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DECEMBER 91904
The Commoner.
7
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THE PRESIDENT'S' MESSAGE
President Roosevelt sent his annual
message to congress Monday, Decombor
5. Tho message may be summarized a3
follows:
a legislature. Referring to tho govern
ment's foreign policy ho says that
peaco based on tho power to mako war
is desirable.
Summary
Reference to tho trust question is
similar to tho former references made
to that samo Question by Mr. Roose
velt. Referring to capital and labor, the
president recommends that the employ
ers' liability law bo amended and
strengthened. He cautions the people's
representatives to guard against undue
extravagance. Ho laments the fre
quency of railroad accidents and rec
ommends the law requiring the block
signal system. He promises to deal
with tho Colorado mining strike in a
special message, reporting tho investi
gation made by the bureau of labor.
Ho suggests that tho insurance busi
ness be brought within the purview of
tho department of commerce and labor.
He says that tho railroad rebate should
be abolished, whether tho railroad or
shippers is to blame. He pleads that
tho city of Washington bo cleaned up
and made a model municipality, and
recommends a number of improve
ments in the local laws for tho Dis
trict of Columbia. Among other thinga
ho says that it is very desirable that
women should not work in factories,
and suggests the advisability of estab
lishing public playgrounds." He ad
vises that some form of corporal pun
ishment bo provided for wife-beaiers
and offenders of that class. On the
subject of race suicide, the president
says: "If a race does not have plenty
of children, or if tho children do not
grow up, or, if when they grow up,
they are unhealthy in body and stunted
Qr vicious In mind, then that race is
decadent" The president speaks high
ly of tho irrigation law and says that
it is found to bo remarkably complete
and effective. He urges that the forest
service should be put under the de
partment of agriculture. Ho pleads
that the "noble and beautiful creatures
which by their presence add such dis
tinct character to the American wilder
ness be provided for under the game
preserves law." For tho advancement
of our relations with the Indians he
suggests that a field assistant to the
commissioner of Indian affairs be pro
vided .for. He recommends that tho
limits of Yellowstone Park be extended
southward. He commends the James
town tri-centennial exposition to the
favorable consideration of congress.
He suggests' that salaries should be
substituted for fees in the consular de
partment He declares that a national
quarantine law is desirable He Insists
that twice sm much matter is printed
-in the public printing office as is nec
essary. Ho declares that every silver
dollar should be redeemable in gold at
the option of the holder ard that con
gress should seriously consider the re
tirement of the greenback. Ho points
out that no person of an unworthy type
should be admitted to this country,
that naturalization laws should be re
vised, that new and more stringent
laws against bribery and corruption
in federal elections snouia do euuuieu,
. that somo provision should be made
to guard against "the law's delay" in
courts. He recommends that the gov
ernor of Hawaii be given power to re
move all officials appointed under him.
Ho declares that other nations need
not fear the United States as long as
other nations behave themselves, but
adds that chronic wrong-doing might
force the United States to exercise an
international police power. Ho pleads
for the enlargement of the navy. Re
ferring to the .Filipinos he says that
it is bettSr to give them good schools,
good roads, and good railroads, than
Capital and Labor
Referring to "organized capital and
organized labor," tho president says
that everyone appreciates tho subjoct'3
importance. Ho says that tho peculiar
form of our Government with its divi
sion of authority between tho nation
and several states, is undoubtedly re
sponsible for much of tho difficulty of
meeting with adequato legislation tho
now problems presented by tho total
change in industrial conditions on thld
continent during the last half contury.
He says that in many cases it has
proved to bo practically impossible to
get unanimity of wise action among
tho various states on these subjects
and "from the very nature of tho caso,
this Is especially truo of tho laws af
fecting tho employment of capital In
huge masses." Continuing on this sub
ject he says:
"With regard to labor tho problem
is no less important, but It Is slmplor.
As long as tho states retain tne pri
mary control of tho police power tho
circumstances must bo altogether ex
treme which require interferonco by
tho federal authorities, whether in the
way of safeguarding tho rights of la
bor or in the way of seeing that wrong
is not dono by unruly persons who
shield themselves behind the namo of
labor. If there is resistance to tho
federal courts, interference with the
mails, or interstate commerce, or mo
lestation of federal property, or if tho
state authorities in somo crisis which
they are unable to face call for help,
then the federal government may in
terfere; but though such interference
may bo caused by a condition of things
arising out of trouble connected with
somo question of labor tho interference
itself simply takes the form of restor
ing order without regard to the ques
tions which have caused the breach of
order for to keep order is a primary
duty and in a time of disorder and vio
lence all other questions sink into
abeyance until order has beon restored.
In the District of Columbia and in tho
territories the federal law covers tho
entire field of government; but the la
bor question is only acute In populous
centers of commerce, manufactures, or
mining.
Nevertheless, both in the enactment
and in the enforcement of the law the
federal government when within its
restricted sphere should set an ex
ample to the state governments, espe
cially in a matter so vital as this af
fecting labor. I believe it is often
necessary, and even where not neces
sary it is yet often wise, that there
should bo organization of labor in or
der better to secure the rights of the
individual wage-worker. All encour
agement should be given to any such
organization, so long as it is conduct
ed with a due and decent' regard for
the rights of others. There are in
this country some labor unions which
imvA iinhftiiallv. and other labor un'ons
which have often, been among the most
effective agents in working for good
citizenship and for uplifUng the condi
tion of those whose welfare should be
closest to our hearts. But when any
labor union seeks improper ends, or
seeks to achieve proper ends by im
proper means, all good citizens and
more especially all honorable public
servants mu-t oppose the wrongdoing
as resolutely as they would oppose the
wrongdoing of any great corporation.
Of course any violence.brutality or cor
ruption, should not for one moment be
tolerated. Wageworkers have an entire
right to organize and by all peaceful
and honorable means to endeavor to
persuado their fellows to Join them In
organization. Thov hnvo a Iiinl rieht.
which, according to tho circumstances,
may or may not bo a moral right, to re
fuse to work in company with mon who
declino to join their organizations.
They have under no circumstances tho
right to commit vlolonco upon thoso,
whether capitalists or wage-workers,
who rofusn tn minnnrt. Minlr nrcjinlvn-
tlons, or who sldo with thoso with
and employes on duty, should also frf
amonded so as to empower the gor
crnment to mako a personal investlgai
Uon, through propor officers, of all ac
cidonta involving loss of llfo whidt
seem to rcquiro Investigation, with n
requirement thnt tho results of such
Investigation bo mado public.
"Tho safoty-nppllanco law, as amond
ed by tho act of March 2. 1003. haa
proved bonoflclal to railway oraployod,
whom they aro at odds; for mob rulo island In order thnt its provisions may
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intolerable in any form.
Ernployors' Liability
Tho presidont adds: "Tho wage
workers aro peculiarly entitled to tho
protection and tho encouragomont of
tho law. From tbo vary naturo of
their occupation railroad mon for in
stanco, aro liablo to bo maimed in do
inn tho legitimate work of thnlr or.r.ti-
patlon, unless tho railroad companies
aro required by law to mako ample
provision for tholr safety. Tho admin
istration has beon zealous In enforc
ing the existing lavs for this purpose.
That law should bo amended nd
strengthened. Wherovor tho national
m. m w - w - "-
Inspectors provided for by appropria
tion should bo largely increased. Thin
service is analogous to 11 10 steamboat
inspection sorvlco, and deals with oven
more important Interests. It has passed
tho experimental stage and demon
strated Its utility, and should rcccivo
generous recognition by tho congress."
Untono In tho Fodoral Servlca
Referring to union labor in tho fed
eral service, tho president says: "Thcro
Is no objection to employes of tho
government forming or belonging to
unions; but the government can neith
er discriminate for nor dlBcrlmlnato
government has power tlioro should against non-union men who aro In its
bo a stringent employers' liability law,
which snouid apply to tho government
itself where tho government is an em
ployer of labor.
"In my message to tho fifty-seventh
congress, at Its second session, I urged
tho passage, of an employer's liability
law for tho District of Columbia. I
now renew that recommendation and
further recommend that tho congress
annoint a commission to mako a com
prehensive study of employer's liability
employment, or who seek to bo em
ployed undo- It. Moreover, it Js a very
grave impropriety for government em
ployes to band themselves together for
tho purpose of extorUng improperly
high salaries from tho government
Especially is this true, of thoso within
tho classified sorvlco. The letter car
riers, both municipal and rural, aro as
a whole an excellent body of public!
servants. They should bo amply paid.
But their payment must bo abstained by
with tho view of extending tho provl- arguing their claims fairly and honor-
slons of a srrcat and constitutional law
to all employments within tho scope of
ieuerai power."
Tho presidont .says that medals of
honor should bo provided to cover
cases of conspucuous bravery and self
sacrifice in the saving of llfo In pri
vate employments on something tne
samo ordor as tho government recog
nizes heroism on the part of thoso
persons who endanger their lives in
endeavoring to save llfo on the sea.
Railroad Accidents
Referring to the increase in the num
ber of railroad accidents, the presi
dent. says: "The ever-increasing casu
alty list upon our railroads lsa mat
ter of grave public concern, wid ur
gently calls for action by tho congress.
In tho matter of speed and comfort of
railway travel our railroads give a,t
least as good service as thoso of any
other nation, and there is no reason
whv this sort' should not also be as
safe as human Ingenuity can make it
Many of our leading roads have been
foremost in the adoption of the most
approved safeguards for tho protection
of travelers and employes, yet the ll3t
of clearly avoidable accidents con
tinues unduly largo. Tho passage of
a law requiring tho adoption of a
block-signal system has been proposed
to congress. I earnestly concur in that
recommendation, and would also point
out to tho congress tho urgent need of
legislation in the Interest of the public
safoty limiting the hours of labor for
railroad emrdoyes in train service vp
on railroads enga&ed in interstate
state commerce, and providing that
only trained and exporlencpd" persons
be employed In positions of responsi
bility connected with the operation of
trains. Of course nothing can ever
prevent accidents caused by human
weakness or misconduct; and there
should bo drastic punishment for any
railroad employe, whether officer or
man, who by Issuance of wrong orders
or by disobedience or orders causes
disaster. The law -of 1901 requiring
inffirstato Tailroads to. mako. monthly
reports of all accidents to passengers!
ably before tin congress, and not by
banding together for tho defeat of
those congressmen who refuse to give
promises which they can not In con
science give. Tho administration has
already taken stops to prevent and
punish abuses of this naturo; but it
will bo wise for tho congress to supple
ment this action by legislation.
"Much can bo dono by tho govern
ment in labor matters merely by giv
ing publicity to certain conditions. Tho
bureau of labor has dono excellent
work of this kind in many different di
rections. I shall shortly lay before yon
In a special message tho full report of
the investigation of the bureau of labor
into the Colorado mining striko In
which certain evil forces, which aro
more or less at work everywhere under
tho conditions of modern industrialism,
becamo startllngly prominent It is
greatly to bo wished that the depart
ment of commerce and labor, through
tho labor bureau', should compile and
arrange for the congress a list of tho
labor laws of tho various states, and
should be given tho means to investi
gate and report to the congress upon
the labor conditions in the manufac
turing and raining regions throughout
the country, both as to wages, as to
hours of labor, as to tho labor of wom
en and children, and as to tho effect in
tho various labor centers of immigra
tion from abroad."
Child Labor
Referring to child labor, tho presi
dent says: "In this investigation es
pecial attention should be paid to tho
conditions of child labor and child
labor legislation in the several states.
Such an Investigation must necessarily
take into account manyof tho prob
lems with which this question of child
labor is connected. These problems
can be actually met, in most cases, only
by tho state themselves; but the lack
of proper legislation in ono state Im
such a matter as child labor often ren
ders It excessively difficult to establish,
protective restriction upon the work In
another stato having the same, Indua
(Contlnucd on page 11.).
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