Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1904-12-15
To the Senate and House Of Representa-


sources; but an important factor therein
Is the working Of our long continued
governmental policies. The enlargement
OF scope of the functions of the national
government required by our development
as nation involves, Of course, increase
oi expenses; and the period Of prosperity
through which the country is passing JUS
TILES expenditures for permanent I'M
nr0Vements far greater than would be
wise in hard times. Battleships and
forts, public buildings and improved wat
PrWayS are investments which should
be made when we have the money: but
abundant revenues and large surplus
always invite extravaganza. ana constant
care should be taken to guard against
Unnecessary increase O. til, ordinary ex-
penseS Of government.
Capital and Labor.
In the vast and complicated mechan-
ISM Of our modern civilized life the domi-
nant note is the note of industrialism
and the relations Of capital and labor.
and especially Of organized capital and
organized labor. TO each other and 10 the
public at large come second i'll impor-
lance only TO the intimate questions of
family life. Our peculiar form of GOV
eminent, with It's sharp division of au-
thOrity between the nation and the sey-
eral States. has been on the whole far
-
than q more strongly centralized govern
ment But it is undoubtedly responsible
for much of the difficulty Of meeting with
adequate legislation the new problems
presented by the total change in indus
trial conditions on this continent durin.
the last half-century. In actual practice
it has proved exceedingly difficult. and
in many cases impossible, TO get unanim-
ity of wise action among the various
States on these subjects. From the very
nature Of the case this is especially true
of the laws affecting the employment Of
capital in huge masses. AS long as the
States retain the primary control of the
police power the circumstances must be
altogether extreme which require inter
ference by the federal authorities. wheth-
or in the way OF safeguarding the rights
of labor or in the way of seeing that
wrong is not done by unruly persons who
shield themselves behind the name of la
Dor. If there is resistance to the federal
courts, interference with the mails, or
interstate commerce. or mOlCStatiOn of
federal property. or if the State author
tiles in some crisis which they are IN
able to face call for help then the fed
eral government may interfere. but the
interference itself simply takes the form
of restoring order without regard to the
questions which have caused the breach
of order. | believe that under modern
industrial conditions it is often neces-
sary, and even where not necessary it is
yet often wise that there should be or
ganization of labor in order better to
secure the rights of the individual wage
worker. All encOura cement should be
given to any such organization. so long
as it is conducted with a due and decent
regard for the rights of others. 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 ser
wants must oppose the wrOngdOing rs
resolutely as they woul' oppose the
wrongdoing of any great corporation. OF
course any violence, brutality or corrup-
ton should not for one moment be toll
Grated.
Wage-wOrkers have an entire right to
organize and by all peaceful and honora-
BILE means to endeavor to persuade their
fellows TO join with them in OrganiZa-
tons. They have a legal right which.
according to circumstances, may or may
not be a 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 intOlrrah'e in Hnv form.
Prevention of Railroad Accidents.
The ever-increasing casualty list upon
our railroads is Il matter of grave public
concern. and urgently calls for action by
the Congress. Many of orr leading roads
nave been foremost in the adoption of
The most approved safeguards for the
protection of travellers and employees. yet
the list of clearly avOidable accidents
continues unduly large. | would point
out TO the Congress the URGENT need Of
legislation in the interest Of the public
safety limiting the hours Of labor for
railroad employees in train service upon
railroads engaged III interstate commerce,
and providing that only trained ana ex-
perienced persons he employed in posi-
tons of responsibility connected with
the operation of trains. OF course moth
ing can ever prevent accidents caused by
human weakness or misconduct: and
there should be drastic punishment for
any railroad employee, whether officer or
man, who by issuance Of wrong orders
or by disobedience of orders causes dis
aster.
The Bureau of Labor.
Much can be done by the government
In labor matters merely by giving pub
iicity to certain conditions. The Bureau
of Labor has done excellent work of this
kind in many different directions.
shall shortly lay before you in special
message the 1uu report OF the InV"Stl-
CATION of the Bureau o. Labor into the
Colorado mining strike, as this is a strike
in which certain very evil forces, which
are more or less at work everywhere I'M
der the conditions of modern Industrial
ism, became startlinCiy prominent.
Dealing with 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
can become such only by engaging in in
terstate commerce, and interstate COM
merce is peculiarly the field of the gen.
eral government. 1t is an absurdity to
expect to eliminate the abuses in great
by State action. The ma
sional government alone can deal ade-
quately with these great corporations
The American people need to continue
to show the very qualities that they have
Bhown-that is, moderation, good sense, |
the earnest desire to avoid doing any
and yet the quiet determination
TO proceed. step by step, without halt |
and without hurry, in eliminating or at
least in minimizing whatever of mischief |
OF of evil there is to interstate commerce |
in the conduct of great corporations |
They are acting in no spirit of hostility |
20 wealth, either individual or corporate |
They are not against the rich man any |
more than against the poor man. On the |
contrary, they are friendly alike toward |
rich man and toward Door man, provided |