Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-28

OF the hour was 50 late ana inc at
tendance so small that no attempt was
made to read the document. The first
few lines only had been pronounced by
the clerk when it was suggested that
the further reading should be post
poncd until tomorrow. This suggestion
was adopted and the Senate adjourned.
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentativcs.-
In my message to the Congress of
March IS. 1893, ] outlined certain meas
ures which | believe the majority Of
our conntrymen desire to have enacted
into law al this time These measures
do not represent BY any means all that
| would like 10 soc done if l thought
it possible, but they DO represent what
I believe can now be done if an earnest
effort toward this end is made.
Since | wrote this message an cnl-
plUyCrs liability law has been enact
ell which, it is true, GENES short OF
what ought to have been done, but
which does represent u real adj
vance. Apparently there is good
ground to hope that there will BE-
further legislation providing for rec
onpensing all employees who sullc'
injury while engaged in the rublit
service; that there will be q child-laL"
law enacted for the district Of t'"lun
bia; that tie WatcrWaV, Comn!SSin
will be continued with sufficient ilnan-
cial support to increase the effective
ness OF its preparatory work; thaj
stc,.s will he taken to provide for such
int. tnriff rnnIii ions h\
the appropriate committee OF the
House of Representatives and by Gov
ernmont experts in the Executive ser
vice, as will secure the full iforllia-
ton necessary for immediate action Il
revising the tariff at the hands Of th(
Congress elected next fall; and finally
that financial legislation will be Ell
acted providing for temporary meas
ures for meeting any trouble that may
arise in the next year or two, am
for Il commission Of experts VINO Shai
thoroughly investigate the whole mat
ter, both here and in the great com
mcrcial countries abroad. so as to DO
able 20 recommend legislation Whic!
viii put our financial system on an ei'
fcient and permanent basis. II Is
much to be wished that one feature OF
tie financial legislation o. this session
should be the establishment of posta
savings banks Ample appropriation
should he made to enable the Inter
state Commerce Commission to carry
out the very important feature or the
Hepburn law which gives to the Com
mission supervision and control owe
the accounting systems OF the railways
Failure o~prcvide means which VII
| enable the Commission to examine the
books Of the railways would amoun'
| to an attack on the law at its mos
vital noint. and would benefit, a.
nothing else could benefit, those rail
WAYS which are corruptly or incompe
tertly managed. Forest reserves
should be established throughout tht
Appalachian Mountain region wherever
II can be shown that they will have 9
direct and real connection with tbs
conservation and Improvement OF navl-
gable rivers.
There seems, however, much douhi
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 measures
strengthen and render both moro
efficient and more wise the control b.!
the National Government over the
great corporations doing an interstate
business.
First, as to the power of injunction
and of punishment for contempt. In
contempt cases, save where immediate
action is imperative, the trial should
be before another judge. AS regards
ini1nctions, some such legislation a:
that | have previously recommended
should be enacted. They are blind who
fail to realize the extreme bitterness
caused among large bodies of worthy
citizens by the use that has been re-
peatedly made of the power OF in1unc-
ton in labor disputes. Those in whose
Judgment we have most right to trust
are of the opinion that while much oi
the complaint against the use of the
Injunction is unwarranted. yet that II
is Enthusiastically true that in number
Of cases this power has been used to
the grave injury of. the rights Of labor
ing men. / ask that it be limited in
some such way as that | have already
pointed cut in my previous messages
for the very reason that | do not wish
to see an embittered effort made to de-