Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-03-22
Tariff to Be Revised in Special Session
Next Year.
SHERMAN LAW TO BE AMENDED
Employers Liability Bill and Aldriol
Bill to Be Passed.
NJUNCT1ONs TO BE LIMITED
All Interested Parties aud Leaders in
Congress Consulted by Execu-
tive Before scheme Was
Outlined.

WASHINGTON, March H-President |
Roosevelt has determined on a legislative
program, the enactment of which will be
urged upon congress in a special message.
which he said today will go in next week.
Each of the measures TO be proposed in
wolves perplexing difficulties and each win
have far-reaching effect on the business
and economic conditions OF the country.
The program is the product of important
conferences through which the president
has been put in possession of the Views of
all interests concerned. Likewise the at
titude of the leaders in both branches of
congress has been made known It's sue
cess depends upon the combined effort
which he believes can be brought to bear
In behalf OF the whole plan by those af-
fected especially by someone of its features.
The program includes:
A declaration I'M favor of revision of
after March 4 1909.
An amendment to the Sherman antitrust
law so as to make important concessions
to combinations of both labor and capital
Limiting the powers of certain courts
In the use Of the injunction in labor dis
putes.
Passage of an employers liability bill.
Passage OF the Aldrich financial bill.
support of Middle West.
The support OF the business and flnan-
cial interests OF the middle west was
pledged to the president on this program
following an extended conference held at
the White House last night A most satis-
factory conference was held at the presi-
dents offices today with leaders of the two
houses of congress. The details of last
nights conference were purposely withheld
pending the morning conference. At the
conclusion of the latter the following state
ment was made public by Secretary Loeb:
A conference with the president was held
at the White House last evening. with the
following representatives of commercial
bodies of the middle west:
Richard @. Hall, chairman. president of
the ,ChicagoAssociation of Commerce; ].
Y, Farwell, jr.. member of the Chicago
Association of Commerce; Charles Fl
| Wacker member of the Chicago Associa-
e dent 0t of coeFSe the 81 LANES s e Smith gresi
league; Festus j. Wade, member of the
executive copmittee of the St. Louis Busi-
dent of the Kansas city Coinrnercial club.
9. b. Parker, ex-president of the Kansas
! City Commercial club; r. M. Clendenning
secretary OF the Kansas City Commercial
Address of Western Men.
The following address was presented to
the president, and there was a full ex-
preston of views, both on the part of the
president and the committees:
Mr.. President: The organizations we
represent have membership of about 45O0
| business men, corporations firms and indi-
viduals engaged IN the development of the
| agricultural resources, and the manufac-
turing; commercial and financial interests
/ of the middle west. In the pursuit of our
various lines of business we come in con-
tact with almost every portion of the
country but especially of the Mississippi
| valley. We never were In a more pros
| porous condition than prior to the panic
| of last fall Our labor was all employed
our capital profitably invested. In a short
| period these conditions have changed. Ger
tain lines of business are almost stagnant,
| brought about by the fear of the people
! as to the stability of some Of our institu-
1 tons. Money has been boarded instead
| OF flowing into the ordinary channels of
| investment securities and the various conf
Inercial enterprises.
| Two primary causes are responsible for
this condition. First. the gross violation
| OF law by some corporations and grating
| py some public officials, and. secondly, a
| deficient currency system, wholly incapable
| of responding to needs of commerce when
| fear and uncertainty are engendered In
the minds of the masses. The starting
| OF this period of unrest and distrust was
the exposure brought about by the insur-
| ance investigation in New York. where It
| was shown that the trustees of corpora
tions, acting for millions of our people,
| and representing in assets more than
| 81, l,OO0,0 10000 In many instances used the
assets Of the corporations in direct VIOLA
/
| calamity at San Francisco, almost destroy
| ing the sixth great city OF the nation
entailing loss Of several hundred million
| dollars improverishing the citizens as well
| as the Insurance companies.
Bribery and Graft.
Then upon the heels of this disaster we
! find the public officials of that city charged
with the violation Of almost every trust
while the people were battling for exist
/ ence We also had the grating and brib-
cry that was unearthed IN at least three
Das,,reT esnes rsss s bis ane Ihay ZANE the
Of the assets of great railroads, followed
by the conviction of their officials and also
| those Of large Industrial corporations, for
utter disregard of the laws of the nation
and the state. When these things are con-
sidered no one can express surprise that
shaken. TO you, Mr.. President, we accord
the credit due for compelling a respect for
the law by the great and the small alike.
We believe that your work toward busi-
ness morality viii be remembered as a
milestone, not only in the development OF
this countrys business morals but as a
milestone In the progress OF the world
We believe the business integrity of the
average merchant in this country Is of a
higher standard than In any other, we
therefore appreciate and commend ali the
more your fearless activity which has re-
suited IN raising the STANDARD, and We
been rendered our country.
No great good has ever been accom-
plished in any times without some suffering
consider with extreme patience the unusual
conditions that prevail, and while abandon
ing no expressed principle, TO adjust your
executive actions TO the requirements OF
this period OF business timldity.
We ask you. Mr. President, to indicate ~
the congress the corrective measures YOU
deem II necessary to take. We believe that
the first step toward resumption OF normal
business conditions can be taken by the
congress in response to explicit recommend
atiOns by the executive.
"A subcommittee, consisting OF Messrs.
Hall. Wacker, Smith and Topping. called
on the president at the executive office
this morning and they, were informed by
the president that he would probably COM
municate 10 congress next week explicit
recommendations concerning the legisla-
ton needed"
Congressional Leaders Cali.
The president. Senator Aldrich and Rep
resentatives Payne Of New York, Dalzell
L frr.,tf~...a -. C.n,.a