The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-03-27
MESSAGE FROM
THE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Roosevelt Recommends to
Congress Legislation Affect.
ing Capital and Labor.
WANTS SHERMAN ACT AMENDED
Antitrust Law Should Permit
BenefiCent Combinations.

EXECUTIVE urges immediate he-eH-
actment of Employers Liability
Act Drawn to Conform With Recent
Supreme Court Deoision-Child La
Dor Should Be Prohibited-Use Of
lnjunctions In Labor Cases Must Be
Limted-Declares For Tariff Re-
vision, Which Should Be Preceded
by Careful investigation.
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
call your attention to certain
measures as to which l think there
should be action by the congress before
the close of the present session. There
is ample time for their consideration.
AS regards most If not all of the mat
tiers, bills have been introduced into
one or the other of the two houses,
and it is not too much to hope that ac-
ton will be taken one way or the 9TH
er on these bills at the present session.
In my message at the opening of the
present session and, indeed, in various
messages to previous congresses 1 have
repeatedly suggested action on most OF
these measures.
To Prohibit Child Labor.
Child labor should be prohibited
throughout the nation. At least a
model child labor bill should be passed
for the District of Columbia. 1t is I'M
fortunate that in the one place solely
dependent upon congress for its leg.
islation there should be no law what
ever to protect children by forbidding
or regulating their labor.
Employers Liability.
1 renew my recommendation for the
immediate re-enactment of an en-
ployers' liability law, drawn to con-
form to the recent decision of the SUI
preme court. Within the limits indi-
Gated by the court the law should be
made thorough and comprehensive,
and the protection it affords should
embrace every class of employee to
which the power Of the congress can
extend.
In addition to liability law protect
ing the employees of common carriers
the government should show its good
faith by enacting a further law giving
compensation to its own employees for
injury or death incurred in its service.
1t is a reproach to us as nation that
in both federal and state legislation
we have afforded less protection to
public and private employees than any
other industrial country of the world.
Use of Injunotions.
l also urge that action be taken
l have already made concerning in
functions in labor disputes. No tenn
pOrG~y restraining order should be is
sues by any court without notice, and
the petition for permanent injunction
upon which such temporary restrain
ing order has been issued should be
heard by the court issuing the same
within reasonable time-say, not to
exceed week or thereabouts from the
date when the order was issued. 1t is
worth considering whether 1t would
not give greater popular confidence In
the impartiality Of sentences for con-
tempt If 1t was required that the issue
should be decided by another Judge
than the one issuing the injunction,
except where the contempt is commit
ted in the presence Of the court or i'm
other case Of urgency.
To Legalixe Traffic Agreements.
again call attention to the urgent
Of int atcN
merce law and especially the antitrust
law along the lines indicated in my
last message. The interstate COM
merce law should be amended so as to
give railroads the right to make traffic
agreements, subject to these agree
ments being approved by the inter-
state commerce commission and pub
lished in all of their details. The COM
mission should also be given the power
to make public and to pass upon the
issuance eOf. all securities hereafter
issued by railroads doing an interstate
commerce business.
Reform In Receiverships.
.. A law should be passed providing in
effect that when federal court de.
terinines 10 place common carrier or
other public utility concern under the
control OF a receivership the attorney
general should have the right to nom
mate at least one of the receivers, or
else I'm some other way the interests
of the stockholders should be consult.
ed. so that the management may not
be wholly redelivered to the man or
men the failure Of whose policy may
have necessitated the creation of the
receivership. Receiyerships should be
used, not to operate roads, but as
speedily as possible to pay their debts
and return them to the proper owners.
Combinations of Farmers.
In addition to the reasons have al
ready urged on your attention, 1t has
now become important that there