The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-04-03
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
SENDS SPECIAL MESSAGE
Urges Congress to Enact Legls-
Iation Deemed Essential.
PROHIBITION OF CHILD LABOR
The Country's Interest Demands
Tariff and Currency Changes.
an Antitrust Act and an EN-.
ployers' Liability Bill.

Washington, d. C.-President
Roosevelt transmitted to Congress
his promised special message urging
certain legislation which he deems
essential to the country's best inter-
ests at this time.
The message is marked by suav-
ity of expression which may be
termed unique in communications of
this sort from Mr.. Roosevelt.
After the vigorous excoriation of
some weeks ago, members could
hardly believe it possible that all
trace of the big stick could be so
carefully concealed.
A large part of the message is
given to the Civic Federation's bill,
introduced in the House by Mr.. Hep
burn, to modify the Sherman anti
trust act, and the President points
out what changes he deems desirable
and necessary.
Give railroads the right, under
certain limitations, to make traffic
agreements, he urges. and change the
law as to receiverships.
Alter the provisions that render
illegal combinations of labor men
and farmers and recognize strikes as
legal.
But nothing should be done, de-
clares the President, to legaliZe
either a blacklist or a boycott that
would be illegal at common law.
The message then says: THE Ques-
ton of financial legislation is now
receiving such attention in both
Houses that we have right to eX-
pect action before the close of the
session. 1t is urgently necessary that
there should be such action. More
over, action should be taken to es-
tablish postal savings banks. These
postal savings banks are imperative
ly needed for the benefit of the wage
workers and men of small means and
will be valuable adjunct to our
whole financial system.
"The time has come when we
should prepare for revision of the
tariff. This should be, and indeed
must be, preceded by careful investi-
CATION
President Roosevelt then suggests
that a proper committee be delegated
to gather the facts necessary for
tariff revision at the next session
of Congress. He then continues:
II am of the opinion, however.
that one change in the tariff could
| with advantage be made forthwith.
| Our forests need every protection and
one method of protecting them would
be to put upon the free list wood
| pulp, with a corresponding reduc-
ton upon paper made from wood
| pulp, when they come from any
country that does not put an export
duty upon them"
Other recommendations by the
President are:
Prohibition of child labor through
out the nation.
Re-enactment of an employers
liability bill. drawn to conform to
the recent decision of the Supreme
Court
Modification of the law affecting
injunctions in labor disputes.
Creation of a permanent water
ways commission.
How Message Was Received.
Washington, D. C.-The special
message from the President was close
ly followed in both branches of Con.
gress. In the House the declaration
that the time had come for a re.
vision of the tariff ELECTED handicap.
| ping on the part of Democratic mem
bers. Democratic approval also was
given by way of pounding desks tc
the suggestion that Congress could
with advantage forthwith remove the
tariff on wood pulp, with CORE.
/ spending reduction upon paper made
| from wood pulp. The Republicans
waited and confined the applause to
= the message as a whole.
| In the Senate the message was re-
| ceived without comment of any kind
Discussion of the message turns
chiefly on the question whether Con
gress will carry out any considerable
part of it's recommendations. The
general impression is that an employ
ers' liability law will be passed, that
an investigation of tariff schedules
will be ordered, and that the Aldrich
currency bill will be put through
but that it is very doubtful If Con
gress will go any further at this SEES
sion. 1t is pretty generally conceded
that the bill to modify the Sherman
law cannot get through, and that nj
enti-injunction legislation is likely.
]