Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-12-09

tion should not for one moment be toler-
ated. Wage-workers have an entire right
to organize and by all peaceful and honor
able means to endeavor to persuade their
fellows to join with them in organlza-
tions. They have a legal right, which,
according to circumstances, may or may
not be moral right, to refuse to work
IN company with men who decline to join
their organizations. They have under no
circumstances the right to commit vio-
lence upon those, whether capitalists or
wage-workers, who refuse to support
their organizations or who side with
those with whom they are at odds; for
mob rule Is intolerable in any form.
Employers Liability Law.
The wage-workers are peculiarly en-
titled to the protection and the encour-
agement of the law. From the very ma
ture of their occupation railroad men, for
instance are liable to be MANNED in do
ing the legitimate work of their profess
sion, unless the railroad companies are
required by law to make ample provision
for their safety. The administration has
been jealous in enforcing the existing law
for this purpose. That law should be
amended and strengthened. Wherever
the national government has power there
should be a stringent employers liability
law, which should apply to the govern
ment itself where the government is an
employer of labor.
In my message to the Flfty-seventh
congress- at it's second session, 1 urged
the passage of an employers liability law
for the District of Columbia l now re-
new that recommendation, and further
recommend that the congress appoint a
commission to make a comprehensive
study of employers liability with the
view of extending the provisions of a
great and constitutional law to all en-
ployments within the scope of federal
power.
Medals of Honor.
The government has recognized heroism
upon the water, and bestows medals of
honor upon those persons who by ex-
treme and heroic daring have endangered
their lives in saving, or endeavoring to
save, lives from the perlls of the sea In
the waters over which the United States
has jurisdiction, or upon an American
vessel. This recognition should be ex-
tended to cover cases of conspicuous
bravery and self-sacriflce in the saving
of life in private employments under the
Jurisdiction of the United States, and
particularly in the land commerce of the
nation.
Prevention of Railroad Accidents.
The ever-increasing casualty list upon
| our railroads is a matter of grave public
concern, and urgently calls for action by
! the congress. In the matter OF speed and
| comfort of railway travel our railroads
| give at least as good service 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 leading roads have been foremost in
| the adoption of the most approved safe.
| guards for the protection of travellers and
employees, yet the list of clearly avoidable
accidents continues unduly large. The
| passage of a law requiring the adoption OF
block signal system has been proposed
| to the congress. l earnestly concur in
| that recommendation, and would also point
| out to the congress the urgent need OF
| legislation in the interest of the public
safety limiting the hours of labor for rail.
road employees in train service upon rail,
roads engaged in interstate commerce, and
providing that only trained and experienced
persons be employed in positinps of re.
sponsibility connected with the operation
of trains. OF course, nothing can ever
| prevent accidents caused by human weak
ness or misconduct; and there should bt
drastic punishment for any railroad en-
ploye, whether officer or man, who by issu,
ance of wrong orders or by disobedienct
| of orders causes disaster. The law of 1901
requiring interstate railroads to make
monthly reports of all accidents to passen
gers and employees on duty, should also b'
| amended so as to empower the government
to make personal investigation. through
proper officers, of all accidents involving
loss of life which seem to require investiga
ton, with a requirement that the results
of such investigation be made public.
The safety appliance law, as amended b,
the act of March 2, 1903 has proved bene
fetal to railway employees, and in orde
that its provisions may be properly carried
out, the force of inspectors provided fer b.
appropriation should be largely increased
This service is analogous to the steamboa
inspection service, and deals with ever
more important interests. 1t has passed
the experimental stage and demonstrates
its utility. and should receive generou
recognition by the congress
Unions of Government Employees.
There is no objection to employees of tn
government forming or belonging Z
unions: but the government can neithe
discriminate for nor discriminate agains
nonunion men who are in its employment,
or who seek to be employed under II
Moreover, II is a very grave impropriet
for government employees to band them
selves together for the purpose of extortin
improperly high salaries from the govern
ment. Especially is this true of those with
in the classified service. The letter car
riers both municipal and rural, are as
whole an excellent body OF public servants
They should be amply paid. But their pay
ment must be obtained by arguing thei
claims fairly and honorably before tn
congress, and not by banding together 70
the defeat of those congressman who re
fuse to give promises which they cannC
already taken steps to prevent and punis
abuses of this nature; but 1t will be wis
for the congress to supplement this actio
by legislation.
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great col
porations the need for the government
act directly Is far greater than in the cas-
of labor, because great corporations ca
become such only by engaging in interstat
commerce. and Interstate commerce is ps
culiarly the field of the general govern
ment 1t is an absurdity to expect to elm
mate the abuses in great corporations b
state action. 1t is difficult to be patier
with an argument that such matters shoul
be left to the states, because more tina
one state pursues the policy of creating o
easy terms corporations which are nevt
operated within that state at all. but
other states whose laws they ignore. TIL
national government alone can deal a6,
+ quately with these great corporations. I
, try to deal with them in an intemperat
destructive or demagogic spirit would,
all probability, mean that nothing wha
, ever would be accomplished. and with al
solute certainty that II anything were a
> complished 1t would be OF a harmful nj