The Springfield herald., 1908-03-27

PROGRAMME
SPECIAL MESSAGE WILL URGE
MEASURES OF GREAT
IMPORTANCE.
FOR TARIFF REVISION
INCLUDES ANTITRUST, iNJUNC-
TIoN, EMPLOYERS LIAsIL-
lTY AND FINANCE.

Washington. - President Roosevelt
has determined upon Legislative pro-
gram, the enactment of which will be
urged upon Congress in special mes
sage which he said will go in this
week. Each of the measures to be
proposed involves perplexing difficult
ties, and each will have far-reaching
effect on the business and economic
conditions of the country.
The program includes:
A declaration in favor of revision
of the tariff In a special session to
be held after March 4, 1909.
An amendment to the Sherman
antitrust law SO as to make impor-
tant concessions to combinations OF
both labor and capital.
Limiting the powers of certain
courts in the use of the injunction in
labor disputes.
Passage of an employers liability
bill.
Passage of the Aldrich financial
The support of the business and fl
nancial interests of the Middle West
was pledged to the President on this
program following an extended confer
ence held at the White House.
At the conclusion of the conference
the following statement was made pub
lie by Secretary Loeb:
AT conference with the President
held at the White House last evening
with the following representatives of
commercial bodies of the Middle West:
"Richard c. Hall. chairman, presi-
dent Chicago Association of Com
merce; ]. V. Farwell, Jr., member of
the Chicago Association of Commerce;
Charles II. Wacker, member of Chi
cago Association of Commerce: James
II. Smith, president ST. Louis Business
Mems League: Festus ]. Wade. of exc
cutive committee st. Louis Business
Mems League; II. r. Topping, presi-
dent of the Kansas City Commercial
club; e. NJ. Clendenning, secretary of
Kansas City Commercial club, the fol-
lowing address was presented TO the
President and there was full express
sion of views both on the part OF the
President and the committee:
"Mr. President-The organizations
we represent have membership OF
about 4,500 business men, corporations.
firms and individuals, engaged in the
development of the agricultural re-
sources and the manufacturing, COM
mercial and financial interests of the
Middle West. In the pursuit of our
various lines of business we come in
contact with almost every portion OF
the country. but especially OF the Mis-
sissippi valley.
I'VE never were in a more prosper
GUS condition than prior to the panic
of last fall Our labor was all en-
ployed our capital profitably invested.
It'd
changed. Certain lines of business are
almost stagnant, brought about by the
fear of the people as to the stability
of some of our institutions. Money
has been boarded instead of flowing
into the ordinary channels of invest
ment, securities and the various COM
mercial interests.
1.-Two primary causes are respon-
sible for this condition. First, the
gross violation of law by some cor
porations and grating by some pub
lie officials and, secondly, deficient
currency system, wholly incapable of
responding to needs of commerce when
fear and uncertainty are engendered
into the minds of the masses"
The statement then cites the insur-
ance fraud exposures, the San Fran
cisco earthquake and fire, followed by
graft exposures, and the corrupt manip-
ulation of the assets of the great rail
roads. 1t goes on to say:
ITO you, Mr.. President, we accord
the credit due for compelling re-
spect for the law by the great and the
small alike.
owe believe that your work toward
business morality will be remembered
as a milestone not only in the devel
opment of this country's business
morals, but as milestone in the prog
ress of the world.
"'No great good has ever been ac
complished in any times without some
suffering in consequence. but we now
urge you to consider with extreme pa
tience the unusual conditions that pre-
vail and, while abandoning no eX
pressed principle, to adjust your exc,
cutive actions to the requirements OF
this period of business timidity.
1--WE ask, you, Mr.. President, to in
dicate to the Congress the corrective
measures you deem it necessary tc
take. We believe that the first step
toward resumption of normal business
conditions can be taken by the Con
gress in response to explicit recon-
mendations by the executive.