Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-02-08
HISLATEST MESSAGE
OUR President TELLS CON.
RESS HIS VIEWS.
Bad Laws Need Fixing-TeIs of Vast
Sums Used by the Rich to Beat the
Courts-Urges Legislation to Help
the Empoye-Goes After the Rail-
roads Methods.
President Roosevelt excoriated the

President Roosevelt excoriated the
law-breaking trusts, supported fearless
federal judges, demanded recompense
of employees unavoidably injured
while in the service of corporations
and denounced attacks by predatory
wealth upon law enforcement in a
message to congress Friday. Few pub
lie utterances have attracted atten-
ton or earned appreciation of con-
gressmen more than this one. One of
his most significant utterances fol-
lows:
Under no circumstances would we
countenance attacks upon law-abiding
property or do aught but condemn
those who hold up rich men as being
evil men because of their riches. On
the other hand, our whole effort is
to insist upon conduct, and not
wealth nor property nor any other
class distinction, as being the proper
standard by which to judge the ac-
lions of men. For the honest men of
great wealth we have a hearty regard,
just as we have hearty regard for
the honest politician and honest news
paper. But part of the movement to
to frown on dishonesty. We attack
only the corrupt men of wealth, who
find in the purchased politician the
most efficient instrument of corrup-
ton and in the purchased newspaper
the most efficient defender of corrup-
ton. Our main quarrel is not with
these agents and representatives of
interests. They derive their chief
power from the sinister offenders who
stand behind them. They are but
public puppets which move as the
strings are pulled.
ut is not the puppets, but the strong,
the cunning men and the mighty
forces working for evil behind and
through the puppets, with whom we
have to deal. We seek to control law
defying wealth in the first place to
prevent its doing dire evil to the re-
public and in the next place to avoid
the vindictive and dreadful radicalism
which, if left uncontrolled, is certain
in the end to arouse sweeping at
tacks upon all property and all men
of means without regard to whether
any do we'll or i'll. This would sound
the death knell of the republic; and
such attacks become inevitable if de
, cent citizens permit those rich mer
whose lives are corrupt and evil tC
domineer in swollen pride, unchecked
and unhindered, over the destinies Of
this country.
1--WE act in no vindictive spirit an6
we are no respecter of persons. If &
labor union does wrong we oppose il
as firmly as we oppose a corporation
which does wrong; we stand stoutly
for the rights of men of wealth anC
for the rights of wageworkers. We
seek to protect the property of every
man who acts honestly, of every cor
poration that represents wealth hon
estly accumulated and honestly used
We seek to stop wrongdoing, and We
desire to punish the wrongdorers onl!
so far as is necessary to achieve thi!
. end"
I The president demands that employ
ers have due regard for the safety o
their workmen, and strong emphasis
: is laid upon the need of Legislation
that Will recompense the manned ant
the helpless families of those slain
Following is pertinent paragraph o
his address:
1T is hypocritical baseness to speal
of girl who works in factory wher
the dangerous machinery is unprc
tected as having the right freely Il
y contract to expose herself to the dan
gers of life and limb. She has no a
/ tentative but to suffer wont or else t
, expose herself to such dangers, an
when she loses a hand or is otherwis
+ manned or disfigured for life it is
u moral wrong that the whole burden G
B the risk necessarily incidental to tn
Z business should be placed with crust
l. ing weight upon her weak shoulders
r, and all who profit by her work el
d cape Scot free. This is what oppt
e nents of just employers liability la'
o advocate, and it is consistent that the
should usually also advocate immunit
It for those most dangerous member
g of the criminal class-the criminals {
h great wealth.
n In Wake of the Message.
IS House applauds remarkable docl
D. ment; senate receives it coldly.
" President Ripley of the Santa
v, railroad denies that he was a part
is to the secret rate on oil in California
ID Charge by a railroad official ths
'r damaging letter given publicity wa
stolen from the Santa Fe offices.
a Rumor of Extra Session.
We There is an impression, based on e.
m cellent foundation, that PresideI
lie Roosevelt is considering calling CO..
IN gress in extraordinary session tn
te summer If it adjourns without attemp
III ing to safeguard what he consider
n the welfare of the people. If this ste
It is taken it will mean that congre,
may be kept in session during Il
IL entire time of the nominating conve
ed tions and campaign.