The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-06


ton as / am informed that it will
soon receive the consideration of the
Supreme Court.
Accidents.
The loss of life and limb from rail-
road accidents in this country has
become appalling. 1t is a subject OF
which the National Government
should take supervision. 1t might ba
well to begin by providing for Fed
eral inspection Of interstate railroads
somewhat along the lines of Federal
inspection of steamboats,, although
not going SO far.
Employers Liability.
The National Government should
be model employer 1t should de-
mand the highest quality Of service
flom each of its employees and it
should care for all Of them properly
in return. Congress should adopt
legislation providing limited but def
mite compensation for accidents to
all workmen within the scope Of the
Federal power, including employees
OF the navy yards and arscnals.
The constitutionality Of the en-
ployers' liability act passed by the
preceding Congress has been carried
before the courts. In two juIisdic-
lious the law has been declared UNI
constitutional, and in three jurisdic-
tions its constitutionality has been
affirmed.
Eight-Hour Law.
The Congress should consider the
extension of the eight-hour law. The
constitutionality Of the present law
has recently been called into quest
ION and the Supreme Court has decid-
ed that the existing legislation is I'M
questionably within the powers Of
Congress. The principal Of the eight
hour day should as rapidly and as
far as practicable be extended to the
entire work carried on by the Gov
ernment; and the present law should
be amended to embrace contracts on
these public works which the present
wording Of the act has been con-
strued to exclude. The general intro
duction Of the eight-hour day should
be the goal toward which we should
steadily tend, and the Government
should set the example in this re-
spect
Compulsory Investigation Of Indus
trial Disputes.
Strikes and lockouts, with their at
tendant loss and suffering, continue
to increase. For the five years end
ing December 81, 1905, the number of
strikes was greater than those in any
previous ten years and was double
the number in the preceding five
years. These figures indicate the in
creasing need Of providing some ma
chinery to deal with this class of dis
turbances III the interest alike of the
employer, the employee, and the gen
eral public.
Inland Waterways.
The conservation Of our natural re-
sources and their proper use consti-
tute the fundamental problem which
underlies almost every other problem
of our National life. We must main
tain for our civilization the adequate
material basis without which that
civilization can not exist. We must
show foresight, we must look ahead.
Tariff on Wood Pulp.
There should be no tariff on any
forest product grown in this coun-
try; and, in especial, there should
be no tariff on wood pulp; due no.
tiee of the change being of course
given to those engaged in the bust
ness so as to enable them to adjust
themselves to the new conditions.
The repeal of the duty on wood pulp
should if possible be accompanied
by an agreement with Canada that
there shall be no export duty on Ca
madam pulp wood.
Postal Affairs.
| commend to the favorable con-
sideration Of the Congress a postal
savings bank system, as recommend
ed by the Postmaster General. The
primary object is to encourage among
our people economy and thrift and
by the use of postal savings banks to
give them an opportunity to husband
their resources, particularly those
who have not the facilities at hand
for depositing their money in savings
banks. Viewed, however, from the
experience of the past few weeks, it
is evident that the advantages of
such an institution are still more far
/ ,.aoaL&,,o. T;u,;1 Jo,oon;Ao~ L.n