Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-06


doubt either.
The other suggestions.-the increase
| in the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion's membership and in Its facilities
for performing its manifold duties, the
| provision for full public investigation
and assessment Of industrialsdisputes,
and the grant to the Executive Of the
power to control and operate the rail-
ways when necessary In time Of war
or other like public necessity,-I now
very earnestly renew.
| Tho necessity for such legislation is
manifest and pressing. Those who
have entrusted US with the RESPONSE
bility and duty Of serving and safe
guarding them in such matters would
IND 1t hard, believe, to excuse q fail
ure to act upon these grave matters
or any unnecessary postponement of
action upon them.
Not only does the Interstate Com
merce Commission now find it prac-
! tlcally impossible, with its present
membership and organization, to per-
form its great functions promptly and
thoroughly but 1t Is not unlikely that
1t may presently be found advisable to
add to its duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. It must first be
perfected as an administrative instru-
ment.
The Country's Need.
| me country cannot and should not
| coIsent TO remain any longer exposed
10 profound industrial disturbances for
lack OF additional means of arbitration
ana Cancellation which the Congress
can easily and promptly supply. And
all VIII agree that there must be no
| uouot as to the power Of the Executive
10 make immediate and uninterrupted
use or the railroads for the concentra-
tlon or the military forces Of the nation
Wherever they are needed and when
ever they are needed.
This is a programme of regulation.
prevention, and administrative efficien
cy Which argues it's own case in the
mere statement of 1t. With regard to
one of its items, the increase in the
efilclency of the Interstate Commerce
commission, the House of Representa-
-tlVes has already acted; it's action
needs only the concurrence of the Sen
ate.
would hesitate to recommend, and
l oare say the Congress would hesitate
" act upon the suggestion should I
make IT, that any man in any occupa-
tion should be obliged by law to con-
| .inue IN an employment which he de-
| slred to leave. To pass a law which
FORBADE or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
| celVlnS the approval of society in do
ing SO would be to adopt a new prin-
clple into our Jurisprudence which 1
take it for granted we are not pre-
pared to introduce. But the proposal
that the operation of the railways
OF the country shall not be
stopped or interrupted by the concerted
action of organized bodies Of men until
a public investigation shall have been
instituted which shall make the whole
question at issue plain for the tudg-
ment of the opinion of the nation is
not to propose any such principle 1t
Is based upon the very different prin-
clple that the concerted action of DOW
ertul bodies of men shall not be per-
nltteC to stop the industrial processes
or the naticn, at any rate before the
nation shall have had an opportunity
TO acouaint itself with the merits Of the
case as between employee and en-
ploSer time to form it's opinion upon
an impartial statement Of the merits.
ana opportunity to consider all prac-
tlcable means of Cancellation or arbi-
tratlon. can see nothing in that
proposition hut the justifiable safe
guarding by society of the necessary
processes of its very life. There is
nothing arbitrary or unjust in if nm
less it be arbitrarily and unjustly done.
1t can and should be done with a f,,ll
and scrupulOus regard for the interests
and liberties of all concerned as well
as for the permanent interests Of So
ciety itself.
Three important Matters.
Three matters of capital Importance
await the action of the Senate which
have already been acted upon by the
House of Representatives: the bill
which seeks to extend greater freedom
of combination to those engaged in |
promoting the foreign commerce of the |
country than is now thought by some |
to be legal under the terms of the laws |
against monopoly; the bill amending |
the present organic law of Porto Rico: |
and the bill proposing a more thorough |
and systematic regulation Of the ex- |
penditure of money in elections, COM |
monty called the Corrupt Practices Act. |
need not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies in the manifest circum- /
stances which render their adoption
at this time not only opportune but
necessary. Even delay would seriously
leopard the interests Of the country
and of the government.
Immediate passage of the bill to reg
ulate the expenditure of money in
elections may seem to be less necessary
than the immediate enactment of the
other measures to which I refer: be-
cause at least two years will elapse
before another election in which fed |
eral offices are to be filled; but 1t
would greatly relieve the public mind
II this important matter were dealt |
with while the circumstances and the |
dangers to- the public morals Of the |
present method of obtaining and spend |
ing campaign funds stand clear under |
recent observation and the methods of |
expenditure can be frankly studied in |
the light of present experience; and a. |
delay would have the further very SER |
1ous disadvantage Of postponing action |
until another election was at hand and |
some special object connected with it |
might he Thought fo he n, tho ro}oa - |