The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-12-07

gard for the rights of others. There are in this country some labor unions which have habitually, and other la1or unions which have often, been among the most effective agents in working for good citizenship and for uplifting the condi- tion of those whose welfare should be closest to or hearts. But when any labor union seeks improper ends, or seeks to achieve proper ends by irn- proper means, all good citizens and
 more especially all honorable public servants must oppose the wrongdoing as resolutely as they would oppose I the wrongdoing of any corporation. Of course any violence, brutality, or cor lruption, should not for one moment be tolerated. Wage-workers have an en- \ tire right to organize and by all peace
 fuI and honorable means to endeavor l to persuade their fellows to join with them in organizations. They have a x legal right, which, according to cir lcumstances, may or may not be a
 moral right. to refuse to work in com
 pany with men who decline to join. their organizations. They have under
 no circumstances the right to con-
 init violence upon those, whether leapitalists or wage-workers who re
 fuse to support their organizations. or
 who side with those with whom they
 are at odds; for mob rule is introlerable lin any form.
 l Employers Liability Law.
 ] The wage workers are peculiarly en- titled to the protection and the en- Icouragement of the law. From the livery nature of their occupation rail-
 road men, for instance, are liable to be lmained in doing the legitimate work of itheir profession, unless the railroad icompanies are required by law to make Iamp1e provision for their safety. The Administration has been jealous in en-
 forcing the existing law for this pur- pose. That law should be amended land strengthened. Wherever the
 National Government has power there
 should be a stringent employers liability law, which should apply to lthe Government itself when the Gov lernment is an employer of labor.
 In my Message to the Fifty-seve11th
 Congress, at it's second session, urged lthe passage of an employers liability flaw for the District of Columbia. I
 now renew that recommendation and further recommend that the Congress
 appoint commission to make com
 prehensive study of employers liability
 with the view of extending the pro- visions of a great and constitutional flaw to all employnents within the
 scope of Federal power.
 Medals of Honor.
 The Government has recognized lheroism upon the water and
 bestows medals of honor upon
 those persons who by extreme land heroic daring have endangered ltheir lives in saving. or endeavoring to
 save, lives from the perils of the sea in
 + the waters over which the United lStates has Jurisdiction, or upon an
 American vessel. This recognition tshould be extended to cover cases of lconspicuous bravery and self-saerfiic lin the saving of life in private employ lments under the Jurisdiction of the
 United States, and particularly in the Hand commerce of the Nation.
 Prevention of Railroad Accidents.
 The ever-increasing casualty list
 upon our railroad is a, matter of grave public concern, and urgently calls for faction by the Congress. In the matter of speed and comfort of railway travel Jour railroads give at least as good ser- lyice as those of any other nation, and there is no reason why this service should not also be as safe as human Ingenuity can make it. Many of our Heading roads have been foremost in
 the adoption of the most approved safeguards for the protection or travellers and employees, yet the list or lelearly avoidable accidents. continues Iunduly large. The passage of law lreuuiring the adoption of a block-signal system has been proposed to the Con- lgress. I earnestly concur i'll that re- #l commendation, and would also point l ont to the congress the urgent need or llegislation in the interest of the public safety limiting the hours of labor for l railroad employees in train service upon railroads engaged i'll interstate com
 merce, and providing that only trained and experienced persons be employed i'll fpositions of responsibility connected with the operation of trains. Of course
 nothing can ever prevent accidents caused by human weakness or miscon- l duct: and there should be drastic pun q ishment for any railroad employe,
 whether officer or man, who by issu-
 ance of wrong orders or by disobedi- 5l ence of orders causes disaster. The flaw of 1901 requiring interstate rail- roads to make monthly reports of all