The Glenwood post., 1908-05-02
PRESIDENT IN SPECIAL MESSAGE
ASKS FOR NEEDED LEGISLATION
WOULD CURB LAwDEFYNe CORPORATIONS AND RESTRICT THE
INJUNcTioN-EME
POSTAL SAVINGS

Washington.-In message which
was barely announced in the Senate
and which was not received by the
House. the President Monday pleaded
that Congress enact certain highly i'm
portant measures before adjourning.
He asked that financial legislation be
enacted providing for the temporary
measures for meeting any trou-
BILE that may arise In the
next year or two and for com
mission of experts who shall thor
oughly investigate the whole matter,
both here and in the great commercial
countries abroad. so as to be able to
recommend legislation which will put
our financial system on an efficient and
permanent basis.
He said one feature of the financial
{ legislation of this session should be
the establishment of postal savings
banks.
! He also asked for a measure to do
away with abuse of the power of in
junction and a measure or group Of
measures to strengthen and render
both more efficient and more wise the
control by the national government
| over the great corporations doing an
interstate business.
| He urged appropriations to enable
| the Interstate Commerce Commission
to carry out the important features of
the Hepburn law which gives to the
commission supervision and control
! over the accounting systems of the
railroads.
He said failure to provide means
which will enable the commission to
examine the books of the railways
would amount to an attack on the law
at its most vital point and would bene-
| fl as nothing else could benefit those
railroads which are corruptly or incom-
| petently managed"
The message, which is over four col
umns in length. is in part as follows:
IN my message to the Congress of
March 25, 1908, | outlined certain
measures which believe the majority
of our countrymen desire to have en-
acted into law at this time. These
measures do not represent by any
means all that would like to see done
II thought 1t possible, but they do
represent what do believe can now
be done If an earnest effort toward this
end Is made.
Since | wrote this message an EN-
ployers' liability law has been enacted,
which, it Is true, comes short OF what
ought to have been done. but which
does represent real advance. Ap-
parently there is good ground to hope
that there will be further legislation
providing for recompensing all en-
ployes who suffer injury while en-
gagged in the public service; that there
will be child labor law enacted for
the District of Columbia; that the wa
terways commission will be continued
with sufficient financial support to in
crease the effectiveness of its prepar
atory work; that steps will be taken
to provide for such Investigations into
tariff conditions by the appropriate
committee of the House of Represent
atives, and by government experts in
the executive service as will secure
the full information necessary for in
telligently revising the tariff at the
hands of the Congress elected next
fall.
And finally. that financial legisla-
tion will be enacted providing for the
temporary measures for meeting any
trouble that may arise in the next year
or two and for a commission of ex
perts who shall thoroughly investigate
the whole matter, both here and in the
great commercial countries abroad, so
as to be able to recommend legislation
which will put our financial system
on an efficient and permanent basis.
1t is much to be wished that one feat
ure of the financial legislation of this
session should be the establishment
of postal savings banks
Ample appropriation should be
made to enable the Interstate Com
merce Commission to carry out the
very important feature of the Hepburn
law which gives to the commission SUI
pervision and control over the account
ing systems of the railroads. Failure
to provide means which will enable
the commission to examine the books
of the railways would amount to an
attack on the law at its most vital
point and would benefit as nothing else
could benefit those railroads which are
corruptly or incompetently managed.
Forest reserves should be established
throughout the Appalachian mountain
region wherever it can be shown that
they will have direct and real con-
nection with the conservation and i'm
provement of navigable rivers"
There seems, however, much doubt
about the two measures l have recon-
mended: The measure to do away with
abuse of the power of Injunction and
the measure or group of measures to
strengthen and render both more eff
ficient and more wise. the control by
the national government over the great
corporations doing an interstate bust
ness.
First. as to the power Of the injunc-
tion and the punishment for contempt
In contempt cases, save where immedi-
ate action is imperative, trial should be
before another judge. AS regards in
functions, some such legislation as that
l have previously recommended should
be enacted. They are blind who fail to