The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-05


which I take it for granted we arr
not prepared to Introduce But the
proposal that the operation of the
railways Of the country shall not be
stopped or interrupted by the con,
certed action Of organized bodies OF
men until a public Investigation shall
have been instituted which shall make
the whole question at issue plain fol
the judgment of the opinion of the
nation is not to propose any such
principle. 1t is based upon the very
different principle that the concerted
| action of powerful bodies of men shall
not be permitted to stop the industrial
processes of the nation, at any rate
before the nation shall have had an
opportunity to acquaint itself with the
merits of the case as between employe
and employer, time to form it's opin-
ion upon an impartial statement OF
the merits. and opportunity to con-
| slider all practicable means of con-
citation or arbitration. I cap see moth
| ing in that proposition but the justi-
| fable safeguarding by society Of the
necessary processes Of it's very life.
There is nothing arbitrary or unjust
in it unless it be arbitrarily and un-
| justly done. It can and should be
done with full and scrupulous re-
gard for the interests and liberties OF
all concerned as we'll as for the per-
manent interests of society itself.
Three matters of capital import
ance 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 com bination to those en-
gagged in promoting the foreign COM
merce Of the country than Is now
thought by some to be legal under
the terms of the laws against mono
poly; the bill amending the present
organic law Of Porto Eico; and the
bill proposing a more thorough and
systematic regulation of the expendi-
ture Of money in elections, commonly
called the Corrupt Practices Act. I
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 seri-
ously leopard the interests Of. the
country and of the government.
Immediate passage of the bill to
regulate the expenditure Of money in
elections may seem to be less neces-
sary than the immediate enactment
Of the other measures to which I re-
fer; because at least two years will
elapse before another election in
which federal officers are to be filled:
but it would greatly relieve the pub
lie mind if this important matter were
dealt with while the circumstances
and the dangers to the public morals
Of the present method of obtaining
and spending 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 serious disadvantage
of postponing action until another
election was at hand and some special
object connected with 1t might be
thought to be in the mind of those
urged it. Action can be taken now
with facts for guidance and without
Of partisan purpose.
II shall not argue at length the de-
STABILITY of giving freer hand in
the matter of combined and concert
ed effort to those who shall undertake
the essential enterprise Of building up
our export trade. That enterprise
will presently, will Immediately as
sumo, has indeed already assumed, a
unprecedented in our ex-
perience. We have not the necessary
for it's prosecution;
1t is deemed to be doubtful whether
they could be created upon an ade-
quate scale under our present laws.
We should clear away all legal OBJ
stacles and create basis of undoubt-
ed law for it which will give freedom
without permitting unregulated Ii
cense. The thing must be done now.
because the opportunity is here and
may escape us if we hesitate or de-
lay.
The argument for the proposed
Of the organic law Of
Porto Rico is brief and conclusive.
The present laws governing the Is
land and regulating the rights and
privileges Of it's people are not just.
We have created expectations of ex-
tended privilege which we have not
satisfied. There is uneasiness among
the people Of the Island and even a
suspicious doubt with regard to our
intentions concerning them which the
adoption of the pending measure
would happily remove. We do not
oOOOC WlIe1C VIC WISH IL uo Ill any 0S-
sential particular. We ought to do 1t
at once.
cat the last session of the Congress
a bill was passed by the Senate which
provides for the promotion of voca-
tional and Industrial education which
is of vital Importance to the whole
country because it concerns matter
too long neglected, upon which the
thorough industrial preparation of the
country for the critical years of eco
nomic development Immediately ahead
Of us in very large measure depends.
May I not urge it's early and favorable
consideration by the House of Repre-
sentatives and it's early enactment
into law? It contains plans which af-
feet all interests and all parts Of the
country, and I am sure that there is
no legislation now pending before
the Congress whose passage the coun-
try awaits with more thoughtful ap-
prevail or greater impatience to see
a great and admirable thing set in the
way of being done.
seThere are other matters already
advanced to the stage Of conference
between the two Houses of which it is
not necessary that I should speak.