The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-07
MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
 TO THE CONGRESS OF THE NATION

washington Dec. s.--President
 Rooseveit's message read to the two
 houses of Congress today, is as fol-
 aows: ,
 The Nstica continues to enjoy noteworthy prosperity. Such prosperity Is of course pri-
 mariiy due to the high individual average
 of our citizenship. taken together with our
 great natural resources; but an important
 factor therein is the working of our long
 continued governmental policies The people s have emphaticaily expressed their approva!
 of the principles underlying these policies, end their desire that these principles be kept substantially unchanged although of
 course applied in a progressive spirit to
 meet changing conditions.
 Caution Against Extravagance.
 The enlargement of scope of the functions
 of the National Government required by our development . nation involves. of course.
 increase of expense; and the period of pros
 perity through which the country fs pass
 ing Justifies expenditures for permanent i'm
 provements far greater than would be wise
 In hard times. Battle ships and forts. pub
 iic buiidinss and improved waterways are investments which should be made when we have the money; but abundant revenues and q large surplus always invite extravagance. and constant care should be taken to guard
 against unnecessary increase of the e
 dinary expenses of government. The Cost
 of doing Government business shouA be regulated with the same rigid scruthy as the cost of doing . private bushes.
 Capital and Labor.
 Tn the vast and complicats9 mechanism of our modern civilized life sshe dominant note Is the note of industxhlism: and the relations of capital and laJor, and especial- fly organized capital ant organized labor to each other and toslhe public at large come second in impotence only to the in- ftimate questions of family life. Our pe- scuiiar form of goNsrnment. with its sharp division of authorty between the Nation and tthe several stsces. has been on the whole liar more advantageous to our development ,fhsn moe strongly centralized govern msnt. Bn it is undoubtedly responsible for nucf of the difficulty of meeting with adeQune legislation the new problems pre- ssntd by the total change in industrial cosditions on this continent during the last Inf century. Tn actual practice 1t has 5rovsd exceedingly difficult, and in many eases Impossible. to get unanimity of wise action among the various States on these eubJects. From the very nature of the ease lfhts is especially true of the laws af- 8sct4ns the employment of capital in huge pp&sses.
 T With regard to labor the problem is no F1ess important but 1t is simpler As long as the stAtes retain the primary control of the police power the circumstances must 2ltORoIn8r extreme &ersnce hy the Federal authorities whether in the way of safeguarding the rights of labor or in the way of seeing that wrong fs not done by unruly persons who shield thsmselvss behind the name of labor If there is resistance to the Federal courts. commerce. or molestation of Federal prop 1rty. or if the State authorities in some crisis which they are unable to face call for lhelp. then the Federal Government may in- 'ferfsre: but though such interference may be caused by . condition of things arising but of trouble connected with some ques- sxion of labor. the interference itself simply takes the form of restoring order without regard to the questions which have caused IAhe breach of order-for to keep order is ia primary duty and in . time of disorder end violence all other question sink into abeyancs until order has been restored. In the Dtstxiot of Columbia and in the Terri tories the Federal law covers the entire field of government: but the labor ques- Aeion is only acute in popuious csnters of eommsroe, manufactures. or mining. Never t1hsisss. both in the enactment and in the isufurcsmsnt of law the Federal Govern Aaent within tts restricted sphere should set an sxAmpls to State governments, especially kn . nsnttar vital this affecting labor. ! believe that under modern industrial con- 6ittons 1t ts often necessary, and even kwhers not necessary it is yet often wise. LADOr lsu order bstter to secure the rights of the individual vase-worker. All encouragement should be given to any such organization. 90 long as it is conducted with due and decent .sesard for the lights of others. There are lin this country some labor unions which (which have often. been among the most ef- ksctfve agents in working for good eit- 1ssnship and for uplifting the condition of those whose welfare should be tBaosest to our hearts. But when any tabor union seeks improper ends. or seeks tc aahssvs proper ends by improDey snssna. all good citizens and more z-:--..ziiy nil honorable public ssrvap-c -asst oppose khe wroasdoing as resoI-..siy as they would oppose the wrongdoi,.g of any great cor porafion. or eourss gay violence brutality or eorruption. shoaid not for one moment be gnclsrassd Wasv ~orksrs have an ensire s4sht tD orgaDsns and by all peaceful and honorabis msr As sndeavor to persuade their xeliows to t1n with them in organizations Ehey havs . legal right. which, according N~ ~4rcu ,astanceS. may may not be mosst <1hfs to refuse to work in company ~fss man who decline to join their orEani- Ns IonA Thsy have under circumstances Izss right to commit violence upon those. whether capitalists or wage-workers who eefuss to support their organisations. or who side with those with whom they are et oddss for mob rule is intoiersble in any torm-
 Employe<s Liability Law.
 The vage-worksrs are peculiarly entitled ne the protection and the encouragement of <hs law. Prom the very nature of their oc- Eupeticn railroad men. for instance, are liable to be matmed in doing the legitimate work of their profession. unless the railroai eompans0s are required by law to make ampls provision for their safety. The Ad- nninistration has been zealous in enforcing xhs existing law for this purpose. That tsw shoaid be amended and strengthened wherevsr the National Government has bower there should be 6 stringent employers liability l&z. which should apply to the 2overnnsent itself where the Government Is An employer of labor.
 In my Message to the Fifty-seventh congress ct it's second session. I urged tho passage of an employers liability law for Ehe District of Columbia now renew that and further recommend That the Congress appoint a commission to make a comprehensive study of employers liability with a view of extending the pro- vtsions of c great and constitutional law to all employments within the scope of Federal power.
 Medals of Honor.
 Ths Government has recognized heroism mon the water, and bestows medals of ,6nor upon those persons who by extreme md heroic daring have endangered their ives in saving. or endeavoring to save. lives rem the perils of the sea in the waters ,ver which the United States has jurisdic- san. or upon an American vessel. This eccrnition should be extended to cover sses of conspicuous bravery and sek-sac- rice ,n the saving of life in private em- ,--. ,,1A.r fha furfadiction of the