The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-05
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1oOs.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


 According to our usual custom. this Presidents message in full. Its length is somewhat appalling and we doubt if many people read it from start to finish. In the matter of words used 1t will hear comparison with any message ever submitted to Congress. one-half the number might have been more sat isfactorily used.
 The opening paragraph is one of praise of Congress. While Congress in the last session enacted some good laws. there are others which 1t failed to consider that are also, of consider able importance. His recommendation that a law be passed prohibiting cor porations from contributing to the campaign fund of any political party is a good one. It will cut down the resources of his own party to a great extent as it has been the popular favo- rite of that class of corporations which, form the great trus.s, His rec@mmen-, dation that the United States be given the right of appeal in crimiNel cases. as a violent change from present law. In Alabama and most of the States the state has no right of appeal in crimi-. nal cases. If 1t loses in the lower courts it loses for good and all The idea at the bottom of the recommen- dation is to try every known resource in trial of those charged with violation of recently enacted laws, about railroad discriminations, pure food laws. etc.
 He takes strong ground against the proposition to forbid the issuance of anjunctions in a certain class of cases.
 He is strong and vigorous in his de- nunciation of the crime of lynching. He quotes in this part of his message strong utterances from leading south ern men such as ex-Governor Candler, of Georgia, Governor Jelks of Alabama. Bishop Galloway of Mississippi and others.
 While conservative in his discussion of capital and labor. he justly criticises those who by unfair means build up vast interests thus producing discon- tent On the other hand, he says: ''There is one matter more important to remember than aught else. and that Is the infinite harm done by preachers of mere discontent" j.:
 He advocates a measure limiting the number of hours of employment of railroad employees and says it should be our aim steadily to reduce the num- Der of hours of labor. with as a goal the general introduction of an eight hour law" In dealing. however, with the Panama Canal work. where the rule should apply just as much as any where else he says, the conditions are in every way so different from what they are here that an eight-hour day would be absurd" There are no vot- CTS in Panama who can have any in fluence In American politics ,else the eight-hour proposition there would not seem so absurd"
 He recognizes that the matter of child labor is one ultimately for the states. but has some wholesome words on the subject He especially recommends "a drastic and thorough child labor law for the District of Columbia and the territories
 He devotes considerable space to em- ployers liability, investigation of dis putes between capital and labor and kindred matters.
 Naturally he discusses the railroad law for the enactment of which he used all his personal and official influence. He is gratifted with the outcome Of she law up to the present and expects better results for the future. He says that during the last five months the