The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-12-08


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 Fifty-seventh
congress, at it's second session, l 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
commission to make compromising
study of employers liability with the
view of extending the provisions OF
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 perils of the sea In
the waters over which the United States
has jurisdiction, or upon on American
vessel This recognition should be ex-
tended to cover cases OF conspicuous
bravery and self-sacrifice In the saving
of life in private empoyments under the
jurisdiction of the United States, and
particularly In the land commerce of the
nation.
Prevention of Railroad Accidents.
The evcr-increaslng casualty list upon
our railroads is a matter OF grave pubic
concern. and urgently calls for action by
the congress In the matter of speed and
comfort Of railway travel our railroads
giVe nt least as good service as those OF
nuy other nation. and there Is no reason
why this service should not also be as safe
.s human ingenuity can make It, Many of
our leading roads have been foremost In
the adoption of the most approved safe
furls for the protection OF travellers and
employees. vet the list Of clearly avoidab.e
accidents continues uEduly large. The
passage OF law requiring the adoption of
a block signal system mas been proposed
to the congress. 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 positions of re-
sponsibility connected with the operation
of trains or course, nothing can ever
prevent accidents caused by human weak
ness or misconduct: and there should be
drastic punishment for any railroad en-
ploye, whether officer or man, who by issu-
ancc of wrong oidcrs or by disobedience
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 be
amended so as TO empower the government
to make personal investigation. through h
proper officers, of all accidents involving
loss of life which seem TO require investiga-
ton. with requirement that the results
of such investigation be made public.
The safety appliance law, as amended by
the act OF March 2. 1903, has proved bene-
fetal to railway employees. and In order
that its provisions may be properly carried
out the force of inspectors provided for by
appropriation should be largely increased.
This service is analogous to the steamboat
inspection service. and deals with even
more important interests. Ii has passed
the experimental stage and demonstrated
lis utility, and should receive generous
recognition by the congress.
Unions of Government Employees.
There Is no objection to employees of the
government forming or belonging to
unions: but the government can neither
discriminate for nor discriminate against
nonunion men who are In its employ yment,
or who seek to be employed under Il.
Moreover. II is very grave improprlety
for government employees to band them
selves together for the purpose of extorting
improperly high salaries from the govern
in the classified service. The letter car
riers. both municipal and rural. are as a
whole an excellent body OF public servants.
They should be amply paid. But their pay
nlent must be obtained by arguing their
claims fairly and honorably before the
congress, and not by banding together for
the defeat OF those congressman who re-
fuse to give promises which they cannot
in conscience give The administration has
already taken steps to prevent and punish
lbuses of this nature: but It will be wise
for the congress to supplement this action
by legislation,
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great cor
porations the need for the government to
act directly is far greater than In the case
of labor. because great corporations car
become such only by engaging In interstate
| commerce, and interstate commerce Is pc
culiarly the field Of the general govern
ment 1t Is an absurdity to expect to elm
| mate the abuses in great corporations by
state action. II is difficult to be patien
| with an argument that such matters should
| be left to the states, because more thar
! one state pursues the policy Of creating OF
easy terms corporations which are nevel
| operated within that state at all. but II
other states whose laws they ignore Til,
rational government alone can deal ade
| uuately with these great corporations. II
| try TO deal with them in an Incorporate
destructive or demagogic spirit would, II
| all probability, mean that nothing what
| ever would be accomplished. and with alb
solute certainty that II anything were &C
| complished II would be OF harmful ma
.ture The American people need to con
tinue to show the very qualities that the
have shown-that Is. moderation, goo
sense. the earnest desire to avoid doing an
damage, and yet the quiet determination
proceed, step by step. without halt an
without hurry, In eliminating or at least 1
minimizing whatever OF mischief or OF ev
there Is to interstate commerce In the cor
duct OF great corporations They are act
ing In no spirit of hostility to wealth, eithe
individual or corporate. They are nt
against the rich man any more than agains
the poor man. On the contrary, they al
friendly alike toward rich man and towar
poor man, provided only that each act
In spirit of justice and decency towar
his fellows. Great corporations are necei
sary. and only men of great and singuls
mental power can manage such corpori
tions successfully and such men must ha,
great rewards. But these corporation
should be managed with due regard to Il
interest Of the public AS whole whel
| this can be done under the present laws
must be done. Where these laws con
short others should be enacted to suppl
ment them.
Yet we must never forget the determine
factor In every kind of work, of head
hand. must be the mans own good sens
courage and kindness. More importa
than any legislation is the gradual grow
Of q feeling OF responsibility and forbeal
ance among capitalists and wage worker
alike; a feeling of respect on the part {
each man for the rights Of others; a fee
Ing OF broad community OF interest. nc
!. merely OF capitalists among themselves
and OF wage workers among themselve
but of capitalists and wage workers In the
relations to each other and of both In the