The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-08
LECTURE FROM WHITE HOUSE
on THE PROPOSED coal AND
OIL INVESTIGATION.
President Tells Congress Its Scheme Won't
work Unless II Gives the Interstate
Commerce Commission More Power
to Compel Testimony and More Money

work tHlcSS " eINPS tne h'tTsta'o
Commerce Commission More Power
TO Compel Testimony and More Money.
WASHINGTON, March THE President
sent the following message to Congress to-
day:
ITO the Senate aud House Of Representa-
tires.
Il nave signed the joint resolution IN
strlcting the Interstate Com-
mission to make examinations into the sub
ject of railroad determinations and mo-
nopolies in coal and oil, and report on the
same from time to time
81 have signed it with hesitation, because
in the form in which it was passed II achieves
very little and may achieve nothing, and 1t Is
highly undesirable that a resolution OF TINS
kind shall become law in such form "a to
give the impression of insincerity: that IL,
of pretending to do something which really
IL not done. But after much hesitation L
concluded to sign the resolution because
its defects can be remedied by Legislation
which I hereby ask for, and IL must be under
stood that unless this subsequent Legislation
Is granted the present resolution must be
mainly, and may be entirely, imperative.
Before specifying what this legislation
Is | wish to call attention to one or two
preliminary facts. In the first place, a
part of the investigation requested by the
House Of Representatives in the resolution
adopted on February Is, 1905. relating to the
oil industry, and u further part having
70 do with the anthracite coal industry,
ha We been for some time under investiga-
ton by the Department Of Commerce and
Labor. These Investigations, | am in
formed, are approaching completion, and
before Congress adjourns | shall submit
to YOU the preliminary reports of these i-
vestigations.
Until these reports are completed the
Interstate Commerce Commission could
not endeavor to carry out 80 much OF the
resolution Of Congress as refers to the
ground it already covers without running
the risk of seeing the two Investigations
conflict and therefore render each one
more or less nugatory.
in the second place / call your attention
TO the fact that if an investigation of the
nature proposed in this joint resolution
is thoroughly and effectively conducted it
will result in giving immunity from criminal
prosecution to all persons who are
called, sworn and constrained by COM
pulsory process of law to testify as witnesses,
though of course UGH immunity from
prosecution is not given to those from
whom statements or information merely,
in contradistinction to sworn testimony,
is obtained. This is not at all to say that
such Investigations should not be under
taken. Publicity can by itself often ac-
complish extraordinary results for good,
and the court of public Judgment may
secure such results where the courts OF law
are powerless'
ton securing complete publicity about
| abuses and giving Congress the material
on which to proceed in the enactment OF
la VS., is more useful han a criminal prosecu-
ton can possibly be. But it should not be
provided for by law without a clear under
standing that It may be an alternative IN
stead of an additional remedy; that il, that
to carry on the investigation may serve asa
bar to the successful prosecution OF the
offences disclosed.
STbe official body directed by Congress
to make the investigation must. OF course.
carry out its direction and, therefore, the
direction should not be given without full
appreciation of what 1t means.
"But the direction contained in the joint
resolution which | have signed will remain
almost imperative unless money Is pro-
vided to carry out the Investigations In
question, and unless the commission In
carrying them out Is authorized 10 admin,
lister oaths and compel the attendance OF
witnesses.
AS the resolution now is, the commits
sion. which is very busy with its legitimate
work and which has no extra money at
it's disposal, would be able to make the in
vestigation only in the most partial and
unsatisfactory manner and, moreover, 1t
il questionable whether it could, under
this resolution, administer oaths at all
or compel the attendance OF witnesses.
"If this power were disputed by the
parties investigated, the investigation would
be held up for a year or two, until the courts
passed upon it. in which case, during the
period OF waiting, the commission could
only investigate TO the extent and in the
manner already provided under its organic
laws, 80 that the passage Of the resolution
would have achieved no good result what
ever.
81 accordingly recommend TO Congress
the serious consideration OF lust what they
wish the commission to do and how far
they wish it TO go, having in view the pos
sible incompatihility Of conducting an in
vestigation like this and Of also proceeding
criminally in a court of law; and. further
more. that a sufficient sum, saw $50 900,
he at once added to the current appropria-
ton for the commission go as TO enable
them to do the work indicated in a thorough
and complete manner, while at the same
time the power is explicitly conferred upon
them to administer oaths and compel the
attendance OF witnesses in making the in
vestigation in question, which covers work
quite apart from their usual duties.
1T seems unwlSe 10 require an inVestlRa-
ton by the commission and not to furnish
either the full power or the money, both
OF which are necessary to render the in
v~estigation effective.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
1.-THE White House, March I. 1906"
MERRIMENT IN THE SENATE.
The reading of the message was received
with merriment in the Senate. 1t suggested
the days when President Cleveland was
in the White House and occasionally pointed
out in his messages wherein Congress had
failed to meet his expectations.
At the close Of the reading the MESA ge'
was referred to the Committee on Inter-
state Commerce.
Porto Rico Wants to Make Wedding GIFT.
Special Gable Despatch 10 THE SUN.