The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-05-02

mended Is Urged-EmpIoyers' LA
biIity Measure "a Right Step, But
| Falls Short of observation-disclosures
Executive Department Should Have
More Authority in Certain Directions
Washington, April 28.-President
Roosevelt late yesterday afternoon
sent another special message to con-
gress, in which he again urges the
passage of laws previously recon-
mended and also requests more au-
thority to combat wrong conditions.
The president says in part:
In my message to the congress OF
March rs, 1908, outlined certain
measures which 1 believe the majority
of our countrymen desire to have en-
acted into law at this time. These
measures do not represent, by any
means, all that I would like to see
done if thought it possible, but they
do represent what I believe can now
be done if an earnest effort toward
this end is made.
"Since l wrote that message an en-
ployers' liability law has been enacted
which, it is true, comes short of what
ought to have abeen done, but which
does represent a real advance. APP
parently there is good ground to hope
that there will be further legislation
providing for recOmpensing all en-
ployes who suffer injury while en-
gagged in the public service; that there
will be a child labor law enacted for
the District of Columbia; that the
waterways commission will be contin-
ued with sufficient financial support
to increase the effectiveness of it's pre-
paratory work; that steps will be
taken to provide for such investiga-
tions into tariff conditions by the ap-
propriate committe of the house of
representatives, and by government
experts in the executive service as
will secure the full information nee
essary for intelligently revising the
tariff at the hands of the congress
elected next fall.
Financial Legislation.
Financial legislation should be en-
acted providing for the temporary
measures for meeting any trouble that
may arise in the next year or two
and for a commission of experts who
shall thoroughly investigate the whole
matter, both here and in the great
commercial countries abroad so as to
be able to recommend legislation
which will put our financial system on
an efficient and permanent basis
1T is much to be wished that one
feature of the financial legislation of
this session should be the establish
ment of postal savings banks. Ample
appropriation should be made to en-
able the interstate commerce commits
sion to carry out the very important
feature of the Hepburn law which
gives to the commission supervision
and control over the accounting sys-
TENS of the railroads. Failure to pro-
vide means which will enable the
commission to examine the books of
the railways would amount to an at
tack on the law at it's most vital
point and would benefit, as nothing
else could benefit, those railways
which are corruptly or incompetently
managed. Forest reserves should be
established throughout the Appalachian
mountain region wherever it can be
shown that they will have a direct
and real connection with the conser-
walton and improvement of navigable
rivers.
There seems, however, much doubt
about two of the measures 1 have rec
commended: The measure to do away
with abuse of the power of Injunction
and the measure or group of measures
to strengthen and render both more
efficient and more wise the control by
the national government over the
great corporations boing an interstate
business.
Power of Injunction.
First, as to the power of injunction
and of punishment for contempt. In
contempt cases., save where immedi-
ate action is imperative, trial should
be before another Judge. AS regards
injunctions, some such legislation as
that I have previously recommended
should be enacted. There are those
who fail to realize the extreme bitter
ness caused among large bodies of
worthy citizens by the use that has
been repeatedly made of the power of
Injunction in labor disputes. Those in
whose judgment we have the most
right to trust are of the opinion that
while most of the complaint against
the use of the injunction is unwar-
ranted, yet that it is unquestionably
true that in number of cases this
power has been used to the grave in
jury of the rights of laboring men,
/ ask that it be limited in some such
way as that have already pointed out
in my previous messages, for the very
reason that / do not wish to see an