, 1906-12-05
POINTS FROM THE MESSAGE.

appear Tor justice alike To the rich. II
the poor. He does not hesitate to cali
the courts in question and recommend
that Legislation be enacted making II
impossible to set aside verdicts because
of trivial technicalities. Upon this i'm.
portant subject he says:
No judgment should be set aside or
new trial granted in any cause, civil
or criminal, on the ground of misdi.
rection of the jury or the improper ad-
mission or rejection of evidence or for
error as to any matter Of pleading or
procedure unless, in the opinion of the
court to which the application is made,
after an examination of the entire
cause, It shall afirmatiyely appear that
the error complained of has resulted
in a miscarriage of justice"
How frequently we see justice defeat
ed because of the practice the presi.
dent complains of and If his remedy
were applied, there would be greater
opportunity for men of moderate means
to secure substantial justice in the
courts. Under the present enactments
1t is possible for n man of great means
to wear a poor litigant out and compel
him to sacrifice valuable rights because
of inability to continue in court against
technicalities, new trials, etc.
The president discusses the lynching
question without equivocatlon and
points the way to substantial Justice.
As to the penalty for the horrible crime
of rape he says it should be death, and
adds: Let justice be both sure and
swift, but let 1t be justice under the
law and not the wild and crooked
savagery of a mob" Again: swift,
relentless and orderly punishment I'M
der the law is the only way by which
criminality of this type can permanent.
ly be suppressed"
AS to wage-workers: "The wage
workers of the United States are of SO
high a grade that alike from the merely
industrial standpoint and from the civic
standpoint 1t should be our object to
do what We can in the direction of Sc
curing the general observance OF an
eight.hour day"
A drastic and thorough-going child
labor law is recommended for the Dis.
trict of Columbia and the territories
and full investigation and report upon
child labor is recommended, in order
that the states may be induced to pass
adequate and uniform laws.
Combinations of capital are consider,
ed a necessity, but Gin some method,
whether by a national license law or in
other fashion, we must exercise, and
that at an early date, a far more com
plete control than at present over
these great corporations-a control
that viii, among other things, prevent
the evils of excessive overcapitaliza-
ton and that will compel the. disclos,
ure by each big corporation of its stock
holders and of its properties and bust.
ness, whether owned directly or
through subsidiary or affiliated corpor-
a%tions."
Men who have been making vast for
tunes through illegitimate methods vii
find little consolation in the chapter
upon corporate control, but the honest
sentiment of the country will find in it
deep consolation.
In his discussion of the inheritance
tax question and the matter Of an in
come tax, the president urges that
these questions be carefully thought
out with a view to passing acts at
once constitutional and just. He be
lieves that greater burdens should be
assumed by those men of swollen for
tunes, and particularly after they are
dead.
OF Cuba the president says We wish
nothing but that its people shall pros
per.
The president does not expect that
there will be much legislation at this
session of congress other than the pas.
sage of work already begun. AS a
whole the message is unquestionably
one of the most able and most advanc.
ed in the grounds taken that has ever
been given to the American people.