The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-04-30
PRESIDENT IN
URGENT APPEAL
FOR LEGISLATION
Roosevelt Sends Another Mes
sage to Rouse Present
Congress to Activity.
or UTMOST IMPORTANCE
stronger Antitrust Law and Resula-
tion of Labor and Capital Relations
Are Greatly Needed-civic
Conscience Firmer.

washington. April 2s.--The president
has sent another special message TO
congress, strongly urging the passage
OF measures which he has from time to
time recommended. He lays special
emphasis on the importance of legisla-
ton to do away with abuse OF the pow
er Of Injunction, amendments to the
antitrust law and a bill strengthen
ing the Hepburn rate law. The mes
Sage Is an appeal to the public con-
science. as we'll as TO the congress whose
policy Is to do nothing. The message
follows
TO the Senate and House OF Representa-
ttives:
In my message to the congress OF March
II. 1903, / outlined certain measures which
/ believe the majority OF our country
men desire to have enacted into law at
this time. These measures do not rep
resent by my means all that i would like
to see don II i thought IL possible, but
they do represent what l believe can now
BE done IL an earnest effort toward this
end Is made.
Since / wrote this message an employ
ers' liability law has been enacted which,
Al is true, comes short OF what ought to
have been done, but which does represent
a real advance. Apparently there is good
ground TO hope that there will be further
legislation providing for recompensing all
employees who suffer injury while engaged
in the public service: that there. will be a
child-labor law enacted for the District
of Columbia. that the waterways commits
sion will be continued with sufficient
hIanciaI support 10 increase the effective
ness OF its preparatory work; that steps
will be taken to provide for such investi-
CATION into tariff conditions, by the ap-
propriate committee of the House OF Rep
resentatyes and by government experts
in the executive service, as will secure
the full information necessary for imme-
dtate action In revising the tariff at the
hands OF the congress elected next fall:
aud finally, that financial legislation will
be enacted providing for temporary meas
ures for meeting any trouble that may
arise in the next year or two. and for a
commission of experts who shall thor
oughly investigate the whole matter, both
here and in the great commercial coun-
tries abroad, so as TO be able to recon-
mend legislation which will put our ilnan-
cial system on an efficient and perma-
nent basis. II is much to be wished that
one feature OF the financial legislation of
this session should be the establishment
OF postal saving banks. Ample appropriaL
ton should be made to enable the Inter-
state Commerce commission to carry out
the very important feature Of the Hep
burn law which gives to the commission
supervision and control over the account
Ing systems of the railways. Failure to
provide means which will enable the com
mission TO examine the books of the rail-
ways would amount to an attack on the
law at its most vital point, and would
benefit, as nothing else could benefit,
those railways which are corruptly or in
oompetently managed. Forest reserves
should be established throughout the APP
palachtan mountain region wherever 1t
rect and real connection with the conser-
walton and Improvement OF navigable
rivers. @r
Two Measures.
There seems. however, much doubt
about two of the measures / have recGn.-
mended; the measure TO do away with
abuse of the power of injunction and the
measure or group of measures to strength
en- and render both more efficient and
more wise the control by the national gov
eminent over the great corporations doing
an Interstate business,
First, as to the power OF Injunction and
OF punishment for contempt. In contempt
cases, save where immediate action Is inn
peratiye, the trial should be before an
other judge. As regards injunc-
Be enaeted. they are 6iiad ShS %ho
fail to realize the extreme bitterness
caused among large bodies OF worthy citi-
made OF the power OF injunction in labor
disputes Those In whose judgment we
nave most right to trust are of the opinion
mat while much OF the complaint against
the use of the Injunction Is unwarranted,
YET that II Is unQuestionably true that
Ia q number OF cases this power has
been used to the grave injury of the
be limited In some such way as that /
have already pointed out in my previous
messages, for the very reason hat 1 do
not wish to see an embittered effort made
10 destroy II. 1t is unwise stubbornly to
refuse to provide against q repetition OF
the. abuses which have caused the present
Idle to xpect permanently to thwart the
determination OF the great body OF our
citizens. II may be and often is the
highest duty of a court, a legislature. or
an executive, to resist and defy a gust
or popular passion: and most certainly
no public servant whatever may be the
consequences TO himself should yield to
Wnat ne thinks wrong. But In a QueS-
ton which Is emphatically one of public
policy, the policy which the public de-
mands Is sure In the end TO be adopted;
and a persistent refusal to grant to 4
large portion OF our people what is right
IL only too apt In the end to result in
causing such irritation that when the right
is obtained 1t is obtained In the course
or q movement so Ill considered and vio-
ient as to be accompanied by much that
- wrong. The process of Injunction In
isoor disputes, as well as where state
lngly, and only when there is the clear
est necessity for IL; but 1t Is one so
necessary to the efficient performance OF
DUTY by the cour on behalf of the nation
mat 1t Is In the highest degree to be
regretted that IL should be liable to reck-
less use: for this reckless use tends to
make honest men desire so to hamper its
execution as 70 destroy Its usefulness.
"CIass consciousness"
Every f~ar-sighted patriot should protest
hrst OF all against the growth I'm this
country OF that evil thing which Is called
class consciousness" The demagogue,
the sinister or foolish socialist visionary
VINO strives TO arouse. this feeling of class
consciousness in our working people, does
9 foul and evil thing; for he Is no true
American, he Is no self-respecting citizen
OF this republic. he forfelts his right to
stand with manly self-reliance on u foot
ing OF entire equality with all other citi-
zels, who bows to envy and greed. who
ereets the doctrine OF class hatred into
a shibboleth. who substitutes loyalty to