Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

llPSlueuL hDO>tf CT ; h'o'V"7~
been delivered to congress. Its main
features are as follows:
The enlargement Of scope OF the
functions Of the national government
required by our development as ma
ton involves, Of course, increase Of ex-
pense. and the period OF prosperity
through which the country Is passing
iustifies expenditures for permanent
improvements far greater than would
We wise in hard times, but abundant
revenues and large surplus always
invite extravaganza. and constant care
should be taken TO guard against TN
necessary increase Of the ordinary ex-
penses OF government.
Capital and Labor.
The relations OF capital and labor,
and especially Of organized capital and
organized labor, to each other and to
the public at large come second In inn
portance only to the intimate questions
Of family life. Our peculiar form OF
government, with its sharp division of
authority between the nation and the
several states. has been on the whole
far more advantageous 70 our develop
went than more strongly centralized
government. But it Is undoubtedly re-
sponsible Cor much Of the difficulty OF
meeting with adequate legislation the
new problems presented by the total
changc in Industrial conditions on THIS
continent during the last half century
In actual practice 1t has proved ex-
ceellrely difficult, and in many cases
impossible. to get unanimity OF wise
action among tie various states on
1lcse subjects. From the very nature
OF the case his Is especially true OF
the laws affecting the employment OF
capital in huge masses.
with regard 20 labor the problem is
no less important. but it is simpler. AZ
long NJ the states retain the primary
control Of the police power the circum-
sfonees mist ie n,t9ecther extreme
which require interference Ivy the fed
oral authorities, whether in the way of
safeguarding Tie rights of labor or IN
The way of seeing iaat wrong Is not
Gone by unruly persona who shield
themselves behind the name of labor.
If there is resistance to the federal
x~iti fha malls
interstate commerce Or mOlestation OF
federal property. or IL the state authorl-
ties in some crisis which they are I'M
able 10 face call for help, then the fed
eral government may interfere; but.
though such interference may be caus-
ed by a condition Of things arising out
of trouble connected with some ques-
lion of labor. the interference itself
simDly takes The form of restoring Or
der without regard to the questions
which have caused the breach Of Or
der. In the District of Columbia ana
I'm the territories the federal law COW
ers the entire field of government. But
the labor question is only acute In
populous ccnters of commerce, manu-
features OF mining. Nevertheless both
in the enactment and in the ENFORCE
ment OF law the federal government
within It's restricted sphere should set
an example 10 the state governments,
especially in matter so vital as this
affecting labor
Labor Unions.
believe that under modern indus
trial conditions it is often necessary and |
even where not necessary 1t Is yet Of
fen wise that there should be organlza-
ton of labor in order better to secure
the rights of the individual wagework-
err. All encouragement should be given |
to any such organization so long as 1t |
is conducted with q due and decent re-
gard for the rights Of others. There
are in this country some labor unions
which have habitually and other labor
unions which have often been among
the most effective agents in working
for good citizenship and for uplifting
the condition of those whose welfare
should be closest to our hearts. 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 pub
lie servants. must oppose the wrongdo-
ing as resolutely as they would oppose
the wrongdoing of any great corpora
ton. Violence, brutality or corruption
should not for one moment be tolerat
ed.
Entire Right to Organize.
Wageworkers have an entire right
70 organize and by all peaceful and
honorable means to endeavor to per
suade their fellows to join with them
in organizations. They have legal
right. which, according to circum-
stances. may or may not be a moral
right. to refuse to work in company
with men who decline to join their or
CARNATIONS They have under no cir
cumstances the right to commit VIC
lence upon those, whether capitalists
or wagewOrkers, who refuse TO support
their organizations or who side with
those with whom they are at odds. for
mob rule is intolerable in any form.
The wageworkers are peculiarly emit
tied to the protection and the encour-
agement of the law. Wherever the ma
tional government has power there {
should be q stringent employers liabil-