The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1908-04-02

organizations and farmers organizations,
completely. check the wise movement for
securing business cooperation among
farmers and put back half a century the
progress Of the movement for the better
ment Of labor. A bill has been presented
In the Congress to remedy this situation.
some such measure as this bin is needed
In the interest OF all engaged In the In
dustries which are essential to the coun-
trys wellbeing. I do not pretend 10 say
the exact shape that the bill should take
and the suggestions have to offcr are
tentative, and my views would apply
equally TO any other measure which would
achieve the desired end. Rearing this In
mind, l would suggest. merely tentatively.
the following changes In the law.
Actual Damages as Limit.
III no such prohibition was Issued. the
contract would then only be liable to at
tack on the ground that II constituted an
unreasonable restraint Of trade Whom
ever the period Of filing had passed with
out any such prohibition. the contracts
or combinations could be disapprovcd or
forbidden only after notice and hearing
with reasonable provision for summary
review on appeal by the courts. Labor
organizations. farmers organizations. aud
poses OF profit. should be allowed to reg
lster under the law by giving the location
OF the head office the charter and by
laws. and the names ana addresses OF
their principal officers. In the interest Of
all these organlzations-bus labor
and farmers organizations alike-the
present provision permitting the recovery
OF three-fold damages shoutd be abol-
ished. and as a substitute therefor the
right OF recovery allowed for should be
only the damages sustained by the plain
tin and the cost Of suit. including n rea-
sOnable attorneys fee.
The law should not AFFECT pending suits:
n short statute OF limitations should be
provided. so far as the past Is concerned
not to exceed year. Moreover and even
more In the interest OF labor than OF
bnoinaaa fpu all ...ft
brought for causes OF action heretofore
occurred should be brought only n the
contract or combination complained Of
was unfair or unreasonable Ii may be
well to remember that all OF the suits
hitherto brought by the Government UNI
der the antitrust law have been I'm cases
where the combination or contract was
In fact unfair. unreasonable, and against
the public interest
Means to Avoid Strikes.
IL Is important that we should encour-
age trade agreements between employer
and employe where they are Just and fair
strike Is clumsy weapon for righting
wrongs done TO labor and we should ex-
tend. so far as possible the process OF
Cancellation and arbitration as a substi-
tutc for strikes. Moreover. violence. dis
order and coercion. when committed in
connection with strikes. should be as
promptly and as sternly represscd as
when committed In any other connection.
But strikes themselves are. and should be.
nations OF workingmen have a peculiar
reason for their existence. The very
wealthy individual employer. and stiii
more the very wealthy corpora ton stand
pared to the individual workingman; and
while there are many cases where Il may
not be necessary for laborers TO form a
union. In many other cases II Is indlspen-
sable. for otherwise the thousands Of
small units, the thousands OF individual
workingmen. will be left helpless In their
dealings with the one big unit the big
individual or corporate employer
The business man must be protected IN
person and property. and 80 must the
farmer and the wageworker; and as re-
CARDS all alike. the right OF peaceful COM
binatlon for All lawful purposes should be
explicitly recognized.
Union But No Boycott.
The right OF employers to combine and
contract with one another and with their
employees should be explicitly recognized
and so should the right OF the employees
to combine and TO contract with one an
other and with the employers and to seek
peaceably to persuade others to accept
their views and to strike for the purpose
OF peaceably obtaining from employers
satisfactory terms for their labor Moth
ing should be done to legallxe either a
blacklist or a boycott that would be Tile
gal at common law. this being the tyne OF
boycott defined and condemned by the
Anthracite Strike Commission.
The question or financial legislation Il
now receiving such attention In both
houses that We have right to expect
action before the close OF the session II
Is urgently necessary that there should be
such action Moreover. action should be
taken to establish postal savings banks
These postal savings banks are impera-
lively needed for the benefit OF the wage
workers and men OF small means and will
be a valuable adjunct to our whole imam :
cial system.
The time has come when we should mr..
for ratrlafnu Of he a.
should be. and indeed must be- preceded
by careful investigation. II IL peculiarly
the province OF the Congress and not OF
the President. and indeed peculiarly the
province OF the House OF Representative
to organize a tariff bill and to Determine
upon its terms; and this I fully realize.
Remove Wood Pulp Duty.
! am OF the opinion. however. that one
change In the tarin could with adVanta ~
he made forthwith. Our forests need ev-
cry protection. and one method OF pro
! ;eetinG them would be to put upon the
free list wood pulp. with a Correspondent
reduction upon paper made from WOOD
nulp. when they come from any countrS
them.
Ample provision should be made for q
permanent Waterways Commission. wifi
whatever power Is required TO make II ef.
| fective.
Numerous bills granting water powe,
rights on navisable streams have been in
troduced. None OF them give the Govern.
nent the right to make a reasonabIs
charge for the valuable privileges ID
| granted, In spite OF the fact that thess
water power privileges are equivalent N
many thousands OF acres OF the best coa
lands for their production OF power. No,
* any definite time limit set as should
| always be done In such cases / shall he
obliged hereafter. In accordance with The
policy stated In recent message. TO vefs
any water power bill which does not pro.
vide for a time limit and for the right OF
/ the President or of the Secretary con.
cerned TO fix and collect such a charge a,
he may find to be Just and reasonable m
| each case
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
| The White House. March 2h 1909