The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-09

,onna, Pi iaC,lcaily imperative unless
nestigation, and the commission be au-
lnorlzed TO take testimony under its pro-
Visions. de suggests. therefore. that Con-
what IL desires the Intertata Commerce
commission TO do and that $50 000 be placed
az az the disposal OF the commission TO de-
lray the expenses OF the proposed inycstl-
cation.
The Presidents Message.
TO the House and Senate;
i have signed the Joint resolution In
structinS the Interstate Commerce com
mission to make examinations Into the
sIoJect OF railroad determinations and
InohopoleS In coal and oil, and report on
tne same from time to time / have
sIshed IL win hesitation because In the
l0rm In which It was passed 1t accom-
plshes very little and may accomplish
nothing, and 1t Is highly undesirable that
resolution OF this kind shall became law
IN such form as TO give the impression of
lEsincerity; that is. Of pretending to 90
something which is really not done
But. after hesitation, concluded to
sign the resolution because It's defects can
be remcdied by legislation which / here
Dy ask for, and II must be understood
tnat unless this subsequent legislation Is
grahteo the present resolution must be
manly. an and may be entirely. imperative.
Bcfore specifying what this legislation
49, wish 10 call attention TO one or two
preliminary facts.
The Coal Inquiry.
I'm the first place n part of the inyesti
cation required by the House of Repre-
sentatives in the resolution adopted Feb
ruary 10. 1900. relating TO the oil inquiry.
nlid further part having 10 do with tho
snthracile coal inquiry, nus been for some
tlme under investigation by the Depart
mcnt or commerce ana Labor These in
SestiSatlons; | am Informed. arc approach
ing completion, and before Congress ad-
)ourns i Shall submit to you the preIImi-
nary reports of these Investigations I'm
III these reports are completed the Inter
state Commerce commission could not en-
GeaNor to carry out so much of the roso-
lution OF Congress refers to the ground
thus already covered without running the
FISK OF seeing the two Investigations con-
thct, and therefore render each other more
or less negatoTy.
I'm the second place. 1 call your atten-
ton TO the fact that If an investiRntIon
luton IL thoroughly and effectively CON
Quoted II will result In giving Immunity
from criminal prosecution to all persons
who are called sworn and constrained by
compulsory processes OF law TO testify as
witnesses; though, of course. such i'm
munity from prosecution is rot given 10
those from whom statements or lnforma-
ton merely In contradlStinction to sworn
testimony Is obtained
Virtue of Publicity.
This is not at all TO say that such In
vestigations should not be undertaken
Publicity can by itself often accomplish
extraordinary results for good; and the
court OF puUiic Judgment may secure such
results whore courts OF law are powerless
There are many cases where an inyestI-
CATION securing complete publicity about
abuses and giving Congress the material
on which to proceed In the enactment of
laws is more useful than criminal prose-
cutlon can possibly be.
But II should not be provided for by
law without clear understanding that IL
may be an alternative instead OF an ad
dItional remedy, that Is. that TO carry on
the successful prosecution OF the offenses
disclosed, The official body directed by
Congress to make the investigation must
OF course, carry out its directions, and
therefore the direction should not be
given without full appreciation of what
IL means
Compel Witness to Attend.
But the direction contained In the Joint
resolution which / have signed Will re-
main almost imperative unless money
tions In question. and unless the com
mission in carrying them out ia
authorized to administer oaths and COM
mel the attendance OF witnesses. AS tho
resoIutlon now is, the commission, which
Is very busy with Its legitimate work.
and which has no extra money at It's dis
posal, would be able to make the inyesti-
cation only In the most partial and
Unsatisfactory manner. and moreover It
is questionable whether II could, under
this resolution. administer oaths at all
or comDol the attendance OF Witnesses II
his mower were disputed by the parties
Investigated. the investigation would be
hoid up for year or two until the courts
nassed upon IT, In which case. during
,%o nerlod OF waiting. the commission
nul3 only investigate to the extent and
Sn the manner already prescribed under
i,s organic mw, so that the passage of tho
roaoIntIon would have achieved no good
81 accordingly recommend 10 Congress
,ha serious consideration Of just what
IL. wish the commission to do, and how
tr they wish to go. having in view the
,"n.sShIe incompatibiity or conducting an
psC,,csIication like this. and also proceed
To- crimlnally in n court OF law and
tus tgusthornore that q sufficient sum- say
t!n 20 60 he added TO the current approprla-
80 Tor the commission. so as TO enable
.,on I,,, IA direct the work In a thor
III and concise manner; while at
I'VE came time the power is explicitly
eenaunrnrr.d enu upon them 20 administer oaths
Ia ,1 compel the attendance OF witnesses
niu a. waiting the investigation I'm question.
IN i,tnh covered work quite apart from
their usual duties , - ,..,
NJ, scams unwlsc to require an lnvestl-
,-,ion nv a commission and then not 10
ssrnish either the lcga! power or money.
to,h of which are necessary TO render the
r'soiu'i' THEODORE ROOSEVELT.