The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-12-05

! Any plan must, OF course, guard the
interests Of western and southern
bankers as carefully as it guards the
! interests of New York or Chicago
J bankers, and must be drawn from the
: ttandpoints Of the farmer and the
merchant no less than from the
standpoints Of the city banker anJ
, the country banker"
; again urge on the Congress the
: need Of immediate attention TO this
, matter. We need greater elactic-
ity in our currency; provided, of
course, that we recognize the even
greater need Of safe and secure
currency. There must always be the
most rigid examination by the Nat
J ional authorities Provision should
be made for an emergency currency.
The emergency issue should, Of course
be made with an effective guaranty,
and upon conditions carefully pre-
scribed by the Government. Such
emergency issue must be based on
adequate securities approved by the
Government, and must be issued un-
der heavy tax. This would permit
currency being issued when the de-
mand for it was urgent, while secur-
ing its retirement as the demand fell
off. 1t is worth investigating to de-
ternine whether officers and direc-
tors of national banks should ever
be allowed to loan to themselves
Trust companies should be subject TO
the same supervision as banks; legis-
lation to this effect should be enacted
for the District of Columbia and the
Territories.
Enforcement of the Law.
A few years ago there was loud
complaint that the law could not be
invoked against wealthy offenders.
There is no such complaint now. The
course Of the Department of Justice
during the last few years has been
such as to make it evident that no
man stands above the law, that no
corporation is so wealthy that it can
not be held to account. The De-
partment of Justice has been as
prompt to proceed against the
wealthiest malefactor whose crime
was one of greed and cunning as to
proceed against the agitator who in
cites to brutal violence. Everything
/ that can be done under the existing
law, and with the existing state Of
public opinion, which so profoundly
influences both the courts and juries,
has been done. But the laws them
selves need strengthening in more
than one important point; they
| should be made more definite, so that
no honest man can be led unwittingly
TO hIeak them, and so that the real
wiongdoer can be readily punished.
Injunctions.
Instances of abuse in the granting
Of iLjunctions in labor disputes con-
tinUe 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
likewise to grow. Much of the at
tack on the use of the process Of in
Junction is wholly without warrant;
but I am constrained to express the
belief that for some OF it there is
warrant. This question is becoming
moro ard more one of prime import
apce, and unless the courts will them
selves deal with it in effective man
ncr, it is certain ultimately to de-
mand some form of legislative ac-
tion. 1t would be most unfortunate
for our social welfare if we should
ptrmit many honest and lawabiding
citizens to feel that they had just
cause for regarding our courts with
hostility. l earnestly commend to
the attention of the Congress this
matter, so that some way may be de-
yised which will limit the abuse Of
injunctions and protect those rights
which from time to time it unwar-
rantably invades. Moreover, discon-
tent is often expressed with the use
of the process of injunction by the
courts, not only in labor disputes, but
where State laws are concerned. !
refrain from discussion OF this ques-
ton as I am informed that il 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 subject
of which the National Government
should take supervision. 1t might be
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.
The National Government should
be model employer 1t should de-
mand the highest quality OF service
from 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 arsenals.
Eight Hour Law.
The Congress should consider The
extension of the eight-hour law. The
eonstitutionality Of the present law
has recently been called into question
and the Supreme Court has decided
that the existing legislation is un-