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V
TAFT'S
INAUGURAL
ADDRESS
i
Outlines Policy of
Administration,
PRAISE FOR ROOSEVELT
Speech Begins With Advocacy
of Predecessor's Reforms,
MANY QUESTIONS TOUCHED.
Incoming President's Ideas on
Trusts and Other Matters.
My Fellow Citizens Any one who
tnkes the onth I have Just taken must
feel u heavy weight of responsibility.
If not, he linn no conception of tho
powers and duties of the olllce upon
which hu Is about to enter or he Is
lacking In a proper sense of tho obliga
tion whlqh tho onth Imposes.
The office 'if an Inaugural addioss Is
to give n suiumiiiy outline of the main
policies of the new administration no
far as thuy can bo anticipated. 1 have
'had the honor to bo one of the ad
visers of 'my distinguished predecessor
And as such to hold up his hands In
Hie reforms he has initiated 1 should
be untrue to myself, to my promises
nnd to tho declarations of the party
platform upon which I was elected to
office If 1 did not make the malnte
xance and enforcement of those re
forms a most important feature of my
administration. They were directed to
the suppression of the lawlessness aud
abuses of power of the great combina
tions of capital invested In railroads
ami In Industrial enterprises carrying
on Interstate commerce. Tho steps
which my predecessor took and the
legislation passed on his recominenda
1lon have accomplished much, have
caused a general halt In the vicious
policies which created popular alarm
nnd have brought about in the busl
ncss affected a much higher regard for
existing law. t
Further Action Needed.
To render Mho reforms lasting, how
ever, and to secure at the same time
freedom from alarm on the part of
those pursuing proper and progressive
business methods further legislative
nnd executive action are needed, Re
lief of the railroads from cettaiu re
strictions of tho nntl-trust law have
been urged by my predecessor and will
tie urged by me. On the other hand,
the administration Is pledged to legis
lation looking to a proper federal su
pervision atid restriction to pievent ex
cessive Issues of bonds and stocks by
companies owning and operating Inter
state commerce railroads.
Then, too, a reorganization of tho de
partment of Justice, Of the bureau of
corporations in the department of com
merce aud labor aud of the Interstate
commerce commission looking to effec
tive co-operation of these agencies Is
needed to secure a more rapid and cer
tain enforcement of the laws affect
ing Interstate railroads aud Industrial
combinations.
I hope to be able to submit at the
first regular session of the Incoming
congress in December next definite
suggestions In respect to the needed
amendments to the null-trust and the
Interstate commerce law and the
changes required In the executive de
pnrtiueuts concerned In their enforce
ment. "Good and Bad Trusts."
It Is believed that with the changes
to be recommended American busi
ness can be assured of that measure of
stability aud certainty In respect to
those things that may be done and
those that are prohibited, which Is
essential to the life and growth of
all business. Such a plan must Include
the right of the people to avail them
elves of those methods of combining
capital and efTort deemed necessary to
reach the highest degree of economic
efficiency, nt the same rtme differenti
ating between combinations based
upon legitimate economic reasons aud
Ithose formed with tho Intent of creat
ing monopolies and artificially control
ling prices.
The work of formulating into prac
tical shape such changes Is creative
ffirork of the highest order and requires
All the deliberation possible In the In
terval. I believe that the amendments
to be proposed are Just as necessary In
the protection of legitimate business as
1n the clinching of the reforms which
properly bear the name of my prede
Pressor Revision of the Tariff.
A matter of most pressing Impor
tance is the revision, of tho tariff. In
accordance with the promises of the
platform upon which I was elected, I
-tennll call congress Into extra session,
to meet on the lfith day of March, In
order thnt consideration may be nt
once given to n bill revising the Ding
ley net. This should secure an ride
(junto revenue and adjust the duties In
such a manner as to afford to labor
aud to nil Industrie in this country,
whether of the farm, mine or factory
protection by tariff equal lo the differ
ence between the eot of production
abroad nnd the cost of production her
and h.te a provision which shall pur
Into. force, upon executive determina
tion of certain facts, a higher or maxi
mum tin Iff ngnlust those countries
whose trade policy towaid us equitably
requires such discrimination. It Is
thought that there has been Mich n
change In conditions since the enact
ment of tho Dlngley act drifted on n
similarly protective principle, that the
measure of the tariff nbovo stated will
permit the reduction of rates in certain
schedules aud will requite the ad
vancement of few, if any
Tho proposal to revise the tariff
made In such an authoritative way ns
to lend the business community to
count upon It necessarily halts nil
those branches of business directly
affected, nnd ns these arc most Im
portant It disturbs the whole business
of the country. It Is Imperatively nec
essary, thereore, that a tariff bill be
drawn In good faith In accordance
with promises, made before the elec
tion by the pnrty in power nnd ns
promptly passed as due consideration
will permit.
Inheritance Tax Advocated.
In the making of n tariff bill the
prime motive Is taxation and the se
curing thereby of n revenue. Due
largely to the business depression
which followed the flnnuclnl panic of
1007, the revenue from customs nnd
other sources has decreased to such
an extent that tho expenditures for
tho current fiscal year will exceed the
receipts by $100,000,000. It is Imperii
tlve that such n deficit shall not con
tlnue, and tho framers of the tnrlff
bill must of course have In mind the
total revenues likely to bo produced by
It and so arrange the duties ns to se
cure an adequate Income. Should It be
Impossible to do so by Import duties
new kinds of taxation must be adopt
ed, and among these I recommend si
graduated Inheritance tax as correo'
In principle nnd an certain and easy of
collection
Government Economy Urged.
The obligation on the part of those
responsible for the expenditures made
to carry on the government to be as
economical as possible and to make
the bunion of taxation as light as pos
sible Is plain aud should be affirmed lu
every declaration of government pol
icy. This Is especially true when wc
are face to face with a heavy deficit
Hut when the desire to win the popu
lnr approval leads to the cutting off of
expenditures really needed to make
the government effective and to en
able It to nccompllsh its proper objects
the result Is as much to be condemned
as the waste of government funds In
unnecessary expenditure.
In the department of agriculture the
use of scientific experiments on n large
scale and the spread of Information
derived A'oni them for tho Improve
ment or $.et oral ngrlculture must go
on.
The Iiuportnuic of supervising busi
ness of great rill ways and Industrial
combinations aud the necessary Inves
tigation aud prosecution of unlawful
business methods nre another neces
sary tax upon government which did
not exlhi half a century ago.
Proper Form of Expenditure.
The putting Into force of laws which
shall secure the conservation of our
resources so far as they may be with
in .the Jurisdiction of the federal gov
ernment, Including the most Important
work of saving and restoring our for
ests, and the great Improvement of wa
terways are all proper government
functions which must Involve large
expenditure If properly performed.
While some of them, like the reclama
tion of arid lands, aie made to pay
for themselves, others are of such an
Indirect benefit that this cannot be ex
pected of them. A permanent Im
provement, like the ranama canal,
should be treated as a distinct enter
prise nnd should be paid for by the
proceeds of bonds, the Issue of which
will distribute Its cost between the
present and future generations In ac
cordance with the benefits derived. It
may well bo submitted to the serious
consideration of congress whether the
deepening and control of the channel
of a great river system like that of the
Ohio or of the Mississippi when dell
nlte and practical pinns for the enter
prise have been approied and deter
mined upon should not be provided for
In the same way.
Then, too, there nro expcndltuies of
government absolutely necessary If cur
country Is to maintain Its proper place
among the nations of the world and Is
to exercise Its proper Influence In de
fense of Its own trade Interests In the
maintenance of traditional American
policy ngalnst the colonization of Eu
ropean monarchies in this hemisphere
and In the promotion of peace nnd In
ternational morality I refer to the
cost of maintaining a proper army, a
proper navy and suitable fortifications
upon the mainland of the United
States and In its dependencies
The Army and Navy.
Wo should have an army so organ
ized nnd so officered ns to be capable
In time of emergency In co-operation
with the national militia and under
the provisions of a proper national
volunteer law rapidly lo expand Into
a force sufficient to resist all probable
Invasion from abroad aud to furnish a
respectable expeditionary force. If nee
essary. In the maintenance of our tra
ditional American policy which bears
the name of President Monroe.
Our fortifications are jet In a stan
if only partis! completeness, mid tli
number of men to man them Is Insuffi
cient. In n few yenrs, however, the
usual annual appropriations for our
coast defenses, both on the mainland
nnd In the dependencies, will make
them sufficient to resist nil direct at
tack, nnd by thnt time we may hope
thnt the men to man thepi will be pro
vided as a necessary adjunct. The
distance of our shores 'from Europe
and Asia, of courftO, reduces the ne
cessity for maintaining under nrms u
great army, but It does not take nway
the requirement of mere prudence,
that we should have in army suffi
ciently Inrgo and so constituted as to
form a nucleus out of which a suitable
force can .quickly grow.
Wlint bus been said of the army
may bo affirmed In even n more em
phatic way of the navy. A modern
navy cannot be Improvised. It must
bo built and In existence when the
emergency arises which calls for Its
uso and operation. My distinguished
predecessor has In many speeches nnd
messngos set out with great force nnd
striking language the necessity for
maintaining a strong navy commensu
rate with tho coast line, the govern
mental resources nnd the foreign trade
of our nation, nnd I wish to reiterate
all tho reasons which he has presented
In favor of the policy of maintaining
a strong navy as the best conservntor
of our peace with other nations and
the best means of securing respect for
tho assertion of our rights, the defense
of our Interests nnd tho exercise of
our Influence In International matters
Must Arm as Othor Nations Do.
Our International policy Is always to
promote peace. We shall enter Into
any war with a full consciousness' of
tho awful consequences thnt It always
entails, whether successful or not, and
avc, of course, shall mnke every effort,
consistent with national honor and tho
highest nntloual Interest, to nvold n
resort to nrms.' We favor every instru
mentality, like that of The Hague tri
bunal rand arbitration treaties made
with n view to Its use In all Interna
tional controversies. In order to main
tain pence and to avoid war. Hut we
should be blind to existing conditions
nnd should allow ourselves to becouio
foolish Idealists If we did not realize
that, with all the nations of the world
armed and prepared for wnr, we must
be ourselves In n slmllnr condition In
order to prevent othor nations from
tnklng advantage of us and of our In
ability to defend our Interests and as
sert our rights with a strong hand.
In the International controversies that
are likely to arise lu the orient, grow
ing out of the question of the
open door and other Issues, the
United States can maintain her Inter
ests Intact nnd can secure respect for
her just demnnds. She will not be
able to do so, however. If It Is under
stood that she never Intends to back
up her assertion of right and her de
fense of her Interest by anything but
mere verbal protest and diplomatic
note. For these reasons the expenses
of the nrmy nnd uovy and of coast de
fenses should always bo considered as
something which the government must
pay for. and they should not be cut off
through mere consideration of econ
omy. Our government Is ablo to af
ford a suitable army and a suitable
navy. It may maintain them without
the slightest danger to tho republic or
tho cause of free Institutions, and fear
of additional taxation ought not to
change a proper policy In this regard.
Protection For Our Citizens Abroad.
The policy of the United States lu
the Spanish war and since has given
It n position of lutluence nmong the
nations that it never had before nnd
should be constantly exerted to secur
ing to Its bona fide citizens, whether
nntlve or naturalized, respect for them
ns such In foreign countries. We
should make every effort to prevent
humiliating anil degrading prohibition
ngalnst any of our citizens wishing
temporarily to sojourn In foreign coun
tries because of race or religion.
The Japanese Question.
The admission of Asiatic Immigrants
who cannot be amalgamated with our
population has been made the subject
either of prohibitory clauses lu our
treaties and statutes or of strict ad
ministrative regulation secured by dip
lomatic negotiations, I sincerely hope
thnt we may continue to minimize the
evils likely to urlse from such Immi
gration without unnecessary fi let Ion
nnd by mutual concessions between
self respecting governments. Mean
time we must take every precaution to
prevent or, falling that, to punish out
bursts of race feeling among our peo
ple against foielgners of whatever na
tionality who have by our grant a
treaty right to pursue lawful business
here and to be protected against law
less assault or Injury.
This leads me to point out a serious
defect In the present federal Jurisdic
tion which ought to be remedied at
once Having assured to other coun
tries by treaty tho protection of our
laws for such of their subjects or citi
zens ns we permit to come within our
Jurisdiction, we now leave to a state
or a city not under the control of the
federal government the duty of per
forming our International obligations
in this respect. Ry proper legislation
we may nnd ought to place In the
hands of the federal executive tho
means of enforcing the treaty rights of
such aliens In tho courts of the federal
government. It puts our government
In a pusillanimous position to make
definite engagements to protect aliens
and then to excuse the failure to per
form those engagements by an expla
nation that the duty to keep them is In
states or cities not within our control.
If we would promise, we must put
ourselves in n position to perform our
promise We cannot permit the possl
ble failure of Justice due to local preju
dice In any state or municipal govern
ment to expose us to the risk of n war
which mk'ht be avoided If federal
Jurisdiction was asserted by suitable
legislation bj congress nnd carried out
by propel proceedings Instituted by
the execut ve In the courts of the na
tional government.
Monetary Laws Need Change.
One of the reforms to be cnrrled out
during tho incoming ndmlulstratlou Is
a change of otir monetary and banking
Inws so ns to secure greater elasticity
In tho forms of currency available for
trade and to prevent the limitations of
law from operating to Increase the em
barrassments of a financial panic. The
monetary commission lately appointed
Is giving full consideration to existing
conditions nnd to nil proposed reme
dies and will doubtless suggest one thnt
will meet the requirements of business
nnd of public Interest. We may hope
that the report will embody neither tho
narrow view of those who believe that
the sole purpose of the new system
should be to secure a large return on
banking capital nor of those who would
hac greater expansion of currency
with little regard to provisions for Its
immediate redemption or ultlmntc se
curity. There Is no subject of econom
ic discussion so intricate and so likely
to evoke differing views nnd dogmntlc
statements ns this one. The commis
sion In studying the general lutluence
of currency on business nnd of busl
ne s on currency have wisely extend
ed their Investigations In European
banking and monetnry methods. Tho
Information that they have derived
from such experts ns they have found'
abroad will undoubtedly be found
helpful in the solution of the difficult
problem they have In hand.
Favors Posts! Savings Banks.
The Incoming congress should
promptlj fulfill the promise of tho Re
publican platform and pass a proper
postal savings bank bill. It will not
bo unwise or excessive paternalism.
The promise to repay by the govern
ment will furnish an Inducement to
savings deposits which private enter
prise cannot supply and nt such a low
rate of Interest as not to withdraw
custom from existing banks. It will
sub'stnntihlly Increase the funds avail
able for Investment as capital In use
ful enterprises. It will furnish the
absolute security which makes the
proposed scheme of government guar
anty of doposlts so alluring without
Its pernicious results.
Ship Subsidies Advocated.
I sincerely hope that the Incoming
congress will be alive, as It should be,
to the Importance of our foreign trade
nnd of encouraging It In every way
feasible. 'The possibility of Increasing
this trade in the orient, in the Philip
pines nnd in South America is known
to every one who hns given the matter
attention. The direct effect of free
trade between this country nnd the
Philippines will be marked upon our
sale of cottons", agricultural machinery
and other manufactures. The necessi
ty of the establishment of direct lines
of .steamers between North and South
America has been brought to the nt
tcjitlon of congress by my predecessor
niul by Mr. Hoot before and after his
noteworthy visit to that continent, and
I sincerely hope that congress may be
Induced lo see the wisdom of a lenta
tho effort to establish such lines by
the use of mall subsidies.
The Importance which tho depart
ment of ngrlculture and of commerce
and labor may play In ridding the
markets of Europe of prohibitions and
discriminations against the Importa
tion of our products is fully under
stood, and It Is hoped that the use of
the maximum and minimum feature
of our tariff law to be soon pnssed will
be effective to remove ninny of those
restrictions.
Lock Canal Plan Defended.
The Panama canal will have a most
Important bearing upon the trade be
tween the eastern and the far west
ern sections of our country and will
greatly Increase the facilities for
transportation between the eastern
and the western seaboard and may
possibly revolutionize the transconti
nental rates with respect to bulky mer
chandise. It will also have a most
beneficial effect to Increase the trade
between the eastern seaboard of tho
United States and the western coast
of South America and Indeed with
home of the Important ports of the
east coast of South America reached
by rail from the west coast. The
Work on the canal is making most sat
isfactory progress. The type of the
canal ns a lock canal was fixed by
congress after n full consideration of
the conflicting reports of the majority
and minority of the consulting board
and after the recommendation of the
war department and the executive
upon those reports. Recent suggestion
that something had occurred on the
lsjlnmis to make the lock type of the
canal less feasible than It was sup
posed to be when the reports were
made and the policy determined on j
led to a visit to the Isthmus of n
board of competent engineers to exam- i
ine the Gatuu dam and locks which
are the key of the lock type.' The re- j
Iort of thnt board shows that nothing j
has occurred in the nature of newly
revealed evidence which should change !
the views once formed In the original '
discussion. The construction will go i
on under a most effective organization ,
controlled by Colonel Goethals and his
fellow nrmy engineers associated with I
him nnd will certainly be completed i
early In the next ndmlulstratlou. If not '
liefore.
Some type of caual must be con- i
structed. The lock type hns been se-
lectcd. We are all In favor of having
It built as promptly as possible Wo !
must not now, therefore, keep up a fire
lu the rear of the agents whom we '
hnve authorized to do our work on ,
the Isthmus. Wo must hold up their
hands, nnd, speaking for the Incoming
administration, I wish to say that I
propose to devote all the energy possi
ble nnd under my control to the push
ing of this work on the plans which
hnie been adopted and to staud behind
the men who nre doing faithful hard
work to bring about the early comple
tion of this the gt cutest constructive
enterprise of modern times.
Free Trade With PhllinDlnes.
Tho governments of our dependen
! cles In Porto Rico and the Philippines
nre progressing ns favorably as could
be desired. The prosperity of Porto
Rico continues unabated. The busi
ness conditions In the Philippines nre
i not nil that we could wish them to be,
but with the passage of the new tariff
f bill permitting free trade between the
United States and the nrchlpelago,
with such limitations in sugnr nnd
, tobacco ns shall prevent Injury to the
I domestic Interests on those products,
we can count on nil Improvement In
! business conditions in the Philippines
! and the development of n mutually
I profltnble trnfle between this country
' nnd the islands. Meantime our gov
ernment in each dependency Is uphold
ing the traditions of civil liberty and
Increasing popular control, whlch'inlght
I be expected under American auspices,
i The work which we nre doing there
redounds to our credit ns a nation.
Words of Friendship For the South.
I look forward with hope to Increas
ing the nlready good feeling between
the south and the other sections of the
country. My chief purpose Is not to
effect a change In the electoral vote of
the southern states. That Is a second
ary consideration. What I look for-
ward to Is an increase In the tolerance
i of political views of nil kinds nnd
I their advocacy throughout the south
and the existence of a respectable po
litical opposition in every state even
I more thnn than this, to nn Increased
feeling on the part of all the people In
the south that this government is their
government and thnt Its officers In
I their states are their officers.
I The Negro Question.
The consideration of, this question
I cannot, however, be complete and full
without reference to the negro race,
ii jiiukiusm mm UN present couuiuon.
The thirteenth nmendmeut secured
them freedom, the fourteenth amend
ment due pioccss of law, protection
of pioperty nnd the pursuit of happi
ness, and the fifteenth nmendmeut at
tempted to HCf-me the negro against
nny deprivation of tho privilege to
vote because ho was a negro. Tho
thirteenth and fourteenth amend
ments have been generally enforced
nnd have secured the objects for w hlch
they were Intended. While tho fif
teenth amendment has not been goner
ally observed In the past, It ought to
be observed, and the tendency of
southern legislation today Is toward
tho enactment of electoral qualifica
tions which shall square with that
amendment.
No Repeal of Fifteenth Amendment.
Of course the mere adoption of a
constitutional law Is only one Mop In
the light direction. It must be fairly
and Justly enforced as well. In time
both will come. Hence it -Is clear to
all that tho domination of an Ignorant,
irresponsible element, can be prevent
ed by constitutional laws which shall
exclude from voting both negroes and
whites not having education or other
qualifications thought to be necessary
for a proper electorate. Tho danger
of the control of an Ignorant electorate
has4therefore passed. With this change
the interest which many of tho south
ern white citizens take In the welfare
of the negroes has increased. The col
ored men must base their hope on the
results of their own industry, self re
straint, (hi lft nnd business success ns
well ns upon the aid and comfort and
sympathy which they may receive
from their white neighbors of the
south. There was a time when north
erners who sympathized with tho ne
gro lu his necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought to give to him
the suffrage as a protection ami to en
force Its exercise against the prevail
ing sentiment of tho south. The move
ment proved to be a failure. What re
mains is the fifteenth amendment to
the constitution and the right to have
statutes of states specifying qualifica
tions for electors subjected to the test
of compliance with that amendment.
This Is a great protection to the negro
It never will be repealed, and It never
ought to be repealed. If It had not
been passed It might be difficult now
to adopt It. but with It In our funda
mental law the policy of southern leg
islation must aud will tend to obey It,
nnd so long ns tho statutes of the
states meet the test of this amend
ment and are not otherwise lu con
flict with the constitution nnd laws of
the United States it Is not tho disposi
tion or within the province of the fed
eral government to Interfere with the
regulation by southern states of their
domestic affairs.
"Negro Is Now American."
There Is in the south a stronger feel
ing than ever among the Intelligent,
well to do nnd Influential element In
favor of the Industrial education of
tho negro nnd the encouragement of
the race to make themselves useful
members of the community. The
progress which the negro has made In
tho last fifty years from s!nvery, when
Its statistics are reviewed, Is marvel
ous, and It furnishes every reason to
hopo thnt In the next twenty-five years
a still greater Improvement In his con
dition ns a productive member of so
ciety, on the farm aud In the shop and
In other occupations, may come. Tho
negroes are now Americans. Their
ancestors came here yenrs ago against
their will, and this Is their only coun
try and their only flag. They have
shown themselves anxious to live for
It and to die for It Encountering the
race feeling against them, subjected
nt times to cruel Injustice growing out
of It. they may well have our profound
sympathy and aid In the struggle they
are making. We are charged with the
sacred duty of making their path ns
smooth nnd easy as wo can. Any
recognition of their distinguished men,
any appointment to office from nmong
their number, is properly taken as an
encouragement nnd nn appreciation of
their progress, and this Just policy
shall be pursued.
The Appointment of Negroes.
But It mny well admit of doubt
whether in case of any race an ap
pointment of one of their number to
a local office In n community lu which
the race feeling Is so widespread and
acute as to Interfcie with the case nnd
facility with which the locnl govern
ment business can be done by the ap
pointee is of .sufficient benefit by way
of encouragement to the race to out
weigh the recurrence nnd Increase of
race feeling which such nn appoint
ment Is likely to engender. Therefore
the executive In recognizing the negro
race by appointments must exercise a
cnreful discretion not thereby to do it
more harm than good. On tho other
hand, we must be careful not to en
courage the mete pretense of race feel
ing matiufa. tured In the Interest of in
dividual political ambition.
No Race Feeling In White House.
Personally I have not the slightest
race prejudice or feeling, and recogni
tion of its existence only awakens In
my henrt a deeper sympathy for those
who have to bear It or suffer from It,
and I question the wisdom of n policy
which Is likely to increase It. Mean
time, If nothing is done to prevent, n
better feeling between tho negroes and
the whites In the south will continue
to grow, nnd more nnd more of" the
white people will come to realize that
the future of the south Is to be much
benefited by the Industrial and Intel
lectual progress of the negro. The ex
ercise of political franchises by those
of his race who are Intelligent nnd
well to do will be acquiesced In, and
the right to vote will bo withheld only
from the Ignorant nnd li responsible of
both races.
The Labor Question.
There Is one other matter to which I
shall refer. It was made the subject
of great controversy during the elec
tion nnd calls for nt least a' passing
reference now. My distinguished pred
ecessor has given much attention to
the cause of labor, with whose strug
gle for better things he has shown the
slncerest sympathy. At his Instance
congress has passed the bill fixing the
llnblllty of Interstate carriers to their
employees for Injury sustained In the
course of employment, abolishing the
rule of fellow servant and the common
Inw rule ns to contributory negligence
and substituting therefor the so called
rule of comparative negligence, it has
also passed a law fixing the compen
sation of government employees for
injuries sustained in the employ of the
government through tbe negligence of
the superior. It nlso passed n model '
child labor law for the District of Co
lutnbln. In pievlous administrations
.an arbitration law for Interstate com
merce railroads and their employees
and laws for the application of safety
devices to save the lives and limbs of
employees of Interstate railroads had .,
been passed. Additional legislation off
this kind was passed by the outgoing
congress.
I wish to say that, lu so far as I can,
I hope lo promote the enactment of
further legislation of this character.
I am strongly convinced that the go
eminent should make Itseir as tcspoii.
slble lo employees Injured in its em
ploy as an Interstate railway coipora
tlon Is made responsible by federal
law to its employees, and I shall be
glad, whenever any additional lensonn
ble safety device can be Invented to
reduce the loss of life and limb among
railway employees, to uige congress
to require Its adoption by Interstate
railways.
Use of Injunctions Necessary.
Another labor question has arisen
which has awakened the most e.xeited
discussion. That is In respect lo the
power of the federal com Is to issue
Injunctions In Industrial disputes. As
lo Unit, my convictions are fixed. Take
away from courts, if it could be taken
away, the power to Issue Injunctions
In labor disputes, and It would cieate
a privileged class among the Inhalers
and save ihu lawless among their num
ber fiom n most needful remedy avail
able to nil men for the protection of
their business against lawless luiaslon.
The proposition that business is not ii
properly or pecuniary ilnt which can
be prole, led by equllable Injunction Is
utterly without totiu.lailoii In piece
dent or reason Tin- piopoMtlou Is
usually linked with one to make the
secondary bo.uoti .,wful. such it
proposition is at milance with the
American Instinct and w find
support, in m. judgment, when submit
ted to the American people The sec
ondary boycott Is an instrument of
tyranny and might not to be made
legitimate
The Issuing of a teinporaiy icstraln
Ing older without i.oti.e has lu several
Instances ,een abused by its Incon
siderate exercise, and to remedy this
tho platform upon which I was elect
ed recommends the formulation in
statute of the conditions under which
such u temporary restraining order
ought to Issue, a statute can and
ought to be framed to embody the best
modern practice and can bring ihu ub.
Ject so closely to the attention of the
court ns to make abuses of the process
unlikely in the futuie. American peo
l"le, If I understand them invio. o,...
the authority of the courts shall h
mistnlned and are opposed to an
change In the procedure by which th
powers of a court mny be weakene.
and tho fearless and effective ndinii
Istratlon of Justice be Interfered with
navlng thus reviewed the questions
likely to recur during my administra
tion and hnvlng expressed in n sum
mary way the position which 1 expect
to take In recommendations to con
gress nnd In my conduct as an execu
tive, I Invoke the considerate svm
pathy nnd support of my fellow citi
zens and the aid of Almighty nod In
the discharge of my responsible duties.
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