Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-02-12
sharp MESSAGE
FROM PRESIDENT
Congress Urged to Enact
Specific Remedies for
Corporate Evils.
ALL GLASSES MUST OBEY LAW
No Backward Step Is Possible in
ALL CLASSES MUST OBEY LAW
No Backward Step Is Possible in
the Policy Adopted by the
President.
Advises Broadening the Power of tbs
Interstate Commerce Commission
New Employers, Liability
Measure Is Urged.

z'ihS special message to Congress.
Railroad regulation, corporation
abuses, the duty of property and prop
erty owners to employees, the response
bility of the government to its citizen
ship, the attitude of the reactionarie
toward the administration and the atti
tudc of the administration toward tn,
| reactionaries--all these vital points
were treated in naked, scathing and un
apologize language.
Asks New Legislation.
| These specific recommendations fol
legislation form the basis of the presi
dental communication:
Immediate rc-enactment of the EN-
ploycrs liability law.
Compensation for civilian government
employees injured in the line of duty.
Compensation for injured employees OF
the Panama canal.
Checks against abuse of the fedora
injunction.
Power TO the interstate commerc,
commission to take the initiative il
Power to Interstate commerce com
mission to make physical valuation oil
railroads as n blow at stock watering.
Power to interstate commerce corr
mission to regulate the Interchange OF
interstate commerce ears
Power to interstate commerce con-
mission to determine schedules for the
transportation of perishable commodi
ties.
Permission to railroad companies to
form traffic pools, but with open books
and government inspection and super
vision.
An act forbidding the use of the
mails. telegraph or telephone lines FOL
the purpose of stock gambling.
Federal supervision Of all interstate
corporations.
Tho Message.
The message. in part, is rs follows:
To the. Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:-Ih recent decision of the
Supreme Court in regard to the employ.
ers' liability act, the experience of the
interstate commerce commission and OF
the Department of Justice in enforcing
the interstate commerce and antitrust
laws, and the gravely significant atti.
tude toward the law and its administra
ton recently adopted by certain heads
of great corporations. render it desir
able that there should be additional
legislation as regards certain of the
relations between labor and capital and
between the great corporations and the
public.
"rhe Supreme court has decided the
employers liability law to be unconsti.
tutional because its terms apply to en-
ployes engaged wholly in interstate
commerce as well as to employees en-.
gagged in interstate commerce. BY o
substantial majority the court holds
that the Congress has power to deal
with the question in SO far as interstate
commerce is concerned.
"As regards the employers liability
law, | advocate its immediate rc-enact.
mcnt, limiting its scope SO that it shall
apply only to the class of cases as to
which the court says it can constitution.
Tally apply, but strengthening it's provi.
sions within this scope.
Protects Nations Employees.
81 also very urgently advise that q
comprehensive act be passed providing
for compensation by the government to
all employees injured in tho government
service. Under the present law an in.
iured 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. 1t is a
matter of humiliation to the nation that
| there should not be on our statute books
provision to meet and partially to atone
for cruel misfortune when it comes upon
a man through no fault of his own while
faithfully serving the public.o
| The President urges that the same
broad principles which should apply tc
the government should ultimately be
made applicable to all private employ
ers. and points out the manner in which
such measures might be made operative
without becoming burden on the EN-.
ployer.
Safeguard the Injunction.
81 again call your attention to the
need of some action in connection with
the abuse of injunctions in labor eases
AS regards the rights and wrongs OF
labor and capital, from blacklisting tc
boycotting, the whole subject is covered
in admirable fashion by the report OF
the ANTHRACITE coal strike commission
which report should serve as chart fol
| y, - la
executive officers. As regards injunc
tions, l can do little but repeat what
l have said in my last message 10 Con
gress. Even though it were possible
l. should consider it most unwise t.
abolish the use of the process of in
junction. 1t is necessary in order tina
the courts may maintain their own dig
nifty and in order that they may in et
fective manner check disorder and vic
lence. The judge who uses it cautious
ly and conservatively, hut who, whe
the need arises, uses it fearlessly, cor
fers the greatest service upon our pee
pie, and his pre-eminent usefulness a
public servant should be heartily rec
ognized. But there is no question i
my mind that it has sometimes bee
used heedlessly and unJustly, and tina
some Of the injunctions issued infic
grave and occasionally irreparabl
wrong upon those enjoined.
"This matter is daily becoming Q
graver Importance, and ] cannot too III
gently recommend that the Congress
give careful consideration to the sui
ject.
Urges Check on Rates
"Not only should there be action o
certain laws affecting wage-earncr
there should also be such action on law
better to secure control over the grca
business concerns engaged in interstat
commerce, and especially over tho grea
common carriers. The interstate con
merce commission should be empowere
to pass upon any rate or practice on il
own initiative. Moreover, it should b
provided that whenever the commissio
has reason to believe that q propose