Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-02-06

to prevent the entirely proper and legiu-
mate actions OF labor organizations In
their struggle for industrial bettsrment.
or under the gu!sc of protecting property
rights unwarrantably to invade the fun-
damental rights OF the individual. IL is
futile to concede. as We alt do, the right
and the necessity Of organized effort on
the part Of wage-earners ara yet by in
junctive process to forbid peeceable ac-
ton 20 accomplish the awful objects FOR
which they ara organized y upon
which their success depends. The TACT
that the punishment Tor the violation
of an Injunction must, 10 make the order
effective, necessarily be summary and
without the Intervention Of a jury makes
its issuance in doubtful cases Il danger
Gus practice, and in itself furnishes a
reason why the process should he sur
rounded with safeguards TO protect IN
dividuals against being enjolned from eN-
e%rcising their proper rights. Reasonable
notice should be given the adverse party.
Thfs matter is daily becoming of Srayer
Importance and l can not too urSenLly
recommend that the congress give care
full consideration to the subject. IL some
way of remedying the. abuses Is not found
the feeling of indignation against them
among large numbers of our citizens Will
tend TO grow so extreme as TO produce
a revolt against the whole use of the
process of Injunction. The ul~tra-conSerV-
ativCs who object TO cutting out the
abuses will do well to remember that II
the popular feeling does become strong
many of those upon whom they rely 10
defend them will be the first to turn
against them. Men Of property can not
afford to trust to anything ave the spirit
of justice and fair play, for those very
public men who, while it is to their IN
tereSt, defend all the abuses committed
by capital and pose as the champions of
conservatism, will, the ume they
think their interest changes, take the
lead in just such a matter as this and
pauder to what they esteem popular feel
ing by endeavoring, for instance. eff
fectively to destroy the power of the
courts in matters of injunction; and viii
even seek to render nuSatory the power
TO punish for contempt, upon which pow
er the very existence OF the orderly adj
ministration of justice depends.
1t is my purpose as soon as may be TO
submit some further recommendations in
reference TO our laws regulating labor
conditions within the sphere of federal
authority. A very recent decision of the
supreme court of the United States rem
dered since this message was written,
in the case Of Adair VS.. United States,
seemingly Of far-reaching import and
Of very serious probable consequences
has modified the previously entertained
views on the power of the congress in
the premises to such a degree as to make
necessary careful consideration of the
| opinions therein filed before it is pos
sible definitely to decide in what way to
call the matter TO your attention.
Asks Federal Supervision
of Interstate Carriers
Not only should there be action on GER
tain laws affecting Wuge-earners; there
should also be such action on avs bet
ter to secure control over the great bust
ness concerns engaged in interstate COM
merce, and especially over the great com
mon carriers. The Interstate Commerce
Commission should be empowered to
pass upon any rate or practice on its
WI initiative. Moreover, it should be
provided that whenever lthe commission
has reason to believe that a proposed ad-
II in a rate ought not to be made
without investigation, it should have au-
thority to issue an order prohibiting the
advance pending examination by the
commission.
/ would not be understood as expressing
an opinion that any or even a majority
of these advances are improper. Many
of the rates in this country have been
abnormally low. The operating expense
of our railroads, notably the wages paid
r rnda r emp fmPployes,, hays greatly in n
any given case Justify an advance in
rates, and If so the advance should be
permitted and approved. But there may
| be, and doubtless are, cases where this
is not true; and III Law should be so
framed that the government, as the rep
resentative of the whole people, can pro-
teCt the individual against unlawful eX-
action for the use of these public high
ways. The interstate Commerce Com
mission should be provided with the
means to make a physical valuation of
any road as to which it deems this, valu-
alton necessary. In some form the fed
eral government should exercise super
vision over the financial operations of
our interstate railroads. In no other way
can justice be done between the private
owners of those properties and the pub
lie which pay their charges. When once
an inflated capitalization has gone upon
the market and has become fixed in
value, its existence must be recognized.
AS a practical matter it is then often
absolutely necessary to take account OF
the thousands of innocent stockholders
who AVE purchased their stock in good
faith. The usual result of such initiation
is therefore to impose upon the public
an unnecessary but everlasting tax,
while the innocent purchasers of the
stock are also harmed and only a few
spectators are benefited. Such wrongs
when once accomplished can with diff
tiCultY be undOne; but they can be pre-
vented with safety and with justice.
When combinations of interstate railways
must obtain government sanction; when
it is no longer possible for al interstate
railway to issue stock or bonds, save in
the manner approved by the federal gov
eminent; when that government makes
sure that the proceeds of every stock
and bond issue so into the improvement
of the property and not the enrichment
of some individual or syndicate; when
whenever it becomes material for guild
ance in the regulative action of the gov
eminent, the physical value of one OF
these properties is determined and made
railroad securities that element of un-
certainty which lends to them their spec,
ulative quality and which has contributed
much to the financial stress of the re-
cent past.
Would Permit Pooling
of Railroad Interests
In this connection / desire to repeat my
recommendation that railways be per
mitted to form traffic associations for the
purpose of comforting about and agree.
ing upon rates, regulations. and practices
affecting Interstate business in which the
members Of the association are mutually
interested. This does not mean that they
should be given the right to pool theil
earnings or their traffic. The law re,
quires that rates shall be so adjusted as
not to discriminate between individuals
localities, or different species of traffic
must be the same. AS applied to prac,
teal conditions, the railway operations
of this country can not be conducted &C.
cording to law without what is equivalent
to conference and agreement. The articles
under which such associations operate
should be approved by the commission
all their operations SHOULD be open tt
public inspection; and the rates, regula.
tons, and practices upon which they
agree should be subject to disapproval by
the commission.
1 urge his last provision with the same
earnestness that / do the others. Thi!
country provides its railway facilities BY
private capital. Those facilities will no
be adequate unless the capital employed
is assured Of just treatment and an AIDE
quate return. In fixing the charges O
our railroads, / believe that, considering
the interests of the public alone, it is bet
ter to allow too liberal rather thar to-
scanty earnings, for. otherwise, there il
grave danger that our railway develop
ment may not keep pace with the demant
for transportation. But the Fundamental
idea that these railways are public high
ways must be recognized, and they mus
be open to the whole public Upon equa
terms and upon reasonable terms.
In reference to the Sherman anti-trus
law, / repeat the recommendations mad
in my message at the opening of the pres
emf CONGRESS-. as well as In nv messap