Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

President Roosevelt's message has |
been delivered to congress. Its main
features are as follows:
The enlargement Of scope Of the
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
justifes expenditures for permanent
improvements far greater than would
be wise in hard times, but abundant
revenues and large surplus always
invite extravaganza, and constant care
should be taken to guard against un
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 i'm
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 to our develop
ment than a more strongly centralized
government But it is undoubtedly re-
sponsible for much of the difficulty of
meeting with adequate legislation the
new problems presented by the total
change in industrial conditions on this
continent during the last half century.
In actual practice it has proved ex-
ceedingly difficult, and in many cases
impossible. to get unanimity of wise
action among the various states on
these subjects. From the very nature
Of the case this is especially true OF
the laws affecting the employment OF
capital in huge masses.
With regard to labor, the problem is
10 less important, but it is simpler. as
long as the states retain the primary
control of the police power the circun-
stances must be altogether extreme
which require interference by the fed
oral authorities, whether in the way OF
eafeguarding the rights of labor Or In
the way Of seeing that wrong Is not
done by unruly persons who Shield
themselves behind the name OF labor
If there is resistance to the federal
courts. interference with the mails OF
Interstate commerce or molcstation OF
federal property, or if the state authori
ties In some crisis which they are IN
able to face call for help, then the fed
eral government may interfere; but
though such interference may be caus
ID by condition Of things arising Ou
Of trouble connected with some Ques
ton OF labor, the interference itself
simply takes the form Of restoring or
der without regard to the question
which have caused the breach Of or
der, In the District Of Columbia ant
in the territories the federal law GOV
ers the entire field Of government. Bu
the labor question is only acute il
pOpulous centers Of commerce, manu-
features or mining. Nevertheless bot
In the enactment and in the enforce
nlent of law the federal government
within it's restricted sphere should Sc
an example to the state governments
especially in a matter so vital as thi
affecting labor.
Labor Unions.
I believe that under modern indus
TRIAL conditions it is often necessary am
even where not necessary it Is yet OF
ten wise that there should be organiZa
ton of labor in order better to secur
the rights of the individual wagework
q. All encoura cement should be givel
to any such organization SO long as i
n conducted with due and decent re
gard for the rights Of others. Their
are in this country some labor union
which have habitually and other labo
uRlons which have often been anon,
the most effective agents in working
for good citizenship and for upliftin,
the condition Of those whose welfar
should be closest to our hearts. Blu
when any labor union seeks imprope
ends or seeks to achieve proper end
By improper means all good citizens
and more especially all honorable pub
lie servants, must oppose the wrongdo
ing a. resolutely az they would oppos
the wrongdoing Of any great corpora
tioo. Violence, brutality or corruption
should not for one moment be tolerat
ID. asss.ss u. ;'za
- Entire Right to Organise.
Wageworkers have an entire RICH
to organize and by all peaceful ait
honorable means to endeavor to per
suade their fellows to join with then
in organizations. They have a lega
right, which. according to circum
stances. NY or may not be mora
right, to rct.,.;c to work in compan,
with men WHO decline to join their or
ganizations They have under no cir
cumstances the right to commit vic
lence upon those. whether capitalist
or wageworkers, who refuse to supper
their organizations or who side wit
those with whom thpv ara Of odds 70