Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-12-07

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past year adds force to the recommen
dation then made. The Congress
should provide. by, appropriate legis
lation, for the Introduction OF blocl
signals upon all railroads engaged II
Interstate commerce at the earlies
practicable date, as a measure OF In
creased safety to the travelling public
Through decisions of the suprem,
court of the United States and the low
er federal courts, In cases brought be
fore them for adjudication, the safe
ty appliance law has been MATERIAL,
strengthened, and the gov, rnment has
been enabled to secure It's effective
enforcement In almost all cass, with
the result that the condition OF rail
rond equipment throughout the coun
try is much improved and railroad
employees perform their duties under
safer conditions than heretofore. The
governments most effective aid In ar.
riving at this result has been It's in.
spection service. and that these i'm.
proved conditions are not more gen.
eral Is due to the insufficient number
of inspectors employed. The lnspec-
ton service has fully demonstrated
Its usefulness, and in appropriating
for Its maintenance the Congress
should make provision for IN Increase
In the number of inspectors.
Hours Of Labor Of Railroad Employees.
The excessive hours OF labor to
which railroad employees In train ser.
vice are In many cases subjected is
also a matter which may well en-.
gage the serious attention Of the Con
gress. The strain. both mental and
physical. upon those who are engag.
ed In the movement and operation of
railroad trains under modern condi.
uons is perhaps greater than that
which exists in any other Industry.
and II there are any reasons for lin
tting by law the hours OF labor In any
employment. they certainly apply with
peculiar force to the employment OF
those upon whose vigilance and alert.
ness in the performance of their du.
ties the safety OF all who travel by
rail depends.
Employers Liability Law.
In my annual message to the Fifty.
seventh Congress. at Its second ses-
sion. | recommended the passage of
an employers liability law for the
District Of Columbia and in our navy
yards. l renewed that recommenda-
tion In my message to the Fifty-eighth
Congress, at its second session. and
further suggested the appointment of
commission to make a comprehen-
sive study OF employers liability, with
view 10 the enactment OF wise
and constitutional law covering the
subject, applicable to all Industries
within the scope of the federal power.
hope that such law will be pre-
pared and enacted ~ speedily az DOS
sible.
Labor.
The national government has as a
rule but little occasion to deal with
the formidable group of problems CON
nected more or less directly with what
is known as the labor question, for
In the great majority OF cases these
problems must be dealt with by the
state and municipal. authorities and
not by the national government. The
national government has control OF
the District Of Columbia, however.
and It should see TO 1t that the city OF
Washington is made a model city In
all respects. both as regards parks,
public Fairgrounds. proper regulation
OF the system of housing 30 as to do
away with the evils OF alley tene-
ments. a proper system Of education.
a proper system Of dealing with tru-
ancy and juvenile offenders, a proper
handling Of the charitable work of
the district. Moreover, there should
be proper factory laws to prevent all
abuses In the employment OF women
and children in the district. These
will be useful chiefly as object les.
sons. but even this limited amount
OF usefulness would be OF real nation.
al value.
There has been demand for depriy
Ing courts of the power to issue In
functions in labor disputes. Such spe
clal limitation Of the equity powers
OF our courts would be most unwise
II Is true that some judges have mis-
used this power; but this does moi
justify denial OF the power any
more than an improper exercise oi
the power to call strike by a labor
leader would justify the denial OF ths
right to strike. The remedy is u
regulate the procedure by requirin,
the Judge to give due notice to tn,
adverse parties before granting tn,
writ, the hearing to be ex parte /
the adverse party does not appear a
the time and place ordered. What Il
due notice must depend upon the fact
OF the case: 1t should not be used a
| pretext to permit violation OF Law
or the jeopardizing Of life or pror
erty. OF course. this would not al
thorize the Issuing Of a restrainin
order or Injunction In any case 4
which 1t Is not already authorized b
existing law.
| renew the recommendation | mad
in my last annual message for an ii
vestigation by the department OF con
merce and labor of general labor col
ditions. especial attention to be pal