The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1906-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS
ANNUAL MESSAGE
Recommends Legislation on
New and Important
Subjects.
INCOME INHERITANCE TAX
He Believes Such Laws Would Curb
Growth of Fortunes to DAN
gerous Proportions,
His Views on Negro Question-Asks
for Currency Reform, and Shipping
Biil-Would Make Citizens of Japs
Many Other Important Subjects
Discussed.

Washington. Dec. S.-The notable fea-
lures of President Roosevelt's annual
message to congress are his appeal for
introduced into congress last winter and
spring; his views OF the negro problem:
the scoring he gives those whom he
stand he takes for the control of corpor-
atoms by the federal government under
the interstate commerce clause of the
constitution, and his recommendation for
an inheritance and income tax law.
Many other subjects common to mes
sages of the chief executive are touched
upon, but the ones mentioned are by
far of the greatest Importance: He es-
pecially urges the passage of the bill
prohibiting corporations from contribut-
Ing to campaign funds. and also that one
which would give the government the
right of appeal in criminal cases. or
Another bill which has Just past one
house of the congress and which is ur-
gently necessary should be enacted into
law is that comforting upOn the govern
ment the right of appeal IN criminal
cases on questions of law This right
exists in many of the states: it exists in
the District of Columbia by act OF the
congress. 1t is of course not proposed
that in any case a verdict for the de-
PENDANT on the merits should be set
the government had indicted certain per-
sons for conspiracy in connection with
rebates. the court sustained the defend
ants demurrer; while in another juris-
diction an indictment for conspiracy to
obtain rebates has been sustained by
the court. convictions obtained under 1t.
and two defendants sentenced to impris-
onnent. The two cases referred to may
not be in real conflict with each other,
but 1T is unfortunate that there should
even be an apparent conflict. At pres
ent there is no way by which the gov
ernmen can cause such a conflict, when
1T occurs, to be solved by an appeal to
a higher court; and the wheels of justice
are blocked without any real decision of
the question. l can not too strongly
urge the passage of the bill In question.
hampering the government In Its effort
20 obtain justice, especially against
wealthy individuals or corporations who
government from obtaining justice for
wageworkers who are not themselves
the judgment of an inferior court has
been against them. l have specifically
In view a recent decision by a district
Judge leaving railway employees with
out remedy for violation of a certain So
called labor statute. 1t seems an absurd
tty to permit a single district judge.
the immense majority of his colleagues
or the bench, TO declare a law solemnly
enacted by the congress to be "uncon-
stit%utional," and then to deny to the
government the right to have the SUI
preme court definitely decide the ques-
lion"
~injunctions.
On the subject Of the abolition OF in
yuNCCO1S III ldOOI uloPOlSos Ae says
I'm my last message I suggested the en-
actment of a law In connection with the
issuance Of injunctions. attention hav-
by the demand that the right of apply
ing injunctions in labor cases should be
wholly abolished. It is at least doubtful
use of injunctions in such cases would
stand the test Of the courts; in which
case of course the legislation would be
ineffective. Moreover. l believe 1t would
be wrong altogether to prohibit the use
Of injunctions. 1t Is criminal to permit
sympathy with criminals to weaken our
hands In upholding the law; and if men
seek to destroy life or property by mob
violence there should be no impairment
OF the power of the courts to deal with
them in the most summary and effective
way possible. But so far as possible the
abuse of the power should be provided
against by some such law as I advocated
Jast year.
The Negro Problem.
bic attention, after calling. attention to
the fact that no section OF the country
Is free from faults. and that no section
has occasion to jeer at the shortcomings
OF any other section, he turns to the sub
ject of ~lynchings, and especially as APP
piled to the negro of the south. He says
the greatest existing cause for MOB law
crime of rape. q crime which he terms
even worse than murder. He quotes the
edmonitions to the white people spoken
by Gov. Gambler, of Georgia, some years
ago, and by Gov. Jelks. OF Alabama, re-
Gently, and then says:
chat the worst enemy of his race is the
negro criminal, and above all the ne
gro criminal who commits the dread.
full crime OF rape; and 1t should be felt
as In the highest degree an onense
against the whole country, and against
the colored race in particular, for a
colored man to fail to help the officers
OF the law in hunting down with all
possible earnestness and zeal every
such Infamous offender. Moreover, In
my judgment, the crime of rape should
always be punished with death, as Is
the case with murder; assault with IN
tent to commit rape should be made a
capital crime, at least in the discretion
of the court; and provision should be
made by which the punishment may |
follow Immediately upon the heels of
the o%ffense; while the trial should be
so conducted that the victim need not
be wantonly shamed while giving tes-
timony, and that the least possible
The members of the white race on
the other hand should understand that
every lynching represents by just so
much a loosening of the bands of civ
ilization: that the spirit of lynching
inevitably throws into prominence in
the community all the foul and evil
can take part In the torture Of a hui
man being without having his own
moral nature permanently lowered.
Every iynshirg t,6 means IN al, Just fbe SO ch, mpen
AAOt GA 0OtSa ~ -
who have any knowledge of it. and
therefore just so much additional
trouble for the next generation OF
Americans.
LET justice be both sure and swift;
but let it be justice under the law.
and not the wild and crooked savagery
OF a mob.
Capital and Labor.
On the subject of capital and labor
the president takes the agitators of class
hatred to task and says ito preach
hatred to the rich man, as such. 4. -.
TO seek to mislead and infiame to mad
ness honest men whose lives are hard
and who have not the kind OF mental
training which will permit them to APP
nreciate the danger in the doctrines
preached is to commit a crime against
worthy principle and tradition of Amer
team national life." Continuing on this
subject he says:
mscha MICS. farmers. merchants. work.