Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-02-07
POLITICAL
Radical Roosevelt Messaae.

Radical Roosevelt Message.
In what is conceded by friends and
foes to be the boldest and most radlca.
message ever sent to congress by a
chief executive President Roosevelt
advocates the re-enactment Of the en-
ployers' liability law on interstate lines
Of application; urges that working
men shall not be debarred from join
ing unions or using the strike to en-
force their demands, saying that the
power Of injunction must be restricted;
recommends that government en-
ployees injured in the service should
be compensated; proposes that the
federal government assume "a measure
of control over the physical direction
Of railways in the handling Of inter-
state traffic." insisting that the idea
that railways are public highways
must be recognized; says measures
should be taken to prevent the grosser
forms Of gambling in securities and
commodities, including all sorts of
stock speculation on margin, and to
this end suggests that the use of the
mails and telegraphs be forbidden for
such purposes; denounces the criminal
trusts for recent attacks leveled at the
administration, charging that certain
noted speakers and newspapers that
have criticised 1t are in the employ Of
the Standard OIL company, but deny
ing that the administration is engaged
In an assault on property, but only
upon the corrupt men of wealth, and
absolves his administration from all
blame for the recent financial crisis,
asserting that it was brought on by
few dishonest rich men.
Hughes Takes the Field.
On the evening Of the day that the
presidents radical message went to
congress Governor Hughes of New
York, addressing the Republican club
Of New York city, virtually made his
bow rs candidate for the presidency.
He came out squarely for punishment
of rich offenders by Imprisonment, de-
Tended the rights Of property, advocat-
ed the tariff with revision, proposed re-
vision of the Sherman law, favored
employers liability and federal regu-
lation Of railroads and Endorsed the
Roosevelt administration. He opposed
government ownership and socialism
as being "un-American."
Enemies of the president charged
him with timing his message SO as to
dwarf the Hughes boom.
Hughes Receives Endorsement.
AS was expected after the publica-
ton Of the Taft letter surrendering all
claim on New York's delegation in the
Republican national convention, the
New York county committee, upon the
motion of Chairman Parsons, has now
Endorsed Governor Hughes unanimous
ly for the presidential nomination. The
resolutions as adopted call for an In
structed delegation to vote for the COY
ernor until he is either nominated or
directs the withdrawal Of his name"
At the same time it gives the Roose-
welt administration q strong indorse-
ment.
Bryan For Aldrich Bill.
There remained no doubt, however.
that Candidate Bryan was in favor Of
the Democrats accepting the Aldrich
financial bill after offering certain
amendments. This opinion he gave to
the Democratic members of the finance
committee just before the report was
adopted, the interview being held in
one of the senate corridors.
Bryan's opinion Of the supreme court
decision against the labor unions In
volying the right of an employer to
dismiss man for Joining union also
was widely commented on. He argued
that, since a corporation is the crea-
ture Of the law, hence 1t was law
full for the congress to restrict the cor
poratton engaging in interstate COM
merce. If man may be discharged
for membership In union, he says,
then by the same logic "he can be dis
charged il he belongs to a political
party Objectionable to the employer or
to church against which the employ
er is prejudiced."
eryan's Leadership UnehalIenged.
Aiou5u u SEcdl LudSS OI ruIQOrS ana
contradictory statements In various
papers about the effort being made by
conservative Democrats to induce VIII
liam ]. Bryan to withdraw from the
presidential race and perhaps to be
come the Warwick of his party by
naming one on whom all could reunite
the fact stands out that either no suct
request was made or that If made II
was not needed by the masterful Ne
braskan. Some reports from Wash
1ngton told how Bryan at dinner
given to Democratic senators by New
lands of Nevada had silenced all oppo
sition and had announced that he was
to be made the heir to the Roosevelt
policies, which We're well known tc8
have been originally his. 1t was also
said that Bryan already had the plat
form prepged for the Denver conven
ton to adopt. Both Of these reports
later We're denied. as we'll as the report
that Bryan had urged the Democrats
In congress to uphold the measures ad.
yocated by the president The outcome