The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-25
THE PRESIDENTS
SPECIAL MESSAGE

Following is the text OF the special
message Of the President of the United
States communicated to the two
houses Of congress. bearing renewal
of the executive Recommendation for
the immediate re-enactment Of an en-
ployers' liability law, drawn to con-
form to the recent decision OF the SUI
preme court declaring uncon stitutional
the former law on that subject, and
containing other recommendations OF
interest in the industrial world
To the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives:
call your attention to certain meas
ures as to which I think there should
be action by the congress before the
close of the present session. There is
ample time for their consideration. AS
regards most if not all of the matters.
bills have been introduced into one or
the other of the two houses, and II 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 mes
sages to previous congresses, l have
repeatedly suggested action on most OF
these measures.
Child labor should be prohibited
throughout the nation. AT least
m odea child-labor bill should be passed
for the District of Columbia. 1t Ia I'M
fortunate that in the one place solely
dependent upon congress for It's leg1s-
lation there should be no law whatever
to protect children by forbidding or
regulating their labor.
I 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 thor
ough and comprehensive, and the pro-
lection it affords should embrace every
class of employe to which the power OF
the congress can extend.
In addition to a LIABILITY law protect
ing the employees OF common carriers,
the government should show its good
faith by enacting further law giving
com pensation to its own employees for
injury or death incurred in its service.
1t is a reproach to US as nation that
in both federal and state legislation We
have afforded less protection to public
and private employees than any other
industrial country Of the world.
| also urge that action be taken
along the line of the recommendations
| have already made concerning in
functions in labor disputes. No tenn
porary restraining order should be is
sued by any court without notice; and
the petition for a permanent injunction
upon which such temporary restrain
ing order has been issued should be
heard by C0urt issuing the same
within a reasonable time-say, not to
exceed a week or whereabouts from the
date when the order was issued. 1t Is
worth considering whether 1T would
not give greater popular confidence in
the impartiahty Of sentences for con-
tempt IL It was required that the issue
should be decided by another judge
than the one issuing the Injunction,
except where the contempt is commit
ted in the presence Of the court, or in
other case of urgency.
again call attention to the urgent
need of amending the interstate COM
merce law and especially the antitrust
law along the lines indicated in my
last message. The interstate COM
merce law should be amended so as to
give railroads the right to make traf-
f1c agreements, subject to these agree
ments being approved by the interstate
commerce commission and published
in all Of their details. The commission
should also be given the power to
make public and to pass upon the issu-
ance Of all securities hereafter issued
by railroads doing an interstate COM
merce business.
law should be passed providing
In effect that when a federal court de-
termines to place common carrier or
other public utility concern under the
control Of a receivership. the attorney
general should have the right to nom
mate at least one of the receivers; or
oI.o in oo,,oo r<her uav tha iuferectS