The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-04-28
Some Legislation Is Essential
to Welfare of Nation and
Reforms Are Needed.
Policies People Demand viii
Eventually Win.
LABOR AND THE INJUNCTION

President Roosevelt today submit
ted the following message to con
gross:
To the senate and House of Repre-
sentatiyes:s
In my message To the congress of
March %. 1898, outlined certain
measures which I believe the majority
Of our countrymen desire to have en-
acted into law at this time. These
measures do not represent by any
means all that would like to see done
IL I thought II possible. but they do
represent what I believe can now he
done II an honest effort toward this
end is made.
Since ! wrote this message an en-
ployors liability law has been enacted
which, Il Is true. comes short of what
ought 20 have been done, but which
does represent real advance. Ap.
rarently there is good ground to hope
that there will be further. legislation
providing for recompensing all en-
pluyes who suffer injury while en-
gagged IN the public service. that there
will be a child-labor law enacted for
the District OF Columbia; that the
waterways commits sion will b. contin-
ucd with sufficient financial support to
Increase the effectiveness of its pre-
paratory work. mat steps will be-
taken 10 provide for such investigation
into tari1 conditions. by the appro-
pirate committee OF the house OF rep
roFentatlves and by government oX-
perts In the executive service. and VIII
secure the full Information necessary
for Immediate action IN revising the
tariff at the hands of congress elected
next fall and finally, that financial
legislation will be enacted providing
for temporary measures for meeting
any trouble that may afise in the next
ar or Two. and for a commission OF
experts who shall thoroughly inyestl-
gate The whole matter. both here and
IN the great commercial countries
mend legislation which will put our
financial system on an efficient and
permanent basis. II Is much TO be
WISHED that one feature of the finan-
cial legislation OF this session should
b the establishment of postal savings
banks Ample appropriation should
be made u enable the Interstate com
mercc commission TO carry ont the
very important features OF the Hep
burn law which gives 10 the commits
sion supervision. and control over the
accounting systems of the railways.
Failure TO provide means which will
enable tho commission To examine the
books of the railways would amount
- an attack on the law at its most
vital point. and would benefit. az
nothing elso could benefit. those rail-
ways which are corruptly or incom-
petontly managed. Forest reserves
should be established throughout the
Appalachian mountain region where
ever IL can be shown that they will
have a direct and real connection with
the conversation and Improvement OF
naylgable rivers.
There seems, however, much doubt
about two of the measures | have rec
commended: the measure To do away
with abuse of the power of injunction
and the measure or group of meas
urcs TO strengthen and render both
more efficient and more wise to con
troll by the national government over
the great corporations doing an inter-
state business.
First, as to the power of injunction
and OF Punishment for contempt I'm
contempt cases, save where immediate
action is imperative. the trial should
BE- before another judge. As regards
irlunctlons, some such legislation as
that | have previously recommended
should be enacted They are blind
who fail to realize the extreme bitter
ness caused among large bodies OF
worthy citizens by the use that has
been repeatedly made of the power
of injunction In labor disputes. Those
in whose judgment we have most
right TO trust are of the opinion that
White much of the complaint against
the use of the injunction is unwar
ranted. yet that II is unquestlonahly
true that in a number of cases this
power has been used to the grave in
jury of the rights of laboring men.
ask that It be limited in some such
way as that | have already pointed out
In my previous messages. for the very
reason that / do not wish to see an
'embittered effort made to destroy it.
Il Is unwise stubbornly to refuse to
provide against repetition of the
abuses which have caused The present
unrest. In a democracy like ours II