The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-31
a RINGING RoosEvEIr1AH MESSAGE


a RINGING RoosEvELTIAN MESSAGE
President Roosevelt in an extraordi-
nary special message to Congress to-
day defends the policies of his admin
lstration. He recommends the imme-
diate reenactment of the employers
liability act, declared unconstitutional
by the United States Supreme Court,
the act to be so reframed as to meet
the objections by the court. and at the
same time to strengthen its provisions
within the new limitations. Compen-
sation for employees injured in The
government service is also strongly
recommended. Government employees
now have no remedy. AS the President
points out. ours is the only great IN
1ustrial nation in which the govern
ment employee is not compensated for
injuries received in the public service.
The abuse of injunctions in labor cases
calls for congressional action, in the
opinion of the President. He would
not abolish the injunction, but only
provide for a more careful and a juster
use of that power. President Roose-
volt renews and emphasizes his sug-
gestions in regard to better control by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
of interstate and h rail-
roads. In his opinion the commission
should be empowered to pass upon
any rate or practise of its own in
ttiative,'' and to nave the power also to
prohibit an advance in rates pending
examination by the commission, which
should also have the power to make
physical examinations of railroads.
But the chief interest of the message
lies in the vigorous defense which 1t
makes of the Rooseveltian policies
against the attacks emanating from
quarters friendly to the great corporate
interests ~unfavorably affected by he
acts. of the administration. Statements
from Standard Oil sources are taken
up and refuted. 1t is apparent to the
President that these interests are
banded together to work for a te-
action and that their endeavor is to
overthrow and discredit all who
honestly administer the law, to prevent
any additional legislation which would
check and restrain them, and to secure,
If possible, a freedom from all re-
straint which will permit every UNI
scrupulous wrongdoer to do what he
wishes unchecked, provided he has
enough money" In this connection
President Roosevelt quotes extensively
from the inaugural. address Of Gov
ernor Fort on the subject of the rela-
ton of the State and public with the
great corporations, and ~pronounces the
Governors attitude wise and admir-
ably stated"
There is all the Vigor of Roosevelt in
his characterization of the interests
that have assaulted his acts. They hire
others to do their bidding" and "the
extraordinary violence of the assaults
upon our policy contained in these
speeches, editorials, articles, advertise
ments nd pamphlets, and the e1or-
NOUS sums of money spent in these
various ways, give a fairly accurate
measure of the anger and terror which
our public actions have caused the cor
rupt men of vast wealth to feel in the
very marrow of their being"
AS for the recent financial panic; the
President does not believe for one
mon1en that 1t was due In any part t.
the actions OF the administration, bui
due ito the speculative folly anc
fragrant dishonesty of a few men Of
great wealth. But if 1t were true 'thai
to cut out r~ottenness from the body
polite means a temporary check to al
unhealthy seeming prosperity" h'
would not "for one moment hesitate t.
put the knife to the corruption" Thert
IS all of Theodore Roosevelt in this
message to Congress, which is less {
message to that body than a ringing
defiance to the men and interests tina
are making war upon him and his ad
ministration. c