The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-02-07
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SCORES
BIG CORPORATIONS BECAUSE
OF THEIR ATTITUDE.
STANDARDS METHODS
ARE TORN 70 PIECES
Tendency Of Oil Concern to "over'
Awe, Crush and Disdain Public
Proves Warm Theme in chief's
Communication.


President Roosevelt's sizzling mes
sage to congress asked the enactment
of a fair employers liability law, more
powers for the Interstate Commerce
Commission. and the executive again
called to the attention of the law
makers his campaign against the tspe-
cialiy privileged rich, Regarding the
employers liability act: recently de-
clared unconstitutional by the supreme
court. the president said:
A regards the employers liability
law, / advocate its immediate %reenact
ment, limiting its scope so that IT shall
apply only TO the class of cases as 10
which the court says 1t can constitu-
tionally apply. but strengthening Its
provisions within this scope Interstate
employment being thus covered by an
t~rastate employment will be left TO the
action Of the several states, Min TINS
clear definition Of responsibility me
states win undoubtedly give to me
performance of their duty within their
field the consideration the Importance
of the subject demands.
81 also very urgently advise that a COM
prehensive act be passed providlng TOT
compensation by the government to all
employees injured in he 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, n his
Young children. This is an outrage.
N 1T Is q matter OF nuWilldllUH " tht Ha-
ton that there should not be on our
statute books provision to meet and
partially atone for cruel misfortune
when 1t comes upon q man trough no
fault of his W while faithfully serv-
ing the public"
Assails Injunction Abuse.
Abuse of the use of the injunction
In labor cases provided another theme
for the executive. He declared there
is some need for action regarding the
rights and wrongs of labor from black
listing to boycotting, Continuing, he
said:
"As regards injunctions, ! can do lit
tie but repeat what | have said in my
last message to congress. Even though
1t We're possible. | should consider III
most unwise to abolish the use of the
process of injunction. 1t Is necessary
in order that the courts may maintain
their own dignity and in order that
they may in effective manner check
disorder and violence, The judge who
uses 1t cautiously and conservatively.
but who, when the need arises, uses 1t
fearlessly, confers the greatest SER
vice upon our people, and his preemi.
nent usefulness as a public servant
should be heartily recognized. But
there is no question In my mind that
it has sometimes been used heedlessly
and unjustly, and that some of the in
functions issued infict grave and oc-
casionally irr.eparable wrong upon
That the Santa Fe railroad president
had guilty knowledge of Relating is an
assertion which the executive made
with effect. In his message he in
closed letters of correspondence, which
he declared point to the truth of his
statements. His words in this con-
nection are:
I'm enclose herewith a statement is
sued by the chief of the bureau of cor
porations in answer to certain state
ments (which l also enclosed. made by
n and on behalf of the agents of the
x GfnpJar d oil Cprnnratipn and a latter
of the attorney-general containing an
answer to certain statements, also in
closed. made by the president of the
Santa Fe Railway Company. The
Standard Oil Corporation and the rail-
way company have both been found
guilty by the courts of criminal mis-
conduct: both AVE been sentenced to
pay heavy fines; and each has issued
\ and published broadcast these state
nents, asserting their innocence and
denouncing as improper the action OF
n the courts and juries in convicting them
of guilt. These statements are very
elaborate. are very ingenious. and are
untruthful in important particulars.
The letter and Enclosure from Mr..
Heney sufficiently illustrate the meth
DDS of the high officials of the Santa
Fe and show the utter falsity of their
plea of ignorance, the similar plea of
the Standard OIL being equally with
out foundation"
Would See Traffic Associations.
Uniformity or railroad rates was an
other one of the executives themes
which is of interest to the general pub
lie and President Roosevelt advised a
pool of traffic associations for the pur-
\ pose of comforting on rates. In that
connection he continued as follows:
II desire to repeat my recommended
4 tion that railways be permitted to form
traffic associations for the purpose Of
comforting about and agreeing upon
rates, regulations, and practices affect
ing interstate business in which the
members of the association are mu-
tually interested. This does not mean
that they should be given the right
to pool their earnings or their traffic,
The law requires that rates shall be
tween individuals localities, or differ
ent species of traffic. Ordinarily rates by
all competing lines must be the same.
As applied to practical conditions, the
can not be conducted according to law
without what is equivalent to confer
ence and agreement. The articles I'M
der which such associations operate
should be approved by the commission
all their operations should be open 20
public inspection; and the rates. regu-
Iations, and practices upon which they
by the commission"
vi Then followed a roast" on the 'eyil
rich" The president told of the cam
paign which the wealthy lawbreakers
conducted and set forth remedial iegis-
lation, His statement In that regard
follows;
Under no circumstances would we
countenance attacks upon l~aw-abiding
property. or do aught but condemn
those who hold up rich men as being
evil men because of their riches. on
the contrary. our whole effort is to in
sist upon conduct. and neither wealth nor
property nor any other class distinction,
as being the proper standard by which to
Judge the actions Of men. For the hon
est man Of great wealth we have a
"a IaqrfV Pnpnrd if1Cf NO No hayyn n haor ~ u
regard for the honest politician and hon
est newspaper. But part of the move
ment to uphold honesty must be a move
ment to frown on dishonesty. We at
Y tack only corrupt men of wealth, who
find In the purchased politician the most
"A efficient instrument OF corruption and in
the purchased newspaper the most eff
cient defender of corruption. Our main
quarrel is not with these agents and
" representatives of the interests. They
derive their chief power from the great
sinister offenders who stand behind
them. They are but puppets who move
as the strings are pulled. 1t is not the
puppets. but the strong cunning men
\ and the mighty forces working for evil
4 behind and through the puppets, with
whom we have to deal. We seek to con-
troll law-defying wealth: In the first place
to prevent Its doing dire evil to the re-
public. and in the next place to avoid
the vindictive and dreadful radicalism