Norwich bulletin., 1916-10-27

these murders and outrages Untll the Wilson policy Is abandoned and solute protection of Americans and their interests, we need not hope for peace in or with Mexico"
 Hard Times of 1914.
 Discussing the hard times of 1914, Colonel Roosevelt said:
 'sThe democrats came into power in 1918, and immediately passed low tariff law, a tariff for revenue bill. The result was to plunge this country into depths of misery. Customs re- ceipts fell off 50 that one hundred mill lion dollars had to be raised by special tax which was called a war tax although it had nothing to do with ihe war. The treasury itself is now on the point of bankruptcy; four months hence this government will be unable to pay it's running expenses, and the impending deficit Is only con- cealed at the moment by adroit jug gHng with figures.
 Benefits from War.
 However, the trouble brought on by the democrats was far deeper tran 9 question Of treasury balance. BuSi- ness paralysis followed. Sidings of the railroads were janmed with empty freight cars. There were hundreds of thousands of men unemployed in the l broke out and it produced upon US the effect Of a tariff higher than ever in our country's history.
 On Brink of Industrial Disaster.
 We tremb!ed on the brink of the gravest industrial disturbance and disaster. We were rescued temporari- ly by the war. With the wars close we shall have serious conditions to meet. At present our immense ex- ports are made up predominantIy of material demanded by the beIligerent nations, which they will cease to de- mand once peGce comes.
 The fiscal year just closed, com pared with the fiscal year before the war. showed a decrease in exports of s200, 100000 so far as materials not affected by the war were concerned but an increase of S1, ,500, ,000, eco of ex- ports that were affected by the war On the other hand things needed only in peace have fallen off"
 The Adamson Bill.
 Colonel Roosevelt then took up the Adamson bill. saying:
 A word as to the Adamson bill the law passed without any investi- gation whatever. to raise the wages of men working on railways of the coun- try. I very greatly respect the broth erhoods. 1 am very proud that I am an honorary member of the Brother hood of Locomotive Erqginemen and Fire men. When I was president it was my good fortune to stand by the brotherhoods, so far as I can recall, on every question, where they were concerned; 1 stood by them because they. were right.
 Toward tine close of my admins tration I twice had to use the power Of the executive on behalf of the rail- way employees. The first case was in a suit to determine the constitution ality of the workmens compensation act. This law was opposed by the roads. Through the attorney general interVened and the government as stunned the burden of the suit and sue cessfully maintained it.
 Stopped Reduction of Wages
 Shortly afterwards the Louisville and Nashville Railway announced that it intended to make a 10 per cent. cut in wages. I directed the Interstate Commerce CommissioC to examine the books of the company and in an open letter to the attorney general az nounced my intention. under the Ed man act. of prividing for an investi- gation by disinterested men. The 2n- nouncemept put a stop to the intend ed move and the L. & N. people in formed their employees there would be no cut in wages.
 '"The Adamson case furnished eX- actly the kind of case in which this L. 6; N. case should be treated as a pre- cedent. In the AdamsOn case the men demanded an increase in wages pre- ciseIy as the l.. & N. had announced that it intended to decrease wages. In both cases it was the right of the government .inasmuch as the interests of the people of the nation were gravely concerned, itself to take ac-