The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.
the senate aud House Of Representa-.

To the senate aud House Of Representa-
tivez:
The nation continues TO enjoy note
worthy prosperity. Such prosperity In
Of course primarily due TO the high In
dividunl average Of our citizenship. taken
sources: but M important factor therein
" the working OF our long-continued
crnmcntni policies. The enlargement
on scope Of the functions Of the national
government required by our development
ns q nation involves. Of course. increase
OF expenses; and the period OF prosperity
through which the country Ia passing jus
discs expenditures for permanent Inn
provements far greater than would he
wise Ia hard times. Battleshirs aud
forts. public buildings and improved wat
crways are Investments which should
he made when we have the money: but
abundant revenues and n large surplus
always invite extravagancc. and constant
care should be taken TO guard against
unnecessary increase Of the ordinary cx-
penscs Of government.
Capital and Labor.
In the vast and complicated mechan.
fam of our modern civilized life the domi-
mani note IA the note OF industrialism:
aud the relations Of capital and labor:
aud especially Of organized capital and
organized labor. TO each other ms to the
public at large come second In impor.
lance only TO the intimate questions oil
FAMILY ife. Our peculiar form of gov
eminent, with its sharp division OF nu-
thority between the nation and the sew
eral States, has been on the whole Tar
more advantageous 10 n Development
than a more strongly centralized govern
ment. But Il Ii 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 during
the last hai~f-century. In actual practice
N has proved exceedingly dinicult. and
In many cases impossible, 20 get unaniin-
ity OF wise action among. the various
States ON these subjects. From the very
nature Of the case this IL especially tru.
Of tho laws affecting the employment of
c.rita, In huge masses. As long as the
states retain the primary control OF the
roiIre mower the circumstances must DE
sifore,her 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 ina
wrong Is not done by unrnly persons who
sbield themselves behind the name OF In.
hor. III there n resistance TO the federal
courts. interference with the mails, OF
t,t.rxtate commerce. or molcstation OF
t.S.rai nrouerty, or IL tho State author
f5es In some crisis which they are un-
able 20 face call for help then the led
<ral government may interfere Dut .ne
interfcrcnce itself simply taxes me iv an
81 restoring order without regard 70 une
questions which have caused the breach
"a order believe that under modern
industrial conditions u IL often heces-
..ry and even where not necessary IL II
vet often wise. that there should DC or
snnixation Of labor IN c-der better 10
secure the rights of the Individual wage
...aussr garnQnf lhnuld hQ
~,ven 10 any such organization. so Ions
a n Ia conducted with n due and decent
regard for tho rights OF others. But
~kea any labor union seeks improper
ends. or seeks 60 achieve proper ENDS by
Improper means, all good citizens aud
more especially oil honorable public ser
wants must oppose the w~rongdoing as
S~sronrdoIng OF any great corporation. Or
course any violence, brutality or corrup-
ton should not for one moment be toll
wagc-workers have nm entire right 10
organize aud by all peaceful and honora-
ole means TO lcndeayor 20 persuade their
fellows 20 Join with them In organIzn-
tions. They have n legal right. which.
according Ia circumstances. may or may
not be n moral right, TO refuse 90 work
In compauy with men who decline TO Join
their organizations. They ave under
NO circumstances the right TO commit vio-
lonce upon those. whether capitalists or
their organisations, or who side with
those with whom they nre at odds; for
mob rule Is intolcrable In any form.
Preycution of Railroad Academia.
The ever.incrcasing casualty list upon
our railroads ts n matter or grave pubic
concern, and urgently calls for action by
the Congress. Many OF our leading roads
have been foremost In the adoption OF
the most approved safeguards Tor 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 tho public
safety limiting the hours Of labor for
railroad employees In train service upon
railroads engaged In interstate commerce,
aud providing that only trained aud cx-
pcrienccd persons he employed In posi-
lions Of responsibility connected with
the operation Of trains. OF course moth
ing can ever prevent accidents caused by
human weakness or misconduct: n
there should be drastic punishment for
any railroad employe. whether officer or
man. who by issuance OF wrong orders
or by disobcdicnce OF orders causes dis
sister.
The Bureau OF Labor.
Much eau be lone by the government
In labor matters merely by giving pub
licity 90 certain conditions. The Bureau
OF Labor has done excellent work Of this
kind la many different directions. 4
shall shortly lay before you Ia n special
message the full report Of the lnvesti.
cation of the Bureau O. Labor into the
Colorado mining strike. as this il n strike
In which certain very evil forces. which
are more or less nj work everywhere un-
der the conditions Of modern industrial.
Ism. became startlingly prominent.
Dealing with Corporations.
When wa come 10 deal with great cor
porations the need for the government
20 act directly Is far greater than In the
ease Of labor. because great corporations
I'm become such only BY engaging in In.
~terstate commerce, aud interstate COM
merce In peculiarly the field of the gen.
eral government. IL IL an absurdity TO
expect TO eliminate the abuses In great
corporations by State action. The ma
tionai government alone can deal ade-
quately with these great corporations.
The American people need TO continue
90 show the very qualities that they have
sbown-that ia. moderation. good sense.
the earnest desire to avoid doinr any