Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-08
THEIR Mutual HrsPoNsrBLIrY

No one has spoken with a clearer and
sounder conception Of the duty and re-
sponsibility Of both organized capital
and organized labor than President
Roosevelt and It would be well II these
forces gave heed TO his Judicious
counsel. In his last annual message
the president said hat both kinds of
federation, capitalistic and labor, can
do much good, and as a necessary
c~orollary they can both do evil He
declared that each must refrain from
arbitrary or tyrannous interference with
the rights Of others-a principle h
general observance of which would very
much simplify the most troublesome and
perplexing problem before the country.
Organized capital and organized
labor" said the president, "alike should
remember that in the long III the in
terest of each must be brought into
harmony with the interest of the gen
eral public, and the conduct of each
must conform to the fundamental rules
of obedience to the law, of Individual
freedom, and of Justice and fair dealing
toward all. Every employer, every
wageworker, must be guaranteed his
liberty and his right to do as he likes
with his property or his labor so long
as he does not infringe upon the rights
of others. 1t is of the highest lmpor-
lance that employer and employe alike
should endeavor to appreciate each the
viewpoint of the other and the sure
disaster that will come upon both In
the long run II either grows to take
as habitual an attitude of sour hostility
and distrust toward the other" The
president well said that few people de-
serve better of the country than those
representatives both of capital and la.
Dor who work continually to bring
about a good understanding Of this
kind, based upon wisdom and upon
broad and kindly sympathy between
employers and employed.
These views of one who regards the
relations Of capital and labor with alb
solute impartiality and who has shown
his earnest desire to promote industrial
peace, should receive the thoughtful and
serious attention of those to whom they
are addressed. More of reason and less
of passion, a broader sense of mutual
interests, a better understanding of re.
sponsibility in respect to the rights and
welfare of the general public, a clearer
appreciation by each of the viewpoint
of the other-these are needed by both
employers and employees and 1t cannot
be assumed that they are unattainable
unless we are prepared to abandon
efforts to secure the preservation of in
dustrial peace.
1t is unfortunately true that the dis
position is far too common on the par
Of both employer and employe to taxi
an attitude Of hostility and distrusr
toward each other and it is regretfully
to be said that this disposition seem.
to be as strong now as it has eve
been, In spite of all the effort that hat
been made to improve relations. Re
sponsibility for this condition is per
haps about equally divided. There ar,
Parrys on n side and revolutionar,
agitators on the other. But the friend
of industrial peace will not despair
They will continue to hope and to be
lieve that the more intelligent and fair
minded and conservative men amonj
employers and employees will at last ge
together and control. Whenever thi
shall come differences will be amicabl,
settled on a just and reasonable basi
and Industrial Deace he assured