The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-12-16
RAILROADS, NOT
TARIFF, The ISSUE
-
President Does Not AIlude to
the Tariff in Message to
Congress.
SAYS REBATES MUST STOP
S7s'ders This the Most Important
&-estion Before the Legislators
Demands Law to Help
Commission.

10 the Senate and House of Represen-
sallFeS: Inc nation continues to en-
Joy noteworthy prosperity, but album
dant revenues and large surplus al
ways invite extravaganza, and constant
care should be taken 10 guard against
unnecessary increase OF expenses OF
government The cost of doing govern
ment business should be regulated with
the same scrutiny as d private bust
hess.
In the mechanism of our modern
civilized life the dominant note is in
dustrialism; and the relations OF or
SanlZed capital and labor come second
III importance only to family life. Our
peculiar form of government. with it's
sharp division Of authority between ma
ton and Stales. has Deen more advan-
tageous to our development than
more strongly centralized government.
But II IS undoubtedly responsible tor
much dlttculty of meeting with leEiS-
latlon problems presented by the
change III industrial conditions the last
half century. 1t has proved difficult
to get unanimity among the states, es-
peclally in laws affecting capital in
huge masses.
The Labor Problem.
With regard to labor the problem is
simpler. AS lol 6 as the states retain
the primary coh,rol of the police pow
er the circumstances must be altogether
extreme which require Interference by
Inc federal authorizes, whether in the
way of safeguarding the rights of la
Dor or IN the way OF seeing mat wrong
is not done by unruly.r persons who
shield themselves behind the name vi
labor. But though such Interference
may be caused by a condition connected
with some question OF labor, the inter
ference simply takes the form OF re-
ST Jrmg order. In the District of Co
IOmDla and in he fprrit O1.ipc q faIar.1
laws covers the entire field of govern
ment. The Federal government should
set an example for the states in d mat
ter so vital as this. | believe it is
often necessary and wise that there
be organization of labor. All en-
enlargement should be given to such
organization, so long us conducted with
regard for rights OF others. There are
labor unions which have habitually
and other labor uuions which have OF
ten, been among the most effective
agents working for good citizenship.
1iut when any labor union seeks i'm
proper ends or seeks to achieve proper
ends by improper means, all good citi-
ZenS and honorable public servants
must oppose the wrongdong. Violence,
brutality or corruption should not be
tolerated. Wage workers have an en-
tire right to organize, and to refuse
10 work with men who decline to join
their organizations. They have no right
to commit violence upon those who re-
fuse to support their organizations.
Employers Liability Law.
The wage workers are peculiarly en-
titled to protection of the law. Rail
road men, for instance, the liable to
be MANNED unless the companies are re-
CURED to make provision for their safe
ty The existing law should be amend
ec"and strengthened. There should be
stringent employers liability law,
which should apply to the government
itself as it is an employer of labor.
In my message to the ffty-seventh
congress | urged an employers liability
law for the District of Columbia l now
renew that and further recommend
u commission to make a comprehensive
,,L1y of employers liability With the
view of extending the provisions
me government bestoWs medals OF
honor upon persons who endanser theil
lives in saving lives from the perils of
the sea. This recognition should be eX-
tended to Cases of s-,t-sacritice in saw
ing life in private employmentS. and
particularly in the land commerce OF
the nation.
Railroad Casualties.
The increasing casualty list upon rail-
roads calls for action. In the matter
Of speed and comfort our railroads give
as good service as others, but service
SHOULD also Be as Sale DIS human III
genuity can make it. The list of un.
voidable accidents is unduly large. a
law requiring d block signal system
has been proposed and | concur III that
recommendation, and would point Cu1
the need of limiting : hours of labor
for railroad employees and providing
that only trained persons be employed
There should be drastic punishment fol
any who by issuance Of wrong or
ders, of by disobedience, causes dis
aster. The law of 1901. requiring rail
roads to report accidents should alSt
empower the government to make in
vestigation of accidents.
Tire Government and Unions.
There is no objection to employees o
the government belonging to unions
but the government can neither dis
eliminate for nor against non-uniol
men. Moreover, it is a very grave i'm
propriety for government employees II
bac1 together for eXtorting improperl.
tigh salaries. The letter carriers ar
excellent public servants. They shoul'
be amply paid, but their payment mus
be obtained honorably before congress
not by banding together to defeat con
greSsmen who refuse to give promises
Much can be done in labor matter
by publicity. l shall shortly lay befor
you the report CT the investigation o
the bureau of labor into the Colorad
forces, which are at work eVeryWher
under modern industrialism, becam
startlingly prominent. 1t is 81 katly I
be wished that the department of com
merce and labor should compile a lis
of labor laws of the states, and be Civ
en- the means to investigate labor cond1
lions, as to wages, hours of labor, la
Dor Of women and children. and immi
grafton. Especial attention should
paid to child labor.
Corporation Regulation.
When we come to corporations, tn
need for the government to act direct
ly is far greater than in the case c
labor, because great corporations er
gage in interstate commerce. peculiar
~ the field of the general government
1t is absurd TO expect to eliminat
these abuses by state action. 1t is dill
flcult to be patient with an argumer
that such matters should be left to tn
states, because more than one stat
creates corporations which never or
crate within that state. The natlons
government alone can deal with thes
The American people need to sho
moderation, good sense, the desire I
avoid damage. and the deterninatio
II eliminate evil in the great corpors
tions. Great corporations should /
managed with regard to the intere'
of the public. Where these laws CON
short others should be enacted.
More important than legislation is
feeling of responsibility and forbea
ance among capitalists and wag'
workers.; of respect for the rights {
others; of community of interest. Man
captains of industry and labor leader
realize this.
The Bureau of Corporations.
The bureau of corporations has mao
preliminary investigation of many co
porations. 1t will make special i
port on the beef industry.
The policy Of the bureau is cooper;
tisn. not antagonism: constructive lei