The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-06

broadening our markets. securing our
business interests on safe basis. and
making firm our new position IN the
international industrial world: while
scrupuiously safeguarding the rights
Of wage worker and Capitalist OF ia-
Sestor and private citizen. 50 as IN Sc
cure equity as between man and man
in this repablic.
Farmer and Wage Garner
T-.,h the sole exception OF the farm
ing interest. no one matter Is OF such
vital moment TO our whole people O.
the welfare OF the wage-workers. II
the farmer and the wage-worker are
vel OF. IL Is absolutely certain that all
others viii be well of too. IL is there
fore matter for hearty congratulate
ton that on the whole wages are high
er today In the United States than ever
before in our history. and far higher
than in any other country. The stand
ard Of living is also higher than ever
before. Every effort of legislator and
administrator should be bent 70 So
cure the permanency OF this condition
OF things and its Improvement wner-
ever possible. Not only must our labor
be protected by the tariff. but Is shouIi
also be protected so far as it Is possible
from the presence In this country or
any laborers brought over by contract
or of those who. coming freely, vet
represent standard OF living 50 de-
pressed that they can under-~'t our men
in the labor market and drag them IN
a lower level l regard 1t as necessary.
with this end In view. to re-enact i'm
medlately the laS excluding Chinese
iaborers and 10 strengthen IL wherever
necessary in order to make Its enforce
ment entirely effective
The national government should de-
mand the highest quality OF service
from its employees; and in return IL
should be good employer. II possible
legislation should be passed, in coanec-
uon with the interstate commerce law.
whlcf will render effective the efforts
OF d.Ierent states TO do away with the
con petition of convict contract Ia
Dor in the open labor market. So far
as practicable under the conditions of
government work. provision should be
made TO render the enforcement of the
elght-hour law easy and certain In
all industries carried on directly or in
directly for the United States govern
ment women and children should be
protected from excessive hours OF labor.
from night work, and from work under
unsanitary conditions. The govern
ment should provide In its contracts
that all work should be done under
fair" conditions. and in addition TO
setting high standard should uphold
1T by proper inspection extending lie
necessary to the subcontractors. The
government should forbid all night
work for women and children, as well
as excessive overtime For the District
OF Columbia a good factory law should
De passed; and, as a powerful Indirect
aid to such laws, provision should be
made to turn the inhabited alleys. tke
existence of which is a reproach 4, our
capital city, into minor streets, where
the inhabitants can live under condi-
tions favorable to health and morals.
~
their heads as well as their hands.
Moreover they take a keen pride in
what they are doing: so that fndepen-
dent OF the reward, they wish to turn
out a perfect job. This is the great
secret of our success in competition
with the labor of foreign countries.
Labor OrpauizstIons
The most vital problem with which
TINS country, and for that matter t,le
"hoIe civilized world has to deal. IL
the problem which has for one side the
oetterment of social conditions. moral
and physical, in large cities, and for
anotner side the effort TO deal with that
tangle of far-reaching questions which
we group together when we sneak Of
labor. The chief factor in the success
OF each man-wage- farmer AMI
capitalist alike-must ever be the sum
total OF his own Individual qualities
ana abilities. Second only to this comes
lne power OF acting in combination or
association with others. Very .yrea.
good has been and will be accom-
plshed by associations or unions ~
"dse-"orkers, when managed with
torethought and when they comnjne
inslstence upon their own rights with
taW-apld1ng respect for the rights OF
others: The display Of these qualities
In such bodies is a duty to the nation
no less than to the associations them
serves. FINALLY. there must also I'm
many cases be action by the govern.
ment IN order to safeguard the r.ghrs
and interests Of all. Under our consts-
turlon there Is much more scope for
sdch action by the state and the rnur,c-
ipality than by the nation. Rut on
points such as those touched on above
the national government can act
"nen all Is said and done. tn. ruIe
vi orotnerhood remains as the inde-
spensab Die prerequisite TO success in the
kind OF national life for which we
SUI seFe. Eacn man must work for him.
sen. and unless he SO works no o,,tsId.
heip can avail him; but each man must
remember also that he Is indeed his
prothers keeper. and that while no
Hiah VINO refuses to walk can be car
ried with advantage To himself or anv-
one else. yet that each at times strrrn.
Dies or halts. that each at tfrnex ,,aa5.
OuLSrrG-ChNd
to him To be permanently erYecttye
aIo must always take the form OF helm
ing man to help himself: and we car
an pest help ourselves by Joining to-
eether In the work that is OF common,
interest TO all.
Immigration LAWS
our present immigration laws are M
satisfactory. We need every homes.
ana efficient immigrant fitted to be-orns
an american citizen. every IMMIGRANT
mere a strong body, a stout hea -
gooa head. and resolute purpose to
90 MS duty well In every way and fo
ering up his children as Iaw-ab;din1
1ooIearing members of the c,n-
lahity. But there should be a compr.-
nehsive law enacted with the object Of
moIkihs a threefold Improvement over
present system. First. we shou.d
r.ars1', - e1eIude absolutely not only an
persons who are known to be beIIsvs--
IN anarchistic principles or memhs.s