit. grows it will ulti-
mately prove fatal to us.
This government is not and never shall
be governed by mob. Each man, rich or
| poor, shall be treated simply and solely
on his worth as a man.
The noblest of all forms of govern
ment is sefgovernment; but it also is
the most difficult. There are selfish
and brutal men in all ranks of life
Insurance
That state supervision is Inadequate
| has already been generally conceded.
The United States should follow the pol
icy OF other nations by providing ade-
Quate federal supervision.
The Revenues.
Unless our expenditures can be kent
within the revenues, then our revenues
must be readjusted. There is more need
OF stability than to attain ideal perfec-
ton. The shock and strain to the bust
ness world certain to attend any serious
change render such change inadvisable
unless TOR grave reasons. 1t Is vet too
early TO attempt to outline what shane
the reimbursement should take
Economy.
To cut down on the navy would be q
crime against the nation. To fail to
| push forward all work on the Panama
canal would be as great folly All un-
necessary Offices should be abolished. In
the public printing also a large saving
| can be made.
Currency.
Every consideration of prudence de-
mands the addition of elasticity to our
| currency system.
Business Methods
There is every reason why our execu
tive government should be at least as
we'll planned as the best machinery of
the great business organizations.
Federal Elections
Not only should both the national and
state Legislatures forbid any officer of
a corporation from using the money of
the corporation in any election, but they
should forbid the use of such money in
connection with any legislation except
by employment of counsel for distinctly
legal services
Hague Conference
We can do nothing of permanent value
for peace unless we keep in mind our
aim is righteousness
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