Barton County democrat., 1904-12-09
MANY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS
NO WORD ABOUT TARIFF.

Leaves the Subject for Special Mes
sage Which He Promises at
a Later Date.
of the Agricultural Departments
Outlines Our Relations with For
IL eign Countries and with the Phil
.ippines-Urges Need of Adequate
Naval Force as Guarantee of Peace
and Asks for Revision of Imm1-
grafton Laws.
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives: The nation continues to enjoy note
worthy prosperity. Such prosperity Is of
course primarily due to the high individ-
ual average of our citizenship, taken to-
eether with our great natural resources;
but an important factor therein is the
working of our long-continued govern
mental policies. The people have en-
the principles underlying these policies,
and their desire that these principles be
kept substantially unchanged, although
OF course applied in a progressive spirit
TO meet changing conditions.
Caution Against Extravaganza.
The enlargement Of scope of the func-
tions of the national government required
by our development a nation involves,
OF course, increase of expense: and the
period Of prosperity through which the
country Is passing justif1es expenditures
Tor permanent improvements far greater
than would be wise in hard times. Bat
tleships and forts, public buildings, and
improved waterways are investments
which should be made when we have the
money; but abundant revenues and q
large surplus always invite extravaganza.
and constant care should be taken to
guard against unnecessary increase Of
ant
The cost of doing government business
should. be regulated with the same rigid
9 scrutiny as the cost of doing private
business.
Capital and Labor.
In the vast and complicated mechanism
OF our modern civilized life the dominant
note Is the note of industrialism; and the
relations of capital and labor. and es-
pecially of organized capital and organ
lied labor, to each other and to the pub
lie at large come second in Importance
only to the intimate questions of family
life. Our peculiar form of government
with its sharp division of authority be-
tween the nation and the several states,
has been on the whole far more advan-
tageous to our development than more
strongly centralized government. But it
is undoubtedly responsible for much of
the difficulty of meeting with adequate
legislation the new problems presented
by the total change in industrial condi-
tions on this continent during the last
half-century. In actual practice it has
proved exceedingly difficult and in many
cases Impossible, to get unanimity of
wise action among the various states on
these subjects. From the very nature of
the case this is especially true of the laws
anecting the employment of capital in
huge masses.
With regard to labor the problem is no
less important, but it is simpler. AS long
as the states retain the primary control
OF the police power the circumstances
must be altogether extreme which re-
Qu1re interference by the federal author
ttess whether in the way of safeguard
ing the rights of labor or in the way of
seeing that wrong is not done by un-
ruly persons who shield themselves be-
hind the name of labor. If there is re-
sistance to the federal courts, interfer-
ence with the mails, or interstate COM
Inerce, or moleStatiOn of federal proper
W, eor II the state authorities in some
crslS Thlcn they are unable to face call
ior help, then the federal government
may interfere; but though such interfer-
sence may be caused by a condition of
Alngs arising out of trouble connected
Win some question of labor, the interfer-
ehce HseH simply takes the form of re-
storing order without regard to the oues-
lions which have caused the breach of
order-tor 10 keep order is a primary
auty and In time of disorder and vio-
renee all other questions sink into abey-
ahce until order has been restored In
vshe District of Columbia and in the ter
ritories the federal law covers the entire
held of government; but the labor ques-
ton is only acute in populous centers of
commerce manufactures or mining.
Nevertheless, both in the enactment and
in the enforcement of law the federal
government within its restricted sphere
should Set an example to the state gov
ernments especially in a matter vital
as this affecting labor. I believe that un-
der modern industrial conditions 1t is
often necessary, and even where not
necessary 1t is yet often wise, that there
should be organization of labor in order
better to secure the rights of the individ-
lual wage-worker. All encouragement
should be given to any such organiza-
ton. so long as 1t is conducted with
due and decent regard for the rights OF
others. There are in this country some
labor unions which have habitually, and
other labor unions which have often.
been among the most effective agents in
working for good citizenship and for up
lifting the condition of those whose well
fare should be closest to our hearts. But
when any labor union seeks improper
ends. or seeks to achieve proper ends by
improper means, all good citizens and
more especially all honorable public serv-
ants must oppose the wrongdoing az
resOlutely as they would oppose the
Wrongdoing OF any great corporation. OF
course any violence. brutality or corrup-
ton 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 organiza-
tions. They have a legal right, which.
according to circumstances, may or may
s not be q moral right, to refuse to work
Nmpany with men who decline to join
<aniz4tions. They have under no
>es the right to commit vio-
whether capitalists or
@tass support