Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-08
employers liability law should be passed
for the District OF Columbia.
Labor in Politics.

employers liability law should be passed
for the District Of Columbia.
Labor In Politics.
The President attacks In no uncertain
language organized labor for its attitude
in the last election. He says:
'tOrganixed labor made q violent and
sweeping attack upon the entire judiciary
OF the country--an attack couched in such
terms as to include the most upright. hon
est and broad-minded judges no less than
those of narrower mind and more re-
stficted outlook"
He goes on to explain the demands OF
organized labor In regard to the injupc-
ton and decries 1t as "a policy which. II
carried out, would mean the enthrone-
ment Of class privilege In Its crudest and
most brutal form and the destruction of
one Of the most essential functions of the
judiciary in all civilized lands
He congratulates the iaboring men OF
the country for the way In which they
repudiated the effort to get them to cast
their votes in response to an appeal to
class hatred, Sin doing which they en-
phasized their sound patriotism and
Americanism."
The President follows with long dis
sertation upon the practices of judges;
with praise of the good judge and depre-
cation of the unjust judge He scores
judges and the like. and says:
The courts are to be highly commend
ed and stanchly upheld when they set
their faces against wrongdoing or tyran-
ny by majority, but they are to be
blamed when they fail to recognize I'M
der a government IKE ours the deliberate
Judgment Of a majority as to a matter Of
legitimate policy when duly expressed by
the legislature. Such lawfully expressed
and deliberate judgments should be given
off hv IN frfG y-p ", 0YfrQmP
and exceptional cases where there has
been clear violation of constitutional
provision"
The President raps Congress hard for
the framing OF the employers liability
law OF 1906, which was declared uncon
stitutional by the Supreme Court.
Conservation of Resources.
A large portion of the message is given
up to an appeal for the protection Of the
forests and for the conservation of the
natural resources, He cites the expert
ence of China, other Asiatic countries.
Africa and Mediterranean Europe in de-
forestation, with the deplorabie results
that followed. and makes an earnest plea
for the protection OF our own forests as
a measure OF national conservation.
e when the forests go man goes he
,says. and cites history to prove 1t.
The message deals with carious sub
jects Of internal policy. public health,
the census. etc; approves the parcels
post, postal savings bank. the pure food
law, denatured alcohol. etc.
He recommends placing the government
printing Office under the jurisdiction OF
the Department of Commerce and Labor.
and says:
AT present this Office is under the COM
bined control, supervision and admins
trative direction of the President and Of
the Joint committee on printing OF the
two houses of Congress. The advantage
OF having che 4.O60 employees In tits ONCE
and the expenditure of the S., 761 .377.57
appropriated therefor supervised by an
executive department is obvious, instead
Of the present combined supervision
The President recommends the imme-
Mexico as separate states. ! He urges the
fertilization OF Hawaii harbor improve
ments; and other appropriations. He
urges American citizenship for the peo-
pie Of Porto Rico, 'congratulates the
Cubans upon the early withdrawal of
American control. but warns them to be
careful in their. self-government
He commends the Filipinos, urges them
to continued efforts toward self-govern-
ment but serves notice that they cannot
have it until they show themselves At.
Army and Navy Reform.
The President has some positive views
upon promotion in the army and navy,
which he sets forth at length. They
must he read IN full In order to- be fairly
described. For instance, In regard to the
navy De says: ~ts,s, Dc J
s.our men come too ;old and stay for
too ,ssbrt. a time in tie highrsRmmand
As to the aruik be AaAks tAlsshe pres
ent Aystem Of ptotnot by seniority re-
suits IN bringing into The higher grades
many men of mediocre capacity, who
have but a short time to serve.
The President makes a pointed drive at
Congress for provision inserted in an
appropriation bill in the last session pro-
hfbiting details from the secret service
and transfers therefrom. The President
In heated tone disapproyes of this provi-
sion, and intimates that it only serves to
protect criminals.
In an exceedingly caustic vein he says:
II do not believe 1t is in the public
interest to protect criminals in any
branch Of the public service and, exactly
as we have again and again during the
past seven years prosecuted and con-
vfcted such criminals who were in the
executive branch Of the government, so In
my belief we should be given ample
means to prosecute them IL found in the
legislative branch
But" he goes on to say with fine sar-
casm. 'if this Is not considered desirable
special exception could be made in the
law prohibiting the use of the secret serv-
ice In investigating members of Congress"
The Presidents Message in full
will be found in Part II Of The Star.