The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-06
Roosevelt's First Message,

Welt is a document of widespread IN
terest. 1t reveals the mentality of a
man who seems destined to figure
largely in the future politics of this
country.
First of all he congratulates the
public upon the remarkable success
which attended American arms in the
Just war with Spain, adding: "As we
grow into mighty nation, which,
whether 1t will or not, must inevitably
play great part for good or for evil
i'm the affairs of the world at large
the people of New York wish it under
stood that they look at all questions
Of American foreign policy from the
most thoroughly national standpoint.
The tronic islands We have taken
must neither be allowed to lapse into
anarchy nor to return under the sway
of tyranny. War is Il grim thing at
best, but the war through which we
have passed has left us not merely
memories of glory won on land and
sea, but an even more blessed heritage,
the knowledge that it was waged from
the highest motives, for the good of
others as well as for our own national
honor. Above all. we are thankful
that the country was indeed one wher
serious danger confronted it,
\ large part of the message is de-
voted to the consideration of labor in
terests. In it we find not merely we'll
rounded platitudes but many specific
recommendations. After pointing out
how many laws enacted ostensibly to
safeguard workingmen are virtually
imperative because, of insufficient
machinery for enforcement he recon-
mends that the enforcement of the
whole body Of labor laws be placed un-
der the board of factory inspectors
and money voted for the employment
Of sufficient assistants to secure en-
forcement without fear or favor. y
practical suggestion is also offered
concerning the sweatshop evil How
to enforce the law on this subject"
Governor Roosevelt says, has per-
picked the statesmen of other coun-
tries and states as well as our own.
The most effective and uninquisitive
means yet devised for accomplishing
this end is that recently adOpted by
Massachusetts, viz; providing that
buildings used for manufacturing pur-
poses must have a permit or license,
such license or permit to be granted
only on condition that the appoint
ments of the building fulnll the re-
Quirements of the law for manufactur,
ing purposes. These permits or IL
censes ought TO he granted by the
board of factory inspectors, who
should be held responsible for the
proper inspection of the buildings and
the enforcement of the law"
At each point the message is clear,
earnest and practical. Note what it
says about the National Guard: Dur
ing the past year the guard was sud-
denly called upon to supply deficiencies
in our scheme of national defense. due
To the very small size of our regular
army, which was, and is, totally in
adequate to the necessities of the ma
ton, admirable though the army itself
is in quality. The emergency was so
sudden as To nccessitate the calling
out of the men of the national guard
lFSllINlllS' Nlt lllllt To raise ana ulSCt-
plinc ordinary volunteer regiments be-
ing lacking. It is much to be hoped
that some well thought out plan may
be adopted by the national government
for the use Of the guard in any future
war. IT would probably prove Wisest
to order out the guard for use in the
United States, thus freeing the regular
army for any expedition, at the same
time calling for volunteer regiments,
INTO which those guardsmen who
wished might go; then. when the vol
untecr force proper had been put in
fair condition. the guard could be or
dered home. In other words. the guard
should be used as it was in the civil
war and should not be called out for
foreign service. The identity of each
organization Of the guard should be
preserved
This calling out of the guald to do
the work which should have been done
by the regulars, and by special volun-
teer organizations. caused great hard
ship, and has resulted in much tenn
porary disorganiZation in the guard it,
self, The work which the national
guardsmen ought normally to perform
differs entirely from that expected
from regulars. All men who are ad-
mitted to the national guard should be
physically and morally fit for any SOL
dierly duty. but there are many men
who do invaluable service in the guard
who ought not to be called upon to
serve in long campaigns unless there is
urgent need, For instance, a large
number of our most useful guardsmen
who gladly give their service to the
state are men Of small means, business
men, mechanics, clerks and laborers,
with families who are dependent upon
their eXertions. Ordinary service in
the guard does not interfere in the
least with these mems work, and abb
sence from their work for a few weeks
10 meet special emergency does not
cause any great hardship; but absence
on a long campaign means the actual
loss Of the job. with delay i'm securing
another after the return. This causes
widespread suffering and hardship.
1t is right to ask them to perform a
short term of duty, but not a long
term; and the disinclinaticn to enlist
for n long term should not be held TO
in any way reflect on them. If the
country needs the services even of men
with families, then, whatever the indi-
vidual suffering, the service should be
freely given. but where the necessity