The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-10

chance for trouble Is minimiZed. i
suppose every thinking man rejoices
when by mediation it proves possible
to settle troubles in time to avert the
suffering and bitterness caused by
strikes. Moreover, a Cancellation
committee can do best work when the
trouble is in its beginning, or at least
has not come to a head. When the
break has actually occurred, damage
has been done, and each side feels
| sore and angry; and it is difficult to
get them together-dimcult to make
| either forget it's own wrongs and re-
member the rights of the other. II
possible the effort at Cancellation or
| orbitration should he made in the
earlier stages, and should be marked
by the wish on the part of both sides
to try to come to a common agree
ment which each shall think in the in
terests of the other as we'll as itself.
Precedent to Follow.
when we deal with such a sub
iect we are fortunate in having be-
fore us an admirable object lesson in
the work that has just been closed by
the a~ntracite coal strike commission.
This was the commission which was
appointed last fall at the time when
the coal strike in the anthracite re-
gions threatened our nation with a
disaster second to none which has
befallen us since the days of the civil
war. Their report was made just be-
fore the senate adjourned at the spec
ial session; and no government doc
ument of recent years marks a more
important piece of work better done,
and there is none which teaches
sounder morality to our people. n
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 unanimously signed is a master
piece of sound common nse and OF
sound doctrine or the very questions
with which our people should most
deply concern themselves. The I'M
mediate efect of this commissions
appointment, and action was of vast
and incalcula ble benefit to the nation,
but the ultimate effect will be bet
ter. if capi-alist, wage worker and
, lawmaker alike will take to heart and
act upon the lessons set forth in the
report they have made.
"Of course, the national 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 e the District of Columbia, which
is completely under the control OF
the national government receive a
!, set of model labor laws. Washington
is not a city of very large industries,
: but still it has some. Wise labor leg
~islation for the city. of Washington
j., would be a good thing in itself, and it
would be a far better thing, because a
standard would thereby be set for the
country as a whole.
I'm the field of general legislation
relating to these subjects the action
of congress is necessarily very limit
ed. Still there are certain ways in
which we can act. Thus the secretary
j, of the navy has recommended, with
my cordial and hearty approval, the
enactment of a strong employers liza
bility law in the navy yards of the
nation. 1t should be extended to sim
liar branches of the government work
:. Again, sometimes such laws can be
: enacted as an incident to the nations
= control over interstate commerce. IL
my last annual message to congress!
| advocated the passage OF a law il
reference to car couplings to strength
en- the features of the one already OF
, the statute books so as to minimize
the exposure to death and manning Q
o railway employees. Much opposition
. had to be overcome. In the end an ad
mirable law was passed to promote
the safety of employees and traveller
" upon railroads by compelling common
carriers engaged in interstate con
n merce to equip their cars with auto
. matte couplers and continuous brake
o and their locomotives with drivini
;. wheel brakes This law received m,
= signature a couple of days before cor
gress adjourned. 1t represents a rea
and substantial advance in an admin
able kind of legislation"