The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-02-08
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SHARP MESSAGE
FROM PRESIDENT
Congress Urged to Enact
Specific Remedies for
Corporate Evils.
ALL GLASSES MUST obey LAW
No Backward Step Is Possible in
the Policy Adopted by the
President.
Advises Broadening the Power OF the
ln4rsasAac Commerce Commission
New Employers, Liability
Measure IL Urged.

Measure Is Urged.
President Roosevelt submitted siz-
King special message 60 Congress.
Railroad regulation, corporation
abuses, the duty Of property and prop
erty owners 20 employees, the response
bility Of the government to its citizen
ship, the attitude Of the roactionaries
toward the administration and the atti-
tude of the administration toward the
reactionaries--all these vital points
were treated in naked, scathing and un-
Apologize language.
Asks New Legislation.
These specific recommendations for
legislation form the basis Of the presi-
Dental communication:
Immediate re.enactment Of the EN-.
ployers liability law.
Compensation for civilian government
employees injured in the line Of duty.
Compensation for injured employees on
the Panama canal.
Cheeks against abuse Of the federal
iniuuction.
Power 60 the interstate commerce
commission to take the initiative in
passing upon a railroad ratio or practice.
Power 20 interstate commerce com
mission 20 make a physical valuation Of
railroads as q blow AZ stock watering.
Power TO interstate commerce com.
mission to regulate the interchange Of
Interstate commerce cars.
Power 20 interstate commerce com
mission to determine schedules for tho
transportation Of perishable commodi.
ties.
Permission to railroad companies to
form traffic pools, but with open books
hand government inspection and super.
y vision.
An act forbidding the use Of the
mails, telegraph or telephone lines for
tho purpose Of stock gambling
Federal supervision Of all interstate
corporations.
The Message
Tho message. in part, is as follows:
To tho Senate and House OF Repre-.
sentatives: The recent decision Of the
Supreme Court in regard 20 the employ
ers' liability act, tho experience Of the
interstate commerce commission and Of
the Department Of Justice in enforcing
the Interstate commerce and antitrust
laws, and tho gravcly significant atti
tude toward the law and ts administra.
ton recently adopted by certain heads
Of great corporations. render il desir
able that there should be additional
Legislation as regards certain Of the
relations between labor and capital aud
between the great corporations and the
public
f.The Supreme court has decided tho
omployers' liability law 90 be unconsti
tutionaI because ITS terms apply 10 en-.
ployes engaged wholly in mtrastate
commerce as well as 60 employees en-
gagged IN interstate commerce By a
substantial majority the court holds
that the Congress has power 20 deal
with the question "A So far as interstate
commerce Is concerned.
a. regards the employers liability
law. 1 advocate its immediate rc.euact
ment, limiting los scope SO that il shall
apply only 10 the class Of cases as %
which the court says II can constitution.
klly apply, but strengthening It's prov-
Jions within this scope.
Protects Nations Employees.
81 also very urgently advise that a
comprehensive act be passed providing
for compensation by the government 20
all employees injured In the government
service. Under the present law an In.
jured workman in the employment Of
the government has no remedy, and the
entire burden Of the accident falls on
the helpless man, his wife and his young
children. This is an outrage. IL is a
matter Of humiliation 60 tho nation that
tfffe should not be on our statute books
provision 90 meet and partially 20 atone
for cruel misfortune when II comes upon
man through no fault Of his own while
faithfully serving the public.''
Tho President urges that the same
broad principles which should apply 20
1Ne government should ultimately be
.ade applicable 10 all private employ.
rrt. and points out the manner in which
such measures might be made operative
without becoming burden on the en-.
ployer
Safeguard tho Injunction.
al again call your attention 10 the
need Of some action In connection with
the abuse Of injunctions in labor cases
As regards the rights and wrongs Of
labor and capital, from blacklisting 20
boycotting, the whole subject 10 covered
in admirable fashion by the report Of
the anthracite coal strike commission,
which report should serve as q chart for
fho guidance Of both legislative and
r,lccutive officers. As regards injunc-
Mons, I can do little but repeat what
4 have said In my last message 10 Con-
cress. Even though IL we're possible,
I should consider II most unwise to