The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-02-04

Une Into congress.
President Roosevelts message to
Congress Friday was a shock to Repub-
Iicans and a delight to Democrats, who
led in the applause in the House. 1t
was the warmest State paper, that ever
came down the avenue. The following
are few sparks from the message:
''Just as the blackmaiIer and bribe-
giver stand on the same evil eminence
OF infan1y, so the man who makes an
enormous fortune by corrupting Legis-
Iatures and municipalities and fleeing
his stockholders and the public, stands
on the same moral level with the Great
ures who fatten on the blood-money of
the gambling house and the saloon.
Corrupt business and corrupt poll
tics act and react with ever-increasing
debasement one on the other. The cor
rupt head of corporation and the cor
rupc labor leader are both IN the same
degree the enemies of honest corpora
tions and honest labor unions. The
rebate taker, the franchise trafficker,
the manipulation of securities, the
purveyor and protector OF vice, the
Matchmaking ward boss, the ballot-box
suffer, the demagogue, the mob lead
er, the hired bully and man killer-all
alike work at the same web of corrup-
ton and ali alike should be abhorred
by honest men.
1.-The keynote of all attacks upon
the efforts to secure honesty in bust
ness and in politics is well expressed
in brazen protests against any effort
for the moral regeneration of the
business world.
1.-The law.must in the future be adj
ministered as they are now being adj
ministered, so that the Department of
Justice may continue to be what it is
the Department of Justice, where,
so far as our ability permits, justice
is--the Departent of Justice, where,
so far as our ability permits, justice
is meted out with an even hand to great
and small, rich and poor, weak and
strong.
cit is especially necessary to secure
to the representatives of the Federal
Government full power to deal with
the greatcorporations engaged In inter-
state commerce. and, above all, with
great interstate carriers.
Three courses are suggested by the
President as correctives of ills result
ing from dishonest corporations
abandon all efforts TO oversee and con-
troll their actions in the interest of the
general public and permit a return to
the utter lack of control which would
obtain if they were let to the common
law. The people would then rise en-
mass, demanding Justice. The second
and third courses are to have the regu-
lation undertaken either by the nation
or by the States.
81 do not for a moment believe that
the actions Of the Administration
have brought on business distress. So
far as this is due to local and not
worldwide causes, and to the actions
of any particular individuals, it is due
to the speculative folly and fragrant
dishonesty of a few men of great
wealth, who seek TO shield themselves
from the effects of their own wrong
doing by ascribing its result to the ac-
lions of those who have sought to put
a stop to that wrongdoing.
Certain wealthy men of this stamp.
whose conduct should be abhorrent to
every man of ordinary decent con-
science, and who commit the hldeous
wrong of teaching our young men that
phenomenal business success must ordl-
narily be based on dishonesty, have
during the last few months made it
apparent that they have banded to-
gether TO work for reaction. Their
endeavor is to overthrow and discredit
all who administer the law.
1.-The Federal Government should
forbid the use Of mails, telegraph and
telephone wires or mere gambling In
stocks and futures, just as it does In
lottery transactions.
s'It is difficult to suggest any legis-
lation that would give greater conf
dence to the public and investors than
a wise public utilities bill. The time
has come for the strict supervision OF
these corporations and the limitation
of their stock and bond issues under
some proper public official"
Immediate re-enactment of the en-
ployers' liability law is urged, as is
compensated by the Government to all
employees injured in its service. The
same principle should apply to all pri-
vate employers, says the President. Z.
Concerning the injunctions in labor
cases the President says:
Even though it were possible,
would consider it most unwise TO
abolish the use of the process of IN
junction. But Judges should use 1t
cautiously and at the same time fear
lessly."