Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-12
RAILROADS AND LAW.
Senator Knox Defends Roosevelt
Measures In Michigan.
BUSINESS IS NOT ATTACKED
Lauds Presidents Administration and
Denies That Industrial Disturbance
Has Grown Out Of It-Benefits Re-
suIting From the"Bis Stick" Crusade.

Has Grown Out Of It-Benefits Re-
suItins From the"Bis Stick Crusade.
Kalamazoo, Mich, Feb. Ex-senator
Knox lauded the Roosevelt administra-
tion for its achievements in the matter
of legislation regulating railroads in a
speech before the Lincoln club here.
He declared that body of sound laws
had been put on the statute books that
We're the most important since the
days of Lincoln. There had been no at
tack on sound business interests, and
the welfare of investors had been safe
guarded. He denied that disturbance
of business had grown out of these
achievements.
''The situation in the early days of
the Roosevelt administration, he said
required prompt action along new
and untried lines. A declaration was
made that the power of congress had
not been exhausted, and suits were
brought to test this theory. In these
the power of the attorney general "to
appear in a court of equity In behalf
OF large numbers of people, was estab-
lished, 'and the great remedy of in
junction was employed to enforce pop
ular rights"
and takers Of rebates and giving power
to gov vernment officials to prevent such
abuses.
ut would be difficult to overstate the
enormous value of this legislation to
the public" he said. 1T did more to
confirm the party of Abraham Lincoln
In the affections and confidence of the
people than any body of substantive
law enacted since his death. 1t was
highly commended by President Roose-
velt in his message to the Fifty-eighth
congress and in his public speeches
during the year following its passage.
1t redeemed the promises Of the Re-
publican party made in the congress
sional campaign of 1902.
"Its efficiency has stood the test of
time; its constitutionality has with
stood the attacks of the most power
full interests represented by the most
brilliant advocates, and finally it was
popularity indorsed at the polls, and the
spirit Of moderation and justice in
which it was conceived and enacted
was approved by the splendid majori-
ties of 1904 in campaign in which 1t
was advanced as the party's chief
claim to popular confidence"
Then followed a further develop
ment of regulation in the passage of
the railroad rate law, the safety appll-
ance law, the law limiting the num-
ber of hours railroad employees can
be consecutively employed and the en-
ployers' liability act.
THE last mentioned act" said Sena-
tor Knox, has recently been declared
by the supreme court to be unconstitu-
tional as 1t was written, but its benefi-
cent provisions are sure to be re-enact-
ed upon valid and constitutional lines.
THE record of achievement in the
public interest since 1887 has been very
great, and the results accomplished
during this administration form by far
the most important part" he went on.
This administration found a deficient
and discredited body of law under
which all sorts of commercial and So
cial tyrannies boldly fiourished, vitality
affecting and undermining our national
well being. When the record of its
achievements is closed, it will reveal
compact body of constructive sys-
tematic and effective legislation RENE
dying defects. supplying omissions and
covering new phases in the field Of ma
tional authority over interstate inter-
course and its instrumentalities.
"The fundamental work has been |
done. 1t has been wrought out by !
those responsible for it on broad lines |
in a spirit of moderation and with a
desire TO do no injustice. II has been |
neither sporadic nor spectacular
The work has been treated as a whole. |
and each part sustains its proper rela-
tion TO each other part. II has pro-
ceeded as a structure should, dealt |
with as unit. not here and there a
pillar with missing roof between.
'Unfriendly criticism has portrayed |
these steps as bearing fruit only I'm the
disturbance of business. To this the /
facts furnish complete refutation.
"Halts and delays caused by judicial
Of legislative correction or
details found defective may seem
sporadic TO superficial and possibly
observation. So the river.
bending and doubling in its course. its
current halted by dams and bars. may
seem interrupted and obstructed in its
flow. But the stream invariably flows
on. and ii never flows backward