The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1908-05-07
ANOTHER MESSAGE
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AGAIN
REMINDS CONGRESS or ITs
DUTY TO TIE PEOPLE.
ACTION on PENDING MEASURES URGED
Abuse Of Power by injunction and Con
troll By the National Government
Over the Great Corporations Doing
an Interstate Business Especially
Mentioned BY the Executive.

~ IVY EE"HaNNHHH
Washington-The following is an
abstract or special message sent 20
both houses OF congress by President
Roosevelt urging action on certain
measures at this session:
To the senate and house Of represen-
tatiyes:
In my message to the congress OF
March 25. 1908. / outlined certain
measures which I believe the majority
Of "a countrymen desire 20 have en-
acted into law at this time. These
measures do not represent by any
means an that I would ike TO see
done II thought it possible. but they
DO represent what I believe can now
be done II an earnest effort toward this
ent is made.
Since I wrote this message an en-
ployers liability law has been enacted
which. Il is true. comes shoFt OF what
ought to have been done. but which
does represent a real advance. Appar
entity there is good ground 10 hope that
there Wil be further legislation pro
ylding for recompensing al employees
who suffer injury while engaged DO the
public service. that there viii be a
chlidlabor Law enacted FOR the Dis
trict % Columbia; that the waterways
commission viii be continued with SUI
ncieut financial support 20 increase
the effectiveness Of SIS preparatory
work; that steps Will be taken % pro
vide for such Investigation into tarin
conditions. by the appropriate commit
tee Of the house OF Representatives
and by government experts In the ex
ocutive service. Al viii secure the full
information necessary for immediate
action Ia revising the tariff az the
hands Of the congress elected next
fall; and finally. that financial legisla-
ton will be enacted providing for tenn
porary measures for meeting any trou-
bic that may arise In the next year
or two. and for q commission Of ez-
perts who shall thoroughly inyesu-
gate the whole matter. both here and
IN the great commercial countries
abroad, so as 10 be able 20 recommend
legislation which viii put our financial
system on an eGicleBt and permanent
basis. Il Is much 10 be wished that
one feature OF the financial legislation
81 this session should be the establish
ment Of postal savings banks Ample
appropriation should be made TO enable
the Interstate Commerce commission
20 carry out the very important feat.
ure Of the Hepburn law which gives 10
the commission supervision and con
troll ovcr the accounting systems Of the
railways. Failure 20 provide means
which will enable the commission TO
examine the books OF the railways
would amount 20 an attack on the law
at its most vital point. AMI would benc
a.. as nothing else could bencdt. those
railways which are corruptly or in
competently managed.
There seems. however, much doubt
about two OF the measures I have re-
commended. The measure 20 do away
with abuse OF the power OF Injunction
and tho measure or group Of meas.
ures 10 strengthen and render more
Efficient and more wise the control
BY the national government over the
great corporations doing an inter-
state business
First, as 20 The power OF injunction
and OF punishment for contempt In
contempt cases save whore immediate
action Is imperative. the trial should
be before another judge As regards
i]niuncuons, ONE such legislation as
that ] have previously recommended
should be enacted Tho process Of o..
junction ln labor disputes, az veil as
where state laws are involved, should
BE- used sparlngjY. and only when
there Do The cloarost necessity Tor O..
bat So Is a 90 necessary 20 the en-
Client performance % duty by the court
on behalf OF tho nation that lt o. On
the highest iogree Co be regretted
that &c should De liable % reckless uso
for tbis reckless use tends CD make
honest men desire so 10 hamper iia ex
ocution as % destroy its usefulness
The strengthening OF the antitrust
law Is demanded upon both moral and
economic grounda
Power should unquosti0nahly Do
lodged somewhere IN the executive
branch az the government 20 permit
combinations which viii further the
public interest. but q must always De
remembered that as regards the great
and wealthy combinations through
which most OF the Interstate business
az today is done. the burden of proof
should bo on them 10 show shat they
have a Tlsht 20 exist no judicial trl.
hunal has the knowledge or the eyper
leace 20 determine la The first place