The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-03-26
THE PRESIDENT
ASKS CONGRESS
FOR POPULAR AMENDATORY
LEGISLATION ON SEVERAL
IMPORTANT SUBJECTS.
FAVORABLE TO LABOR
Would Recognize Strikes But Prohibit
Violence and Coercion-Against
Child Labor For
Tariff Revision.

Washington, March 25.-A special
message from the president was re
ceiyed by both houses of congress
this afternoon and was read. as fol
lows:
To the Senate and House of Represen'
tatiyeS:
call your attention TO certain meas
ures as to which | think there should
be action by the congress before the
close Of the present session. There Is
ample time for their consideration. AS
regards nest If not all the matters,
bills have been introduced into one
or the other of the two houses, and
it Is not too much to hope that action
will be taken one way or the other
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, |
have repeatedly suggested action on
most of the measures.
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
unfortunate that in the one place
solely dependent upon congress for its
legislation there SHOULD be no law
whatever to protect children by for
bidding or regulating their labor
| renew my recommendation for the
Immediate re-enactment of an employ
ers liability law, drawn to conform to
the recent decision OF the supreme
court Within the limits indicated by
the court, the law should be made
thorough and comprehensive and the
protection 1t affords should embrace
every class 0 femployee towhch the
power OF the congress can extend.
In addition to a liability law pro-
tecting 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 y a reproach to us
as nation that in both federal and
state legislation we have afforded less
protection to public and private em-
ployees than any other industrial coun.
try of the world
| also urge that action be taken
along the line of the recommenda.
tions | have already made concern
ing injunctions in labor disputes. No
temporary restraining order should |
be issued by any court without nc
tice; and tho petition for permanent
injunction upon which such temporary :,
restraining order has been issued
should be heard by the court issuing
the same within reasonable time
say. not to exceed a week or there
abouts from the date when tho order
was issued 1t is worth considering
it would not give greater pop
ular confidence in the impartiality of /
sentences for contempt if it was re.
quired that the issue should be decid-
ed by another judge than the one is.
suing the injunction, except where the
contempt is committed in the presence
of the court, or in other case of ur.
goncy.
Interstate Commerce Law.
| again call attention to the urgent
need of amending the Interstate com
merce law and especially the anti
trust law along the lines indicated in
my last message. The Interstate
commerce law should be amended So
as to give railroads the right to make
traffic agreements, subject to these
agreements being approved by the in ,
terstato commerce commission and
published in all of their details. The
should also be given the
power to make public and to pass up
on the issuance of all securities here
after issued by railroads doing an ,
interstate commerce business.
law should be passed providing
In effect that when a federal court