Imperial Valley press., 1908-03-28
SPECIAL MESSAGE
President Demands Action On Antl-
 Trust Laws and Tariff Revision.

in both houses of Congress soon after convening today.
 The President renews his recom- mendation for the immediate reenact- ment of an employers liability law, drawn to conform to the recent de- cision of the Supreme Court
 He also urges that action be taken along the line of the recommenda- tions already made concerning injunc- tions in labor disputes.
 He again calls attention to the ur- gent need of amending the interstate commerce law and especially the anti trust law along the lines indicated in his last message. The interstate com merce law should be amended so as to give railroads the right to make traffic agreements, subject to these agree ments being approved by the inter- state commerce commission, and pub lished in all their details.
 The commission should also be giv- en the power to make public and to pass upon the issuance of all securities hereafter issued by railroads doing an interstate commerce business.
 The substantive part of the anti trust law, he says, should remain as at present; that is, every contract. in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States or with foreign na- tions should continue ro be declared illegal; provided, however, that some proper governmental authority (such as the commissioner of corporations acting under the Secretary of Com merce and Labor) be allowed to pass on any such contracts.
 Tariff Revision.
 Concerning the tariff, the President says:
 prepare for revision of the tariff. I his should be- and indeed must be, preceded by careful investigation. It is peculiarly the provin,e of the House of Representative to originate tariff bill and to determine upon it's terms; and this I fully realize.
 "Yet it seems to me that before the close of this session provision should be made for collecting full material which will enable the Congress elected next fall to act immed1ately after it comes into existence. Tnis would ne- cessitate some action before the Con- gress at it's present session, perhaps in the shape of directing the proper committee to gather the necessary in formation, both through the committee itself and through government agents who should report to the committee and should lay before it the facts which would permit it to act with prompt and intelligent fairness/
 "These government agents, if it is not deemed wise to appoint individuals from outside the public service, might with advantage be members of the executive departments designated by the President on his own motion or on the request of ths committee to act with it.
 ''I am of the opinion, however, that one change in the tariff could, with advantage, be made forthwith. Our forests need every protecv1on, and one method of protecting them would be to put on the tree list pulp wood with a corresponding reduction on paper made from wood'pulp when they come from any country that does not put an export duty on them.
 Must Pay For Privilege.
 Numerous bills granting water power rights on navigable streams have been introduced. None of them gives the government the right to make a reasonable charge for the val uable privileges so granted in spite of the fact that these water-power privileges are equivalent to many thousands of acres of the best coal lands for their production of power. Nor is any definite time limit set, as should always be done in such cases. shall be obliged hereafter, in ac-