The sun., 1916-12-06

tOrDaue or prevented uno iHuivsuSa'
workman 10 leave his work before re-
ceiving the approval OF society in doing
so would he to adopt a new principle
into our Jurisprudence which ] take u
for granted we are not prepared to IN
troduce. l,U the proposal that the op-
Grafton OF the railways OF the country
shall not he stopped or interrupted by
the concerted action OF organized bodies
Of men until n public investigation shall
have been instituted which shall make
the whole question at issue plain for the
Judgment NJ the opinion Of the nation
IL not TO propose any such principle.
Rasea ~ DiRere.t r~rsaeip1e.
1t Is based upon the very different
principle that the concerted action Of
powerful bodies Of men shall not be per-
mitted to stop the industrial processes
Of the nation. at any rate before the
nation shall have had In opportunity to
~acquaint itself with the merits OF the
ase A. between employee and employer,
time to form Its opinion upon an Impair
tial statement OF the merits. and oppor-
tunity to consider all practicable means
Of Cancellation or arb!tra ton. / can
zee nothing In that proposition but the
justiHable safeguarding by society of
the necessary processes OF its very life.
There Ia nothing arbitrary or unjust In II
unless 1t be arbitrarily and unjustly done.
II can IND should be done with a full
and %scrupuious regard for the interests
md liberties Of all concerned as well as
Tor the permanent interests OF society
itself.
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
eeeks to extend greater freedom Of COM
bination to those engaged In promoting
the foreign Of the country
h 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 h bill
proposing a more thorough and SYSTEM
attic regulation Of the expenditure OF
money In elections. commonly called the
corrupt practices act. ] need not labor
my advice hat these measures be en-
acted into law. Their urgency lies In
the manifest circumstance which rem
der their adoption at this time not only
opportune but necessary. Even delay
would seriously leopard tho interests Of
the country n Of the Government.
Reform In Election Expenditures.
Immediate passage OF the bill to regu-
late the expenditure OF none in cleo
lions may seem to he less necessary than
the immediate enactment Of the other
measures to which l refer. because at
least two years will elapse berore an
other election in which Federal ofices
are to be filled but II would greatly re-
lieve the public mind II this important
matter were dealt with while the cir
cumstanccs and the dangers to the pub
lie mcra.s OF the present method OF OBJ
tanning and spending campaign funds
stand clear under recent observation and
the methods Of expenditure can be
frankly studied In the light of presen,
experience: and a delay would have the
further very serious disadvantage OF
p%ostponinE action until another election
was at hand and some special objec,
connected with II might be thought tc
bs in the mind Of those VIC urged 1t
Action can be taken now with facts fol
guidance and without suspicion OF par
tisan purpose.
I shall not argue at length the de-
STABILITY OF giving a freer hand In thu
matter Of combined and concerted effort
to those who shall undertake the essen
tial enterprise OF building up our export
trade. That enterprise will presently
will Immediately. assume. has Indeed al
ready assumed, a magnitude unprece'
dented In our experience. We have no
the necessary instrumentalities for III
prosecution II Is deemed to be doubtful
whether they could be created upon Al
adequate scale under our present laws
We should clear away all legal obstacles
and create a basis OF u~ndoubted law 70
II which will give freedom without per
hitting ~unregulated license. The thinl
must b. done now. because the oppor
tunity Is here and may escape US IL VI
hesitate or delay.
Plea for Porto Rico.
The argument for the proposed amend
ments OF the organic law Of Porto Ric'
Ia brief and conclusive. The presen
laws governing the island n regulat
ing the rights and privileges Of Its peopl
} are not Just. We have created expecta
. tons Of extended privilege which W
/! have not satisfied. There is uneasines
! among the people Of the island and eve
. a suspicious doubt with regard to our In
, tentions concerning them which the adop
ton Of the pending measure would hap
: pily remove. We do not doubt what "
, wish to do in m essential particular
, We ought to 10 II at once.
. At the last session of Congress a bill
was passed by the Senate which provide
: for the promotion OF vocational and In
/. dustrial education. which IL Of vital i'm
|. p~ortance TO the whole country becaus
!, 1t concerns a matter, too long neglected
. upon which the thorough industrial PREF
aration OF the country for the critics
. years Of economic development immedi
: ately ahead OF US in very large measur
, depends.
y May not urge its early and favol
able consideration by the House OF Re-
!. resentatives and it's early enactmeI
y into the law? 1t contains plans whic
|. affect all interests and all parts Of II
!. country. and 7 am sure that there - n
= legislation now pending before the Coz
|. gress whose passage the country avail
with more thoughtful approval or grea
err impatience 10 see a great and adm
able thing set in the way OF being done
a There are other matters already Al
vanced to the stage OF conference b
tween the two houses of which 1t Ia n
necessary that I should speak. Son
practical basis OF agreement concernir
them will no doubt be found and act.t
n taken upon them.
"a Inasmuch as this IL, gentlemen. pro
ably the last occasion / shall ha'
a to address the Sixty-fourth Congress.
,e hope that you will permit me to 81
l. with what genuine pleasure and sati
Or faction I have cooperated with you
the many measures Of constructive poll
with which you have enriched the legl
Il lative annals OF the country. 1t h
ve been a privilege to labor In such col
Of pany. I take the liberty Of congrat
oh lating you upon the completion OF
IN record Of rare s~crviceableness and d
We tinction.
Three hutton Thieves Seized.
u rb.rga1 ,,,itb having ai0lan a. n