The sun., 1908-03-26


LawsLPrepIratiUu Tor Tariff HeyislOn.
WASHINGTON. .iMireh J.-President
Roosevelts long expected tabloid message
recommending the enactment Of certain
legislation went 70 Congress to-day. It
was a mild document, vastly different In
tone and length from his sensational special
message Of January 81, Of which in meas
,re II is an epitome, The paper caused
little comment, as its contents had been
anticipated. The understanding In Re-
publican circles hera is. that the message
was written 10 take the place Of the message
Of January 81. According to the gossip
that message Of twenty seven pages. com
prisinR some 1900 words, did not have the
eject Of building a fire. under Congress,
mainly Tor the reason that II was toolong
and few people we're willing TO read 1t,
To-day's message contained only about
400 words and no appendix. The January
~ message had appendices aggregating
more than 25,OOO words.
To-dAy's message was toned down pur-
posely. II had been pruned and revised
until II met the approval even of Repub-
cay kind things about the message Of
January 81. AZ 10 it's effect, that also was
arranged for In advance, in part at least
One object Of the message was TO indicate
certain features Of the Republican national
platform In this years campaign, and II
had been arranged between Mr.. Roosevelt
and leaders OF the Senate and the House
that some OF the measures which he recon-
mends IN the message would be enacted
at the present legislative session, thus
presenting the opportunity Of claiming
IN the ne1t campaign that the President
and the Congress were In accord and had
done important work for the country
The legislative programme outlined by the
President 10 the Congress leaders, and
partly accepted by them, IS sci forth in the
message II includes a child labor law for
the District of Columbia to serve as a model
for the States; the reenaetment Of the EN-.
ployers' liability law, with changes TO meet
the structures Of the Supreme Court; an
antl-lnjunction law concerning labor the
amendment Of the antitrust Law 80 as 10
permit combinations, financial legislation,
and tariff inquiry 20 5e used as a basis for
a revision. The President recommended
also provision for a permanent waterways
commission.
The legislative programme ~ far accepted
by the Congress lea dcrR includes only child
labor, finance. employers liability and the
tariff inquiry. It is doubtful If any serious
effort will be made to enact the ameniatory
antitrust legislation, as therc ia already a
disposition TO let 1t lie over until Congress
has more time TO devote 10 il. The anti
Injunction suggestion has not taken hold
and is not likely to bo given any serious
consideration
When the message was read in tho House
there was applause over the recommends
lion that wood pulp be placed on the free
list and a corresponding reduction in duty
on paper made from wood pulp and the
message itself was applauded at the CON
olusion OF the reading Representatives
Payne, Fitzgerald and Sulzer. all of New
York. got into controversy over the proper
committee reference Of tho message which
caused much laughter.
The text Of the message follows
To he Senate and House Of Representatives:
call your attention to certain measures
az 10 which think there should be action
by the Congress before the close Of the pres
ent session. There is ample time for their
consideration, As regards most il not all
Of the matters, bills have been introduced
into one or the other Of the two houses
and 1t 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 10 previous
Congresses, | have repeatedly suggested
action on most Of these measures.
Child labor should he prohibited through
out the nation. At least model child
labor bill should be passed for the District
Of Columbia 1t ia unfortunate that in the
one place solely dependent upon Congress
for It's legislation there should be no law
whatever TO protect children by forbiddng
or regulating their labor.
/ renew my recommendation for the inn
mediate reenaotment Of an employers
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 compre-
hsndve, and the protection Il affords should
embrace every class Of employee 20 which
the power Of the Congress can extend
In addition to liability law protecting
the employees Of common carriers the
Government should show it's good faith by
enaoting further law giving compensation
30 its own employees for injury OF death
incurred IN It's service. II Is a reproach
10 s e. q nation that in both Federal and
State legislation we have afforded less
Profession TO public and private employers
than any other industrial country Of the
world. .
also urge that action be taken along the
line Of the recommendations have already
ipada CONCERNING jnjunctions In, labor dis
puteS No temporary restraining order
should be issued by anv court without
notice, and the petition for a permanent
Injunction upon which such temporary
restraining order has been issued should
be heard by the court issuing the same
within q reasonable time-say, not to e1'
oeed week or thereabouts from the date
when the order was issued. 1t Ia worth
considering whether il would not give
greater popular confidence In the impair
tialty Of sentences for contempt II il was
required that the issue should be decided
by another Judge than the one issuing the
Injunction, except where the contempt
sis committed in the presence Of the Court
or in othsr case Of urgency.
aRain call attention TO the urgent need