Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-08
PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE.
The following is a synopsis of the pres

and disregard of legitimate business
methods on the part of the business
world can materially mar this prosperity.
mo congress in our times has done
more good work of Importance than' the
present congress. There were savera4
matters left unfinished at your last SEES
sion, however which / most earnestly
hope you will complete before your ad-
journment.'
The president again recommends law
prohibiting all corporations from con-
tributing to the campaign expenses OF
any party.
The urgent necessity of enacting into
law the bill which passed one house OF
congress, comforting upon the government
the right Of appeal in criminal cases on
questions of law, is strongly advocated.
The president says: "a failure TO- pass II
will result in seriously hamperlng the
government in it's effort to secure Justice,
especially against wealthy individuals or
corporations who do wrong, and may also
prevent the government from obtaining
justice for wageworkers who are not
themselves able effectively to contest d
case where the Judgment OF an inferior
court has been against them 1 nave
specifically in view a recent decision by
a district judge leaving railway employees
without remedy for violation of a certain
so-called labor statute.
'It seems an absurdity to permit SIN
gle district judge. against what may he
the judgment of the immense majority or
his colleagues on the bench, to declare a
law solemnly enacted by the congress TO
be unconstitutional and then to deny to
the government the right to have the
supreme court definitely decide the Ques-
ton. ., ,,+o low
the particular bill in question is further
increased by the fact that the govern
ment has now definitely begun polcy OF
resorting to the criminal law in those
frYIS NJ inf cases
where such a course offers reasonable
chance of success. The action of the
government in finally deciding, in certain
cases, to undertake criminal proceedings
was justifable, and, though there have
been some conspicuous failures in these
cases. we have had many instances which
undoubtedly had deterrent ,t eHeG Ct e EPod
was in the shape of fine or Imprisonment.
and penalties Of both kinds have already
been inflicted by the courts"
law which will stop the habit of setting
aside the judgments of inferior courts on
technicalities absolutely unconnected with
the merits of the case and where there
is no attempt to show that there has been
any failure of substantial justice.
The abuse of the injunctive power in
labor cases should be guarded against,
according to the president. who urges the
passage of such law as he advocated
last year.
He says: '"There must be no hesitation
n dealing with disorder. But there must
likewise be no such abuse of the injunc-
tive power as is implied in forbidding Ia
boring men to strive for their own better
ment in peaceful and lawful ways nor
must the injunction be used merely to
aid some big corr Grafton in carrying out
schemes for it's own ACKNOWLEDGMENT"
In connection with the delays OF the
law, the president calls attention to the
prevalence of crime and the epidemic of
lynching and mob violence that springs
up, now in one part of the country, now
in another. The greatest existing cause
of lynching is the perpetration, especially
rape-the most abominable in all the cat
egOry of crimes; even worse than murder.
Mobs frequently avenge the commission
of this crime by themselves torturing to
death the man committing 1t, thus ayeng-
ing in bestial fashion a bestial deed and
reducing themselves to a level with the
criminal. "In my Judgment the crime of
rape should be punished with death. as is
should be made by which the punishment
may follow Immediately upon the. heels
Of the offense. Let justice be both sure
and swift, but let it be justice under the
law. and not the wild and crooked saw
agery of a mob
81 In dealing with the question of labor
and capital the president says there IS
one thing more important to remember
than aught else, and that is the infinite
harm done by preachers of mere discon-
tent. These are the men who seek to
men of wealth. They seek to. turn wise
and proper movements for the better con-
troll of corporations and for doing away
with the abuses connect with wealth
and falsehood, in which the aim is to in
flame to madness the brutal passions of
mankind.
"In reality they are the worst enemies
of the cause they profess to advocate,
just as the purveyors of sensational SLAM
der in newspaper or magazine are the
worst enemies of all men who are en-
gagged in an honest effort to better what
is bad in our social and governmental
conditions.
'"To preach hatred of the rich mas as
SUCH to carry on q campaign OF SANDER
and invective against him, to seek to
mislead and inf1amc to madness honest
men whose lives are hard and who have
not the kind of mental training which
will permit them to appreciate: the dan
ger in doctrines preached-all is to COM
NIT a crime against the body polite and
to be false to every worthy principle and
tradition of American national life:
''The man who debaucheS others IN Or
der to obtain high office stands on an
evil equality of corruption with the man
who debauches others for financial profit,
and when hatred is sOwn the crop which
springs can only be evil.
The president again urges the passage
of a bill limiting the hours of labor of
railway employees; He says: 1T should
of hours of labor, with as goal tss~ gen
eral introduction of an eight-hou day"
On the Isthmus of Panama, he says,
the conditions are such that an eight
hour day would be absurd. just as it is
absurd, so far as the isthnnus in con-
cerned, where white labor cannot be en-
plOyed, to bother as to whether the work
is done by alien black men or by alien
yellow men.
A thorough investigation of the condi-
tons of child labor and of the labor Of
women in the United States is again
urged.
The president recommends that the en-
ployers' liability law be amended to place
the entire risk of trade" upon the en-
ployer.
The enactment of low providing for
the compulsory investigation of contro-
versies between employer and employe is
urged.
The president thinks it is not wise that
the nation should ALLEVIATE its remaining
coal lands. ST have withdrawn temporar-
lily from settlement all the lands which
the geological survey has indicated as
containing or in .all probability containing
coal. The question, however, can be
settled only by legislation, which,
In my judgment. should provide for the
of these lands from sale or
from entry, save in certain especial cir
On the subject of corporations the pres
Ident says: 1.-THE present congress has
taken long strides in the direction of Sc
curing proper supervision and control by
government over corporations
engaged in interstate business. The pas
sage of the railway rate bill, and only to
a lesser degre the passage of the pure
hill fIn yicin or c