The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-12-07
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
A FOrCeful Presentation OF
Needed Legislation
A DOCUMENT OF UNUSUAL YIGGR
The Message Goes at Length Into
Questions of Vital Interest to the
Whole People.

The following is the substance OF
the annual message Of President
Roosevelt to Congress, as read in both
houses:
Introductory.
To the Senate and House of Repres-
entatives:
AS a nation we still continue to en-
JOY literally unprecedented prosper
ity; and it is probable that only reck-
less speculation and disregard of ligi-
innate business methods on the part
of the business world can materially
mar this prosperity.
No Congress in our time has done
more good work of Importance than
the present Congress. There we're
several matters left unfinished at
your last session, however, which /
most earnestly hope you will com
plete before your adjournment.
Corporation Campaign Contributions.
| again recommend a law prohib-
iting all corporations from contribut-
ing to the campaign expenses of any
party. Such bill has already past
one House of Congress. Let individ-
uals contribute as they desire; bat
let us prohibit in effective fashion all
corporations from making contribu-
lions for any political purpose d.
rectly or indirectly.
Government s Right to Appeal In
Criminal Cases.
Another bill which has past one
House Of the Congtess which Il is
urgently necessary should be enacted
into law is that comforting upon the
Government 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. Tt
is of course not proposed that in any
case verdict for the defendant on
the merits should be set aside. Re-
Gently in one district where the Gov
eminent had indicted certain persons
for conspiracy in connection with re
bates, the court sustained the defen-
dant's demurrer; while in another an
Indictment for conspiracy to obtain
rebates has been sustained by the
court, convictions obtained under it
and two defendants sentenced to inn
prisonment The two cases referred
to may not be in real conflict with
each other, but it is unfortunate that
there should even be an apparent
conflict. At present there is no way
by which the Government can cause
such conflict, when it occurs, to be
solved by an appeal to a higher court
and the wheels Of justice are blocked
without any real decision Of the ques-
ton. / can not too strongly nrga
the passage of the bill in question.
Setting Aside of Judgments aid
Granting of New Trials.
In connection with this matter, 1
would like to call attention to the
very unsatisfactory state Of our Grim
inal law, resulting in large part from
the habit Of setting aside the judg.
ments Of inferior courts on technical
tiles absolutely unconnected with the
merits Of the case, and where there
is no attempt to show that there mas
been any failure Of substantial JUS
tice. 1t would be well to enact a law
providing something to the effecU
that:
No Judgment shall be set aside by
new trial granted in any case. civil
or criminal, or the ground Of misdi-
rection Of the jury or the improper
ADMISSION or rejection Of evidence, or
for error as to any matter Of plead
ing or procedure unless, in the opin-
ion of the court to which the appli-
cation is made, after an examine
ton of the entire cause, it shall aflir-
matively appear that the error con-
planned Of has resulted in a misear-
rage Of justice.
Injunctions.
In my last message 1 suggested the
enactment of law in connection with
the issuance Of 1njunctlons, attention
having been sharply drawn to the
matter by the demand that the right
Of applying injunctions in labor cases
should be wholly abolished. It is at
least doubtful whether a law abolish
ing altogether the use Of injunctions
in such cases would stand the test of
the courts; in which case Of course
the legislation would be ineffective
Lynching.
In connection with the delays of
the law, I call your attention end the
attention Of the nation TO the prev
alence Of crime among us, and above
all to the epidemic Of lynching and