Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-30
IS
PRODDED IN A
new MESSAGE
PRESIDENT TELLS soLoNs TO
PASS LIABILITY LAW AND ALSO
URGES CHILD LABOR LEGlSLA-
TON FOR THIS SESSION.

Washington, D. c., April 2s.--In q
special message to congress late yes
terday afternoon the president prac-
t1cally repeated his message of March
rs, in which he urged the enactment
Of an employers liability law and GER
tain others Of his pet measures.
He states that while congress has
followed his suggestion and passed a
bill for the protection of employees
drafted along the lines laid down in
his previous message, there is still
more to be done in the same direction
The message is entirely free FROM
any reference to the subject of new
battleships. 1t is written in mild
terms and with evident care to keep
to the point.
Two measures are mentioned as be-
Ing not certain of passage at this SEES
sion, and he recommends their favor
able consideration before adjourn
ment.
One of these is a bill to limit the
power of Injunction and punishment
for contempt of court in order to re-
lieve conditions which arise in labor
disputes
The other is bill to strengthen
the antitrust laws, although at the
same time lodging in the executive
branch of the government power TO
permit combinations that will benefit
the public interest.
Hopes for These New Laws,
Mr.. Roosevelt says apparently there
is good ground to hope for further
legislation, as follows:
Recompensing all employees who
suffer injury while engaged in the pub
lie service.
A child labor law for the District of
Columbia.
That the waterways commission
will be continued with sufficient finan-
cial support to increase the effective
ness Of its preparatory work.
Providing for such investigation
into tariff conditions as will enable
the next congress to take immediate
action in revising the tariff.
The Presidents message follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
In my message to the congress, Of
March 25, 1908, l outlined certain
measures which I believe the major
ity of our countrymen desire to have
enacted 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 l believe can now
be done If an earnest effort toward
this end is made.
Since wrote this message an en-
ployers' liability law has been enacted,
which, it is true comes short of what
ought to have been done, but which
does represent real advance Ap-
Darently there is good ground to hope
that there will be further legislation
providing for recompensing all en-
ployes who suffer injury while engaged
in the public service; that there will
be child-labor law enacted for the
District of Columbia; that the water
ways commission will be continued
with sufficient financial support to in
crease the effectiveness Of its prepar-
atory work; that steps will be taken
to provide for such investigation into
tariff conditions, by the appropriate
committee of the house of representa-
tives and by government experts in
the executive service as will secure
the full information necessary for in
telligently revising the tariff at the
hands of the congress elected next
fall, and finally, that financial legisla-
ton will be enacted provid-
ing for the temporary measures
for meeting any trouble that
may arise in the next year or two,
and for commission of experts who
shall thoroughly investigate the whole
ffn,~1 0f1
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 ses-
sion should be the establishment Of
postal savings banks. Ample appro-
prfations should be made to enable
the Interstate Commerce commission
to carry out the very important fea-
ture of the Hepburn law, which gives
to the commission supervision and
control over the accounting systems
of the railways. Failure to provide
means which will enable the commits
sion 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 cor
ruptly or incompetently managed
Forest reserves should be established
throughout the Appalachian Mountain
region wherever it can be shown that
they viii have direct and real con-
nection with the conservation and I'M
rIoVement of navigable rivers.
There seems, however, much doubt
about two of the measures I have
recommended: The measure to do
away with abuse of the power of in
junction 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 doing an
interstate business.
First, as to the power of injunction
and Of punishment for contempt In
contempt cases save where immediate
action is imperative, trial should be
before another Judge. AS regards in
functions, some such legislation as