The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-12-06

MESSAGE READ
IN CONGRESS-

ly avOidable accidents continues un-
duly large. The passage Of law re-
quiring the adoption of q block signal
system has been proposed to the con-
gress. earnestly concur in thas rec
ommendation and would also poiht out
to the congress the urgent need Of leg
islation in the interest of the public
safety limiting the hours of labar for
railroad employees in train service up
on railroads engaged in Interstate COM
merce and providing that only trained
and experienced persons be employed
in positions of responsibility connect
ed with the operation Of trains OF
course nothing can ever prevent acci-
dents caused by human weakness or
tic punishment for any railroad en-
ployee, whether officer or man, WHO by
issuance Of wrong orders or by disobe-
dience of orders causes disaster. The
law of 1901 requiring interstate rail
roads to make monthly reports of all
accidents to passengers and employees
on duty should also be amended SO as
to empower the government to make a
personal Investigation through proper
officers of all accidents involving !osssof
life which seem to require Investigation,
with requirement that the results of
such investigation be made public.
The safety appliance law. as amend
ed by the act of March 2, 1903, has
proved beneficial to railway employees,
and in order that it's provisions may be
properly carried out the force Of in
spectors provided for by appropriation
should be Largely increased. This serv
ice is analogous to the steamboat in
spection service and deals with even
more important interests. It has passed.
the experimental stage and demon
strated it's utility and should receive
generous recognitie,n by tic eongresa5
Unions Of Govornnsrt Employees.
There is no objection to employees OF
the government forming or belonging
ther discriminate for, nor discriminate
against nOnuniOn men WHO are in its
employment or who seek to be en-
ployed under it. Moreover, it is very
grave impropriety for, government en-
ployees to band themselves together
for the purpose Of extorting Improperly
high salaries from the government
Especially is this true of those within
the classified service. The letter carri-
ers, both municipal and rural, are as
whole an excellent body of public serv-
ants. They should be amply paid. But
their payment must be obtained by
arguing their claims fairly and honor
ably before the congress and not by
banding together for the defeat Of
those congressman who refuse to give
promises which they cannot in con-
science give The administration has
already taken steps to prevent and
punish abuses Of this nature, but it
will be wise for the congress to sup
plement this action by legislation.
Bureau Of Labor.
Much can be done by the government
In labor matters merely by giving pub
ncity to certain conditions. The bu-
reau Of labor has done excellent work
Of this kind in many different direc-
hons. I shall shortly lay before you In
a special message the full report Of the
investigation Of the bureau Of labor
into the Colorado mining strike, as this
is a strike in which certain very evil
Arces which are more or less at work
everywhere under the conditions Of
modern industrialism became startling
ly prominent. It is greatly to be wished
that the department Of commerce and
labor, through the labor bureau, should
compile and arrange for the congress a
list Of the labor laws Of the various
states and should be given the means
to Investigate and report to the con-
gress upon the labor conditions in the
manufacturing and mining regions
throughout the country both as to
wages, as to hours Of labor, as to the
labor Of women and children and as to
the effect in the various labor centers
of immigration from abroad. In this
investigation especial attention should
be paid to the conditions Of child labor
and child labor legislation In the sew
eral states. Such an investigation
must necessarily take into account
many Of the problems with which this
question of child labor Is connected
These problems can be actually met In
most cases only by the states them
selves, but the lack Of proper legisla-
ton in one state in such matter as
child labor often renders it excessive
~ difficult to establish protective re
striction upon the work in another
state having the same industries, so
that the worst tends to drag down the
better. For this reason it would be
well for the nation at least to endeavor
to secure comprehensive information as
to the conditions of labor of children in
the different states. Such investigation
and publication by the national gov
ernment would tend toward the secur-
ing Of approximately uniform legisla-
tion Of the proper character among the
several states.
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great
colDorations the need for the govern