The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-01
Meaning Of The ,,
d Presidents Message
a BY Professor George Gunton.


as everybody else will assume, that
honest corporations will have no objec-
tions to this, and those that are deal
ing in unfair determinations are the
very ones who need IT,
FAIR DEALING is BEST.
The effect of such policy would un-
doubtedly be wholesome in many re-
spects. 1t often happens with rail-
roads. as it does with Legislators and
officeholders, that they would prefer to
act squarely with everybody, but Sc
we're pressure can som times le brcug 1t
to bear that makes 1t very costly to
refuse favors. But If they could be so
safeguarded that the evil proposition
could not be made, they would hail 1T
with delight. The policy of publicity
and intelligent supervision would re-
move the temptation and also the de-
tense for railroad and other quasi
pubic corporations to discriminate un-
justly in favor Of one set of customers
| against another. 1t Is more than prob
able. therefore, that the moral effect
of the fact that they were subject to
publicity would practically remove
nearly all the unfair relations that are
, charged against corporations. There
are only a small number in any class
| that desire to be unjust. The great
bulk of business concerns are honest
and prefer to be honest, and they will
hail with delight anything which shall
make it difficult or impossible for the
small majority of the less scrupulous to
indulge in improper methods.
IN REGARD TO LABOR.
On the matter of labor he is equall.'
liberal and comprehensive. He takes
the following very sound and philo-
sophie position:
With the sole exception Of the farming in.
terest, no one matter is OF such vital moment
to the whole people as the welfare of the wage.
workers. II the farmer and the wage worker are
well off. it is absolutely certain that all Others
will be well off too. 1t is therefore matter for
hearty congratulation that on the whole wages
are higher today in the United States than ever
before in our history, and far higher than in
any other country. The standard of living is
also higher than before. Every effort OF
legislator and administrator should be bent to
secure the peilnanency OF this condition OF things
and It's improvement wherever possible. Not
only must our labor be protected by the tariff,
but IL should also he protected so far as it is
possible, from the presence in this country Of
those who coming freely, yet represent; stand
ard OF living so depressed that they under
sell men in the labor market and drag them
to lower level
No student of the labor question or
leader of labor unions could more COM
pletely state the real case of labor in
its relation to national progress than
this. And. in pursuance of this idea,
he recommends the re-enactment of the
law excluding Chinese laborers, and
that it be strengthened wherever neces-
sary to make its enforcement entirely
effective. He is equally definite and
unqualified in his utterances on the
matter of convict labor and the eight
hour law. On this subject he says:
The national government should demand the
highest quality of service from its employees;
and in turn it should be a good employer: II
possible legislation should be passed, in connec-
tion with the interstate commerce law, which
will render effective the efforts OF different
states to do away with the competition Of con
vict labor in the open labor market. So far as
practicable under the conditions of government
work, provision should lie made to render the en-
forcemcnt of the Hignt.hour law easy and GER
tain. In all industries carried on directly or in
directly for the United States government wo-
men and children should I've protected from cX.
work under unSanitary conditions
The most vital problem with which this coun. |
try, and for that matter the whole civilized
world, has to deal, is the problem which has
for the one side the beterment OF social conii- !
tons, moral and physical, in large cities, and
for another side the effort to deal with that
tangle of far-reachng questions which we group
together when We .pcak of labor The chef
factor in the success OF each man-wage worker, F.,
farmer and capitalist alike-must ever be the
sum total of his own individual qualities and
abilities. Second only to this comes the power
OF acting in combination association with
Others. Very great good has been and will be
accomplished by association of unions OF wage
workers. when managed with forethought and
when they combine insstencc upon their own
rights with law'abiding respect for the rights of
others.
This is more pronounced recognition |
of directing public policy in the inter-
est of labor than ever before appeared .
in q presidents message since the re-
public was established. Besides recog-
nizing the fact that it Is of national inn |
portance that the interests of labor re-
ceive special consideration, it recog-
nizes in complete and frank fashion
the right and the usefulness of labor .
organizations.
~IMMIGRATION.
A part of this same problem of labor
in its practical and sociological sig
nificance is the matter of immigration.
President Roosevelt recognizes the inn
portance to the national life of doing
everything feasible to lift the social
standard and wage level of the laboring
class. And to this end he clearly rec
ognizes that the immigration into this
country of the poor, incompetent men
dicant classes from Europe is an injury
to the social life, sanitary conditions
and economic opportunities of Ameri-
can laborers, His Interpretation of
the principle of protection is that 1t
should be extended to anything and
everything which is important to the
welfare of American laborers. On this
subject he says:
Our present immigration laws are unsatigfac.
tory, We need every honest and efficient imua-
grant fitted to become an American citizen, cv- h
cry immigrant who comes here to stay who
brings here strong body, stout heart good
head, and resolute purpose to do his duty well
in every way and to bring up his children as
law'ablding and God.fearing members OF the
But there should be a cGmprehen-
sive law enacted with the object OF working a
three-fod improvement our present system
First. We should aim TO exclude absolutely not
only all persons who are known 10 be believers
in anarchlstic principles or members of anarch-
istc societies, but also all persons Who are OF
a low moral tendency or OF unsayory reputation
The second object OF a proper imln-
grafton law ought to be to secure by a careful
and not merely perfurcory educational test
some intelligent capacity to appreciate American
institutions and act sanely as American citizens