Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-12-10
snt Industrial system. become killed.

a
who have been worn out call your
attention 10 the fact that definite
steps toward providing old-age pen
sions have been taken In many of our
private industries. These may be in
definitely extended through voluntary
association and contributory schemes.
or through the agency of savings
banks, as under the Massachusetts
plan.
Urgent Need OF Reform.
our present 3 yst ~. or rather no sys.
ten, works dreadful wrong and Is OF
benefit 10 only one class Of people--the
lawyers. when workman Is injured
what he needs is not an expensive and
Goihtf,l lawfult but the certainty OF
roller tnrnugh immediate adminlstra-
tive ariiOn. No acad'mis theory
about Freedom of contract" or "consti-
tutionpl liberty "a contract should be
permitted to interfere with this and
s;m.i4r movements
reHew my rccommc ndation that
the principle Of tho cight-hour day
should as rapidly and as far AS practi-
cable bc extended TO the entire work
being carried on by tho government;
tho nrosont low should be amended TO
embrace contracts on those public
works which tho present wording OF
the act seems 70 exclude.
Judges Too Poorly Paid.
Coupled with a euloFy OF the ju-
dietary Of the nation tho president
urges that, beginning with the SUI
preme court, the Judges should have
their salaries doubled.
AS was to be expected. the attitude
assumed by certain labor leaders dur
ing the recent election comes in for
bitter criticism. The president as
serts that demands made on congress
for legislation were unjust and i'm
practical and could but work harm to
the cause Of labor. While declaring
that our judicial system is sound and
effective al core. the president says:
There are certain decisions by various
courts which have been exceedingly det-
rimental 10 the rights OF wage-wor1ers.
This Il true of all decisions that decide
that men are. by the constitution. guar
anteed their liberty" T. contract 10 enter
q dangerous occupation, or 10 work an
undesirable or improper number Of hours,
or to work in unhealthy surroundings;
and therefore cannot recover damages
, when manned i'm that occupation. and
| cannot be forbidden To work what the
| legislature decides is an excessive num-
Der of hours, or to carry on the work
under conditions which the legislature
decides to be unhealthy.
There is also. l think. ground for the
| belief that substantial injustice Is often
suffered by employees in consequence Of
| the custom of courts issuing temporary
| iniunctions without notice to them and
| furnishing them for contempt of court in
| instances where, as a matter of fact
| they have no knowledge of any proceed
ings Organized labor is chatting
under the unjust restraint which
comes from repeated resort to this
| plan OF procedure.
Injunction Must Remain.
The power of injunction is great
| equitable remedy, which should no
account be destroyed. But safeguards
| should be erected against its abus".
| In substance, provision should he made
that no Injunction or temporary re-
/ straning order issue otherwise than on
| notice, except where irreparable injury
| would otherwise result: and In such case
/ a hearing on the merits OF the order
should he had within a short fixed pc
| Rod and. III not then continued after
| hearing. Il should forthwith lapse. De-
| cisions should be rendered Immediately.
! and the chance of delay minimiZed in
| every way. Moreover. ! believe that the
procedure should be sharply defined. and
| tho Judge required minutely 10 state the
particulars both of his action and of his
can IL II desires examine and investigate
| the same.
Harm Worked by Law.
Discussing measures necessary for
the proper control OF giant corpora
tions operating in defiance of law, the
president says:
Real damare has been done by the
manifold and conflicting interpretations
on the interstate commerce law. Con-
troll over the great corporations doing
| Interstate business can be effective only
If IT is vested with fun power in an
administrative department.. n branch OF
the federal executive. carrying out n
] federal law; IL can never he effective II
n divided responsibility is left in both
the states and the nation; il can never
be effective il left in the hands Of the
courts to he decided by lawsuits
The courts hold place of peculiar and
deserved saactity under our form of gov
eminent. Respect for the law is essen
tial 10 the pcrmanence Of our institu-
tons and respect for the law is largely
conditioned upon respect for the courts
1t is an ofrensc against the republic tc
say anything which can weaken this re-
spect save for tho Cravest reason and In
tho most carefully guarded manner. In nc
other nation in the world do the courts
wicld such vast and far-rcaching power
essary is that the courts as a Who'll,
should exercise this power with the far
sighted wisdom already shown by those
judges who scan the future while they
act In the present.
Forest Preservation.
The manifest necessity for fores
preservation is pointed out as a duty
the present generation owes 10 its de
scendants, and the president cites the
case of China, where reckless de-for
estation has resulted in creating des
erts. as an object lesson.
Inland Waterways.
Immediate action by the present
session of congress for the improve
ment OF our inland waterways the
president declares TO be imperative
He recommends the creation OF per
manent commission authorized TO co
ordinate the work of all the govern
ment departments relating to water
ways. and to frame and supervise tn,
execution of a comprehensive plan.
Postal Savings Banks.
Urging the immediate institution O
postal savings banks, the message
says: