Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-12-06

organizations. They have under NJ
circumstances the right to commit VIC
lence upon those. whether capitalist
or wageworkers, who refuse to supper
their organizations, or who side with
those with whom they are at odds, 70,
mob rule is intolerable in any form.
$500. Employers Liability Law.
The wageworkers are peculiarly emit
tied to the protection md, the encour
agement of. the law. =. From the very
nature of their occupation railroad
men. for instance, are liable Ito be
MANNED in doing the legitimate worh
Of their profession unless the railroad
companies are required by law to make
ample provision for their safety. Thu
administration has been Jealous In en-
forcing the existing law for this pur
pose. That law should be amended
and strengthened. Wherever the ma
tional government has power. there
should be stringent employers iiabil
tty law, which should apply to the gov
eminent itself where the government
n an employer of labor. i;
In my message to the Fifty-seventh
congress at its second .sess IN I urged
the passage Of an employers liability
law for the District Of Columbia.
now renew that recommendation and
further recommend that the congress
appoint commission to make; a com.
prehensive study Of employers rliabili.
ty with the view of extending the pro
visions Of q great and constitutional
law to all employments within the
scope of federal power. !,
Medals Of Honor. y F@"t.
The government has recognized hero
ism upon the water and bestows med.
ais Of honor upon those persons who
by extreme and heroic daring have en-.
dangered their lives In saving or en-.
deavoring to save lives from the perils
Of the sea In the waters over which the
United States has jurisdiction or upon
an American vessel. This recognition
should be extended to cover cases Of
conspicuous bravery and self sacrifice
In the saving of life in private employ.
ments 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 up
On 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 serv.
ice should not also be as safe as hu.
man ingenuity can make it. Many Of
our leading roads have been foremost
in the adoption of the most approved
safeguards for the protection Of travel.
ers and employees, yet the list Of clear.
" avoidable accidents continues un-.
duly large The passage of a law ne
curing the adoption of a block signal
system has been proposed to the con.
gress. earnestly concur in that rec
ommendation and would also point out
to the congress the urgent need Of leg.
islation in the interest Of the public
safety limiting the hours of labor 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 acct
dents caused by human weakness or
misconduct, and there should be dras-
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 q
personal investigation through proper
officers of all accidents involving loss of
life which seem to require investigation,
with a 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 its 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 its utility and should receive
generous recognition by the congress. i.
Unions Of Government Employees.
There is no objection to employees of
the government forming or belonging
to unions. but the government can nei.
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 a very
grave improperly for government en-
ployees to band themselves together
for the purpose Of extorting improperly
high salaries from the government.
Especially IN this true Of those within
the classified service. The letter carri-
en-. both municipal and rural, are 90 q
whole m excellent body Of public ssrv-
ants. They should be amply paid. But
their payment must be obtained By