And State Papers 643 



labor legislation, while it would not be important in 

 itself, might be made a model for the rest of the 

 Nation. We should pass, for instance, a wise em- 

 ployer's-liability act for the District of Columbia, 

 and we need such an act in our navy yards. Rail- 

 road companies in the District ought to be required 

 by law to block their frogs. 



The safety-appliance law, for the better protection 

 of the lives and limbs of railway employees, which 

 was passed in 1893, went into full effect on August 

 i, 1901. It has resulted in averting thousands of 

 casualties. Experience shows, however, the neces- 

 sity of additional legislation to perfect this law. A 

 bill to provide for this passed the Senate at the last 

 session. It is to be hoped that some such measure 

 may now be enacted into law. 



There is a growing tendency to provide for the 

 publication of masses of documents for which there 

 is no public demand and for the printing of which 

 there is no real necessity. Large numbers of vol- 

 umes are turned out by the Government printing 

 presses for which there is no justification. Nothing 

 should be printed by any of the Departments unless 

 it contains something of permanent value, and the 

 Congress could with advantage cut down very mate- 

 rially on all the printing which it has now become 

 customary to provide. The excessive cost of Gov- 

 ernment printing is a strong argument against the 

 position of those who are inclined on abstract 



