The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-12-09
HINTS FOR THE LAWMAKERS
GRANTING OF REBATES TC
SHIPPERS By RAILROADS
MUST STOP.
WAY TO DEAL WITH TRUSTS
HOPES TO SEE PHIL.
, iPPlNEs ON SAME FOOTING
AS CUBA.

President Roosevelt in his annual mes
sage To congress refers to the continued
prosperity of the country. which he at.
tributes primarily to the high individual
average Of our citizenship taken to-
getller with our great natural resources,
out Ut: an important factor therein is the
mental policies. which. he declares, the
people have emphatically approved.
The enlargement of the scope Of the
functions of the national government re-
involves, of course. increase of expense:
present prosperity justifics expenditures
for permanent improvements far greater
than would be wise in hard times The
president, however. urges congress to ex-
erc!Se great care to guard against eX-
travasancc and unnecessary increase in
ordinary EXPENSES of the government;
space to the subject of capital and labor.
He says: '"rhe relations of capital and
labor, and especially organized capital
to the public come second only in i'm
portance to the intimate relations of
family life. Our peculiar form of gov
eminent; with its sharp division of an-
thorltN between the nation ana the sew
eral states, has been on the whole far
more advantageous to Gur development
than more strongly centralized govern
for much of tho difficulty of meeting
with adequate legislation the new prob
lens presented by the total change in in
dustrlal conditions on this continent
practice it has proved exceedingly diff
cut. and in many cases impossible. to
get unanimity of wise action among the
the very nature OF the. case this is espa-
cially true Of the laws affecting the en-
pl .o3,1I. OF capital in huge masses.
With regard TO labor the problem is
no less lnDOlt1nf h1Jr il sim A
long as the states retain primary con-
troll OF the police power. the circum-
S ShinS rad must be alloEether extreme
eral authorities, whether in the way of
safeguarding the rights of labor or in
fhe way of seeing that wr9ng is not done
behind the name Of labor; be-
lieve that under modern industrial con-
dltions it is often necessary. and even
whore not necessary it is often wise. that
there should be Organization of labor in
orner better to secure the rights of the
individual wageworkcr. All encourage
ment should be given to any such or
ganization. so long as it is conducted
with a due and decent regard for the
rights Of others. But when any labor
union seeks improper ends by improper
ci"lly all honorable public servants. must
oppose the wrongdoing as resolutcly as
a sney would you'd oppose TIE wrongdong Of
nave an entire right to organize, and by
All peaceful and honorable means to en-
deaVor to persuade their fellows to join
with them IN organizations They have
{. legal right. which. according TO cir
cumstances. may or may. not be moral
right. to refuse to work in company
WIN men zen. who decline to join their or
cumstances the right to commit violence
upon those. whether capitalists or wage
workers. who refuse to support their or
ganlzation, or who side with those with
q nd For v,1rk, 10 &c.
lDtOlerahI" in anv form"
The president strongly favors the enact
ment OF a stringent employers liability
law. The wage workers. lie says. are
peculiarly entitled to the protection and
announcement of the law.
The president regards the ever-lncreas-
ing casually list upon our railroads as IL
matter of grave publ: concern. and ur-
-antlv recommends action by congress.
The passage of :, law requiring, the adop-
zion of the block signal system is earnest
The hours Of labor for railroad employees
in train service upon railroads engaged in
interstate commerce.
There is no objection. 'hc president
say. to government employees belonging
70 unions. bat The government ca!nol
discriminate for or against nou-union en-
pl"ycrs. Moreover, it is a veyv grave
for government c1npiov:s 10
band together In extort improperly high
salaries from the government Letter
carriers should be amply paid. but their
payment must be obtained by arguing
their claims hOnorably before congrcs SIS,
and not by handing together for the do
feat Of thOS" congressman who refuse 10
give promises which they cannot in con-
science. give. The administration has al
ready taken steps to prevent and punish
abuses of this nature: but the president
believes it will be wise for congress to
supplement this action by legislation.
Much can &c done by the government in
labor matters merely oy, giving publicity
to certain conditions. The bureau of la
Dor has done excellent work VI this kind
in many different directions
The president says that .ne will shortly
lay before congress in special message
the fun report of the investigation CT the
bureau Of labor into the Colorado n:ining
strike
president says the need for the govern
ment to act directly is far greater than
in the case OF labor. because great cor
porations can become such only by ell
gazing in interstate commerce. and In
terstat c commerce is peculiarly the field
Of the general government. He con-
Times: 1T is an absurdity to expect to
tons by state. action. 1t is difficult to
be patient with an argument that such
matters shoald be left to the states, be-
policy Of creating on easy terms corpora
tons which are never operated within
that state at all. but in other states
whose laws they ignore, The national
with these great corporations To try
70 deal with them in an Incorporate,
destructive or demag ogic spirit would. in
all probability, mean that nothing what
ever would he accomplished, and that
with absolute certainty, that If anything
were accomplished it would be Of a
harmful atnre. Great corporations are
necessary, but they must be managed
with due regard to the interests of the
public as q whole. Where this can be
done under the present laws it must be
done. Where. these laws come short
them. "a Z. 80 y
The bureau of corporations has made
careful eliminary investigation Of many
important corporations. It will make a
special report on the beef industry. II.
!. The policy OF the bureaus Is to ACCOM-
pttsh the purposes OF its creation by CO.
constructive legislation, not DESTRUCTIVE
8prosccutto the immediate object q III
slIaanlries: ~ conservatt tive Inv eatt cation
lpconp5etx and hence necessarily inac-