The Mena weekly star., 1907-12-05

I automobile 1 wealthy men. or men who pose as sucn, l or are unscrupulously or foolishiy eager l to become such. indulge in reckless spec 1 ulation--especially if 1t is accompanied by | dishonesty~~they jeopardize not only their | own future but the future of all their in | nocent feliow-citizens. for they expose 1 the whole business community to panic and distress'
 He advises against any general tariff legislation this session of congress, and
 says:
 s.In a country of such phenomenal l growth as ours 1t is probably well that ! every dozen years or so the tariff laws
 should be carefully scrutinized so as to | see that no excessive or improper bene- fits are conferred thereby. that proper
 revenue Is provided and that our l foreign trade Is encouraged. There must always be minimum | tariff which will not only al- | low for tho collection Of an ample rev l enae but which will at least make good the difference in cost of production | here and abroad that is tho difference in l the labor cost here and abroad, for the | weli-being of the wage worker must ever l be a cardinal point of American policy. | The question should be approached pure l ly from a business standpoint: both the time and the manner of the change being such as to arouse the minimum of agi- tation and disturbance in the business world. and to give the least play for selfish and factional motives. The sole consideration should be to see that the sum total of changes represent the pub lie good. This means that the subject cannot with wisdom be dealt with in the year preceding a presidential election, be- cause as matter of fact experience has conclusively shown that at such time it is impossible to get men to treat 1t from the standpoint of the public good In my s- Al 4 st matter is immediately after such cleo tion.''
 He asks for the repeal of the tarim on paper and wood pulp.
 He reviews and eniarges upon his pre- vious accommodations for the enact ment of federal inheritance and income tax laws.
 Attention is called to the prosecution of wealthy offenders against the national laws, and In this connection he asks that the laws under which these prosecutions arc brought be strehgthencd and made more definite.
 The Use and the
 Abuse of Iniunctions.
 'Tnstances of abuse in the granting of injunctions in labor disputes continue to occur, and the resentment in the minds of those who feel that their rights are being invaded and their liberty of action and of speech unwarrantably restrained continues to grow. Much of the attack on the use of the process of injunction is wholly without warrant; but 1 am con strained to express the belief that for some of 1t there Is warrant. This ques- tion is becoming more and more of prime importance, and unless the courts will themselves deal with 1t in effective man. ner. 1t is certain ultimately to demand some form of legislative action. It would ha for ofIr al vVal- fare If we should permit many honest and law-abidng citizens to feel that they had just cause for regarding our courts with hostility. I earnestly com mend to the attention of the congress this matter, so that some way may be devised which will limit the abuse of in- functions and protect those rights which from time to time 1t unwarrantably in- vades. Moreover. discontent is often ex- pressed with the use of the process of injunction by the courts, not only fin la bor disputes, but where state laws are concerned. I refrain from discussion of this question as I am informed that 1t will soon receive the consideration of the supreme court"
 Of other legislation in the interest of labor he favors federal inspection of rail roads; providing limited but definite com pensation for accidents to all workmen employed In any way by the government, and says:
 'sThe constitutionaiity of the employers liability act passed by the preceding con gross has been carried before the courts. In two Jurisdictions the law has been de- clared unconstitutional and in three juris- dictions It's constitutionality has been af- firmed. The question has been carried to the supreme court the case has been heard by that tribunal. and a decision is expected at an early date. In the event that the court should affirm the consti- nationality of the act. urge further leg islation along the lines advocated in my message to the preceding congress. The practice of putting the entire burden of loss of life or limb upon the victim or the victims family is a form of social in- justice in which the United States stands in unenviable prominence. In both our federal and our state Legislation we have, with few exceptions, scarcely gone farther than the repeal of the fellow servant principle of the old law of liabil- ity, and in some of oux states even this slight modification of a complete out grown principle has not yet been se- cured"
 He favors the extension of the eight hour law to all departments of the gov ernment, and to all work carried on by the government. He urges legislation for the compulsory investigation of in- dustrial disputes. and says:
 The need for some provision for such investigation was forcibly illustrated during the past summer. A strike of telegraph operators seriously interfered with telegraphic communication. caus- ing great damage to business interests and serious inconvenience to the gem eral public. Appeals were made to me from many parts of the country. from city councils. from boards of trade, from chambers of commerce, and from labor organizations. urging that steps be taken to terminate the strike. Everything that could with any pro- pricty be done by . representative of the government was done without avail, and for weeks the public stood by and suffered without recourse of any kind. Had the machinery existed and had there been authority for compulsory investigation of the dispute. the public would have been placed in possession of the merits of the controversy, and public opinion would probably have brought about prompt adjustment
 Tt Is idle to hold that without good laws evils such as child labor. as the ver-working of women, as the fail- urs 10 protect employees from loss of life or limb. can be effectively reached, any more than the evils of rebates and stock watering can be reached without good laws. To fail to stop these prac- tices by legislation means to force honest men into them. because other wise the dishonest who surely will take advantage of them will have everything their own way. If the states will correct these evils. well and good; but the nation must stand ready to aid them.
 Inland Waterway Systems
 should Be Developed.