Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-04-02
SPECIAL. MESSAGE
OF The PRESIDENT
MI. ROOSEVELT RECOMMENDS
CERTAIN MEASURES THAT
CONGRESS SHOULD GIVE
THEIR ATTENTION..
To the Senate ana House of Representa-

| call your attention to certain meas
ureS IS to Which | think there should be
action by the congress befOrA the close
OF the present session. There is ample
time for their consideration. As regards
most II not all OF the matters, bills have
been introduced into one or the other OF
the two houses, and il is not too much
10 hope that action will be taken one
way or the other ON these bills at the
Child labor should be prohibited
thruuSHout the ma ton. At least model
child labor bin should be passed for the
District Of Columbia. 1T is unfortunate
that i'm the one place solely dependent
upon congress Tor its legislation there
Chlldren by fofbiddinS or rcgula ting their
labor.
renew my recommendation for the i'm
mediate re-enaCtmcut Of an employers
NahliIty law, drawn to conform to the
recent decision of the supreme court.
Within the limits indicated by the court
the law should be made thorough and
comprehensive, and the protection it at
lords should embrace every class of en-
plpye 70 which the power of congress can
In addition to a liability law protect
Ing the employees of the common car
ricrS the gOEernment should show it's
good faith by enacting a further law Civ
ing compensation to its own employees
lcr injury on death incurred in its scrv-
ice. II is reproach to use as nation
that ia both federal and state lcCisla-
tion We have afforded less protection to
public and private employees than any
other industrial country Of the world.
also urge that action be taken along
the line OF the recommended tiOnS | have
4ircadN made concerning injunctions in
lapor disputes. No temporary restrain
ing order should be issued by any court
without notice. and the petition for a
permanent injunction upon which such
temporary restraining order has been is
sued should be heard by the court ssu-
Ing the same within reasonable time
say. not to exceed a week or thcrcabOuts
from the date when the order was is
sued 1t is worth considering whether
IT would not give greater popular con-
tdence in the impartality of sentences
for contempt If it was required that the
issue should be decided by another judge
than the one issuing the Injunction, eN-
Frpt where the contempt is committed in
the presence of the court, in other
case of urgency.
again can attention to the urgent
need If amending the Interstate com
merCe law and especially the antitrust
law along the lines indicated in my last
message. The Interstate commerce law
should he amended so as to give rail-
roads the right to make traffic agree
mentS. subject to these agreements being
approved by the Interstate commerce
commission and published in all of their
details. The commission should also be
given the power to make public and to
pass upon the issuance of all securities
hereafter issued by railroads doing an
interstate commerce business.
law should be passed providing in eff
feet that when "A federal court determines
to place common carrier or other pub
lie utility concern under the control of a
rcnCiverShp, the attorney general should
have the right 10 nominate at least one
OF the receivers; or else in some other
should be consulted, so that the man
agement may not be wholly rcdelivered
10 the man or men the failure of whose
policy may have necesstated the crea-
ton Of the receivership. Receiverships
should be used. not to operate roads, but
Is speedily as possible to pay their debts
and return them to the proper owners.
In addition to the reasons ! have al
ready urged on your attention, it has now
become important that there should be
an amendment Of the antitrust law be-
cause Of the uncertainty as to how this
law affects combinations among labor
men and farmers, If the combination has
any tendency to restrict Interstate COM
merc". All Of these combinations, if and
while existing for and engaged in the
promotion of innocent and proper pur-
poses should be recognized legal. As
have repeatedly pointed out this anti
trust law was n most unwiselv drawn
statute. 1t was perhaps inevitable that
in feeling after the right remedy the
hrst attempts to provide such should be
crude; and it was absolutely imperative
that some legislation should he passed
70 control, in the interest of the public,
cations Of corporate wealth that are SO
marked a feature of the modern indus
trial world. But the present antitrust
law in its construction and working has
eXemplifed only too we'll the kind of leg
isatlOn which, under the guise of being
thoroush-goi is drawn up in such
sweeping form as to become either in
effective or else mischievous
In the modern Industrial world COM
binatons are absolutely necessary; they
are necessary among business men; they
are necessary among labOrng men: they
are becoming more and more necessary
among farmers. Some of these combna-
tionS are among the most powerful of all
Instruments for wrongdoins. Others offer
the only effective way OF meeting actual
business needs. II is mischievous and
unwholesome to keep upon the statute
books unmoditied, law, like the anti
trust law which, while in practice only
a Iva graF Fr,s
binationS has nevertheless in theory been
construed So as sweepingly to prohibit
every conblnat tloh lof the transaction OF
modern business. Some real good has
resulted from this law. But the time
has come when 1t is imperative to modify
1T Such modification is urgently needed
dor the sake of the business men of the
country, for the sake of the wage work
ers. and for the sake of the farmers
The congress cannot afford to leave il on
Ehe statute books in its present shape
1t has now become uncertain how far
this law may involve all labor organic
1ions and farmers organizations as well
as all business organizations in con-
tlict with the law; or. if we secure literal
compliance with the law, how far il may
result in the destruction of the organiza-
tionS necessary for the transaction Of
modern business, as well as of ali labor
organizations and farmers organiZa tions
completely check the wise movement for.
securing business cooperation among
farmers. and put back half century tire
progress OF the movement for the bet
terment Of labor. A bill has been nre-
sented in the congress to remedy this
situation. Some such measure as this
bill is needed in the interest of all en-
gagged in the industries which are essen
tial to the couutrys well-beinE. l do not
pretend to say the exact shape that the
bill should take, and the suggestions |
have to offer are tentative; and my views
would apply equally to any other meas
ure which would achieve the desired end
Bearing this in mind I would suggest,
merely tentatively, the following changes
in the law.
The substantive part of the antitrust
law should remain at present that Is
every contract in restraint of trade or
commerce among the several states or
with foreign nations should continue to
be declared Illegal provided however