The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-04
CHINESE EXCLUSION.
Thinks Act Should Be Immediately Re
enacted.

enacted.
Dealing with the welfare Of the wage
carriers. the message declares that their
interests are Of more vital import to the
people of the nation than any other save
the welfare of the farmers.
"If the farmer AID wage-workers are
well off, says the President, sit is abso-
lutely certain that all others will be we'll
off, tco.''
He declares that wages are higher to-
day than ever before and the standard OF
living higher. mot only he says. must
our labor be protected by the tariff. but
it should also be protected so far as it is
possible from the presence in this country
of any laborers brought over by contract,
or Of those who. coming freely, yet repre-
sent a standard Of living so depressed
that they can undersell our men in the
labor market and drag them 70 lower,
level I regard it as necessary. with this
end in view. to re-eEaCt Immediately the
law excluding Chinese laborers and to
strengthen it wherever necessary in order
to make its enforcement entirely effec-
tive
The message then recomm ends 1egisla-
ton to do away with the competition OF
convict contract labor in the open mar
ket; from legislation to enforce the eight
hour system and recommends the protec-
ton Of women and children from excessive
hours Of labor.
As to Unions.
On the important subject of unions the
message says:
THE most vital problem with which this
country--and for that matter. the whole
civilized world-has to deal. is the prob
lem which has for one side the better
ment of social conditions, moral and
physical. in large cities. and for another
side the effort to deal with that tangle
of far-reaching questions which we group
together when we speak of "labor." The
chief factor in the success Of each man
waSe-worker, farmer and capitalist
alike-must ever be tie sum total Of his
own individual qualities and abilities.
Second only to this comes the power OF.
acting in combination or association with
others. Very great good has been and
will be accomplished by associations or
uEicns Of wage-workers, when managed
with forethought, and when they COM
bine insistence upon their own rights
with law-abiding respect for the rights
of others. The display Of these qualities
in sucl: bodies is a duty to the nation no
less than to the associations themselves.
Finally. there must also in many cases
be action by the Government in order to
safeguard the rights and interests of all.
Under the Constitution, there is much
mere scope for such action by tho State
and the municipality than by the nation.
But on points such those touched on
above the National Government can act.
when all is said and done, the rule of
brotherhood remains as the indispensable
prerequisite to success in the kind of ma
tional life for which we strive. Each
man must work for himself and unless
he SO works no outside help can avail
him; but each man must remember also
that he is indeed his brothers keeper.
and that while no man who refuses to
walk can be carried with advantage to
himself or anyone else, yet that each at
times stumbies or hats, that each at
times needs to have the helping hand out
stretched to him. To be permanently ef-
fective. air must always take the form Of
helping man to help himself; and we
can all best help ourselves by joining to-
gether in the work that is Of common
interest to all.
Immigration Laws.
The present immigration laws are pro-
nounced as unsatisfactory, and rigid laws
are recommended to exclude anarchists,
and to allow in this country only desirable
citizens.
"All persons it says, should be eS-
Guided who are below a certain standard
of economic fitness to enter our indus
trial field as competitors with American
lo1