The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The document is both interesting and informing in
its discussion OF matters of vital national concern,
but it may we'll be doubted if it would have suf-
fered either in force in cearness had it been
compressed to half its present bulk.
IL need hardly be said the president is direct
and straightforward in statement and positive and
unequvocal in such recommendations as he sees
fit TO make. Very little in the message be re-
garded as entirely new, but earlier suggestions
OF legislation are renewed and supported by facts
not previously presented and by arguments that
have the conspicuous merit of deep conviction and
sincerity.
At the outset the president renews his pre-
vious recommendation that a law be enacted pro-
hibiting all corporations from contributing TO the
campaign funds of any party, either directly
indirectly and he urges the passage OF the bill al
ready approved BY one branch of congress giving
the government the right of appeal in criminal
cases on questions of law.
Failure TO pass the measure will in the opinion
of the president seriously hamper the government
in its effort to obtain justice, especially against
wealthy individuals and corporations who do
wrong and may also prevent the government
from obtaining justice for wageworkers, who
not themselves able to contest a case when the
the judgment of an inferior court has been against
them.
Very unsatisfactory the president finds the
state of the criminal law, which results in large
part from the setting aside of the judgments OF in
ferior courts on mere technicates and this he
vidng that no judgment shall be set aside
trial granted on the ground of misdirection of the
jury or improper admission or rejection of evi-
dence, or for TO any matter OF pleading or
procedure, unless in the opinion OF the court hear
ing the application it appears that the COM
planned of resulted IN a miscarriage of justice.
While the president doubts the constitutional
ity OF law that would prohibit the issuing of i'm
functions in labor disputes he still favors the pas
sage of bill dealing with the subject framed on
lines suggested in his previous message In this
connection, while he reprobates wild and dema-
gogic denunciation of the action and judgments of
the courts, he believes that just and temperate
criticism, when necessary, is justified, and guards
the people against the acceptance of structures
prompted by ntemperate antagonism.
Particularly severe is the presidents con-
demnation of lynching. He says most truly that
lawlessness grows by what it feeds on, 'and when
mobs begin ITO lynch for rape they speedily extend
the sphere of their operations and lynch for many
other kinds OF crime that two-thirds OF the
lynchings are not for rape at all while consd
erabe proportion of the individuals lynched
innocent OF all crime
He would have the hideous crime usually
made the excuse for lynchng punished by DEATH
and attempt to perpetrate it made capital offence
in the discretion of the court; but he insists that
swift relentless and orderly punishment un-
der the law is the only way by which criminality Of
this type can permanently be suppressed
Discussing the relations between capital and
labor, President Roosevelt castigates those who
seek to ncite violent class hatred against all men
of wealth. ITO preach hatred of the rich man as
SUCH" he says, Ito carry campaign OF slander
and inveetive against him to seek TO mislead and
inhame TO madness honest men whose lives are
hard and who have not the kind of mental training
which will permit them 10 appreciate the danger
in the doctrines preached--all this is to commit
a crime against the body polite and to be false to
every written principle and tradition of American
national life"
In the judgment of the president, "the tri-
umph of the mob is just evil thing as the
triumph of putocracy, and TO have escaped
danger avails nothing whatever il we succumb to
the other"
The president places himself fairly and
squarely on record as in favor OF the eghthour
day. and directs the attention of congress TO the
need OF passing the bill limiting 10 eight hours a
day labor OF railway employees
Though he regards as excellent the employers
liability law passed by congress at its last session
he does not believe il goes far enough. Ii is an
injustice TO compel the family OF killed or disa-
bled employe TO bear the entire burden of the in
evitable accident and the president would place
this trade risk" on the employer who, he says
will promptly and properly add it 10 the legit-
mate cost of production and assess il proportion
ately upon the consumers OF his commodity
IL is the opinion OF the president that in this
age of great corporate and labor combinations.
neither employer employe should be left com
petely at the mercy OF the other and he therefore
advocates the creation under the federal govern
ment Of commission on conciliation and arbitra-
tion.
To the corporations President Roosevelt de-