Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/166

130 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS national monetary commission was also created nine members from each house to inquire and re port as to our banking system. Later was pro posed the plan known as the Aldrich Bill. Its pro visions were so much better than anything we had or have, that it is highly unfortunate the unpopu larity of Senator Aldrich should have prevented his bill from giving to his country the only national benefit it would ever have received from him. If our currency and banking system is to meet modern conditions intelligently (which it utterly fails to do at present) many of Mr. Aldrich s recommenda tions will have to be adopted. Policies Humane. On June 11, 1906, was passed an act now known as the first "Employers Liability Act," providing for the liability of com mon carriers by rail. The Supreme Court declared this unconstitutional. On April 22, 1908, another act was passed which has stood the test of the courts. By it railroads are held liable to their employees for death or injury caused by the negli gence of the employers. This ended a doctrine of the common-law the doctrine of "assumed risk" established in days before steam and electricity had totally changed the conditions of transporta tion. The repeated messages of Mr. Roosevelt on this subject are responsible for the enlightened advance marked by the Act of 1908. These mes sages were also concerned with the necessity to