The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-07

Jno Inc or oennfc1tioh DosWcou unr healthy over interfsreuce and unhealthy lack of reputation is not always well de- dned. and shafts with the change in our iuductrfl nseds. Most certainly we should never invoke the intsrference of the Slate or Nation unless 1t + a6so- utely necessary; but 1t Is equally true that when confident of its necessity we should not on academic grounds refuse 1t. Wise factory lavs. laws to forbid the em- Hloymsnt of child iaSot tt sne aro,s 70 ssasguaId pablo negligence by the employer. are necessary, not merely in the interest or the wage worker. but in the interest Of the honest and humans employer. who and humanity by being exposed to. un- checked. competition with an unscrupu- lous rival. It is far more dificult to deal with the greed that works through through violence. But the effort to deal with 1t must be steadily made; :7 Employer and Employe. Very much of our effort in reference to, labor matters should be by every devicS and expsdiont to ty to secure con- ploysr and employe Everything possi- blc should be dono to Ancrease the sym- rathy and fellow-feeling between them, and every chance taken to allow each to ticns in dispute somewhat through the others eyes. If met with Q sincere de- sire to act fairly by ono another, and if there is. furthermore. power by each to chance for trouble is minimized. sup- pose every thinking man rejoices wnsn by mediation or arbitration 1t proves pos stble to settle troubles in time to avert the sufferint and bitterness caused by strikes. Moreover. Q conciliation com- mittee can do best work when the trouble Is in its beginning, or at least has not come to . head. When the break has actually occurred, damage has been done, and each side feels sore and angry; and 1t is difficult to get them together-dif- fcult to make cither forget its own wrongs and remember the rights of the other If possible, the effort at concilia- ton or mediation or arbitration should be made in the earlier stages, and should be marked by the wish on the part of both sides to try to come to common agreement which each shall think in the interests of the other as well as of itself.
 When we deal with such a subject we are fortunate in having before us an ad- mirable object lesson in the work that has just been closed by the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission. This was the commission which Twas appointed last fan at the time when the coal strike in the anthracite regions threatened our which has befallen us since the days of the Civil War Their report was made just before the Senate ad- journed at the special session.. and no
 
 makes a more important piece of work better done, ard there Is none which teaches sounder social morality to our people. The commission consisted of seven as good men as were to be found in the country, representing the bench, the church, the army, the professions, the employers and the employed. They acted as a unit and the report which they UT animously signed is a masterpiece of sound common sense and of sound doc
 rine on the very questions with which our people should most deeply concern themselves. The immediate effect of this commission's appointment and action was of vast and incalcuiable benefit to the nation; but the ultimate effect will be even better, if capitalist. wage-worker. and lawmaker alike will take to heart and act upon the lessons set forth in the report they have made,
 Field is Small.
 Of course the Nattpnal Government has but a small field in which it can work In labor matters. Something 1t can do, however. and that something ought to be done. Among other things l should like to see the District of Columbia, which is completely under the control of the National Government. receive set of model labor laws. Washington is not 1t has some. Wise labor legislation for the oity of Washington would be a good thing in itse6. and 1t would be a far better thing. because a standard would eoc&SeS " oCb AOA shC SSAAaS 0S whole.
 In the field of general legislation re- lating to these subjects the action of Con- gress Is necessarily very limited. Sull there are certain ways in which We can act. Thus, the Secretary of the Navy has recommended, with my cordial ap- proval. the enactment of a strong em- ployers' liability law in the navy yards of the Nation. It should be extended to similar branches of the Government work, Again, sometimes such laws can be en- acted as an incident to the Nations con trol over interstate commerce.. In my last annual message to Congress l advo- cated the passage of a law in reference to car couplings-to strengthen the fea- lures of the one already on the statute books so as to minimize the exposure to death and maiming of railway employees. Much opposition had to be overcome. In the end an admirable law was passed ito promote the safety of employees and trav- elers upon iailroads by compelling com- mon carriers to equip their cars with au- tomatto couplers and continuous brakes and their locomotives with driving wheel brakes" This law received my sigma ture a couple Of days before Congress ad- journed. It represents a real and sub stantial adance in an admirable kind of legislation.