The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1906-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

President Roosevelt In his annual
message again urges the enactment OF
law prohibiting corporations from
contributing 10 campaign funds. He
also urges the passage Of the measure
comforting upon the government the
right OF appeal In criminal cases on
questions OF law. Continuing. the
president says:
cannot too strongly urge the pas
sage OF the bill la question. A failure
10 pass Il VIII result IN seriously ham
perlng the government In It's effort to
obtain Justice. especially against
wealthy individuals or corporations
who do wrong. and may also prevent
lie government from obtaining justice
Cor wageworkers who are not them
selves able effectively 20 contest case
where tie Judgment Of an inferior
court has been against them have
specifically IN view recent decision
by district judge leaving railway
employees without remedy for viola.
ton Of certain SO called labor statute.
The importance OF enacting into law
the particular blll In question Is fur
ther Increased by the fact that the gov
eminent has now definitely begun a
policy OF rcsorting 10 the criminal law
In those trust and Interstate commerce
cases where such a course offers a rea-
sonable chance OF success.
Proper Use of InJunctions.
In my last message | suggested the
enactment OF a law In connection with
the issuance OF inJunctions. attention
having been sharply drawn to the mat
ter by the demand that the right or APP
plying Injunctions In labor cases
should be wholly abolished. IL Is at
least doubtful whether law abolish
Ing altogether the use OF injunctions
In such cases would stand the test OF
tho courts, In which case. OF course, the
legislation would be Ineffective. More
over, believe IL would be wrong alto
gether 90 prohibit the use OF injunc-
tons. IL Is criminal 10 permit sym
patty for criminals 10 weaken our
hands In upholding the law, and IL
men seek TO destroy life or property
by mob violence there should be no I'm
pairment OF the power OF the courts 10
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 advocated last year.
Against Lynching.
call your attention and the atten-
ton OF the nation TO the prevalence OF
crime among us and, above all, TO the
epidemic OF lynchIng and mob violence
that springs up now In one part OF our
country, now In another. Each sec
ton, north, south, east or west, has
It's own faults. No section can with
wisdom spend its time jeering at the
faults OF another section. IL should be
busy trying TO amend It's own short
comings. To deal with the crime or
corruption II Is necessary TO have an
awakened public conscience and TO
supplement this by whatever legisla-
ton Will add speed and certainty In
the execution OF the law. When we
deal with lynchlng even more Is neces-
sary. A great many white men are
lynched, but the crime Is peculiarly
frequent In respect 20 black men. The
greatest existing cause OF lynchlng Is
the preparation. especially by black
men, OF the hideous crime OF rape, the
most abominable In all the category
OF crimes, even worse than murder.
Lawlessness grows by what II feeds
upon, and when mobs begin TO lynch
for rape they speedily extend the
sphere OF their operations and lynch
for many other kinds OF crimes, so that
two thirds of the lynchngs are not
for rape az all, while a considerable
proportion Of the individuals lynched
are innocent OF an crime.
There Is but one safe rule Ia dealing
with black men as with white men.
IL Is the same rule Tint must be mp.
piled Ia dealing With rich men and
poor men-tha, j.. 10 treat each man.
whatever his color. his creed or his so
clal position. with even handed justice
on his real worth as man White
people owe Il quite as much 10 them
selves as to the colored race 10 treat
well the colorcd man who shows by
his life that he deserves such treatment
There IL no question or social equality
or negro domination involved.
I'm my Judgment, the crime Of rape
should always be punished with death,
as Is the case with murder. Assault
with intent TO commit rape should be
made capital crime. AZ least In the
discretion OF the court, and provision
should be made by which the punish
ment may follow Immediately upon
the heels OF the offense.
No more shortsighted policy can be
imagined than In the fancied interest
OF one class TO prevent the education
OF another class. The white man. n
he is wise, Will decline 60 allow the
negroes In n mass 90 grow TO man
hood and womanhood without educa-
ton.
'Preaehers of Mere Discomfort"
In dealing with both labor and cup.
ital, with the questions affecting both
corporations and trades unions there
is one matter more important TO re
member than nught else. and that Is
the lnHnitp harm 1ona hv prgat.hora az