Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1904-12-08
As Delivered to the 58th SeS.
sion of Congress.
CAUTIONS AGAINST EXTRAVAGANCE
Irrigation, Forests. Public Lands, Alaska
and Our Island Possessions Re-
ceive Due Consideration.

Pre- ldont no SeVelt TO the OSJn congress
To the Senate and House of Representatives.
The Nation continues to enjoy noteworth.
prosperity. Such prosperity Is. OF course, pri
mariy due to the high individual average o
our citizenship, taken together with our grea
natural resources; but an important facto
therein Is the working Of our long-continuet
governmental policies. The people have EN-
phaticaly expressed their approval of the prin
cpies underlying these policies, and thel
desire that these principles be kept substan
TALLY unchanged, although, Of course. applied
in progressive spirit to meet changing con
dtions
OF the National Government required by ou
development as a nation involves. of course
increase of expense: and the period or pros
perfty through which the country Is passing
Justihes expenditures for permanent improve
ments far greater thar
<ov+ior Ag.ipst would be wise In
hard times Battle
Extravaganza ships and forts. public
buildings and improved
waterways are investments which should be
made when we have the money; but abundant
revenues and a large surplus always invite
extravaganza, and constant care should be
taken to guard against unnecessary increase OF
the ordinary expenses of government. The cos'
of doing Government business should be regu-
lated with the same rigid scrutiny as the cost
of doing a private business.
In the vast and complicated mechanism OF
modern civilized life, the dominant note
is the note of industralism; and the relations
of capital and labor.
Capital and Labor. and especially of or
ganized capital and or
ganized labor, to each other and to the public
at large come seconG in Importance 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 W'hole
far more advantageous to our development
than a more strongly centralized govern
ment But it Is undoubtedly responsible for
much of the difficulty of meeting with ade-
quate legislation the new problems presented
by the total change in industrial conditions
on this continent during the last half CEN
tury. In actual practice 1t has proved ex-
ceedingly difficult. and In many cases i'm
possible. 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 Jaws affecting the
employment Of capital in huge masses.
With regard to labor, the problem Is no
less important, but 1t is simpler AS long
as the states retain the primary control Of
the police power, the circumstances must be
altogether extreme which require interfer-
ence by the Federal authorities. whether in
the way of safeguarding the rights of labor
in the way Of seeing that wrong Is not
done by unruly persons who shield them
selves behind the name of labor, II there
Is resistance to the Federal courts. interfer-
ence with the mails, or interstate commerce,
molestation Of Federal property or If
the state authorities in some crisis which
they are unable to face call for help. then
the Federal Government may interfere; but
by a condition of things arising out of trou-
BILE connected with some question of labor.
the Interference itself simply takes the form
of restoring order without regard to the
questions which have caused the breach of
orrder-for to keep order Is a primary duty
and In a time of disorder and violence all
other questions sink into abeyance until
order has been restored.
In the District of Columbia and In the
territories. the Federal law covers the entire
field OF government; but the labor question
is only acute in populous centers or COM
merce. manufactures, or mining. NeVerthe-
less both in the enactment and In the
forcement Of law the Federal Government
within its restricted sphere should set an
example to the state governments especial1y
in matter go vital as this affecting labor.
I believe that under modern industrial con-
ditons 1t is often necessary. and even where
not necessary 1T is yet often wise. that there
should be organization of labor in order
better to the rights of the individual
wage-worker. All encouragement should be
given to any such organization, so long as
It is conducted with due and decent regard
for the rights of others. There are in this
country some labor unions which have habit
ually, and other labor unions which have
often. been among the most effective agents
in working for good citizenship and for up
lifting 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 hon
orable public servants, must oppose the
wrongdoing as resolutely as they would op-
pose the wrongdoing of any great corpora
ton.
OF course any violence brutality. or cor
ruptfon should not for one moment be toler-
ated Wageworkers have an entire right to
organize and by all peaceful and honorable
means to endeavor to persuade their fellows
to Join with them in organizations. They
have legal right. which, according to cir
may may not be moral
right, to refuse to work in company with
vpe wi bo n iOin their ORGANIZATIONS.
They have under no circumstances the right
to commit violence upon those. whether cap
italists or wageworkers VINO retuse TO SUP SUP
port their organizations. or who side "loi
those with whom they are at odds; for mob
rule is intolerable in any form.
The wageworkers are peculiarly entitled to
the protection and the encouragement of the
law From the very nature of their occu-
patton railroad men. for instance, are liable
to be manned in doing the legitimate work
of their profession, unless the railroad com
panies required by
,,,, r., law to make ample
i'f-'' - provision for their
biIity Law. safety The Adminis- /
tratirn has been zeal /
Gus in enforcing the existing law for this
purpose That law should be amended and
strengthened. Wherever the National Gov
has power, there should be a strin- |
gent employers liability law. which should
apply to the Government itself where the
is an employer of labor.
In ray message to the sd Congress, at Its |
second session. I urged the passage of an
employers liability law for the District OF
Columbia. l now renew that recommenda- |
ton and further recommend that the Con- |
gress appoint a commission to make COM !
prehensive study of employers liability with
the view OF extending the provisions OF
great and constitutional law to all employ /
ments within the scope OF Federal power.
The Government has recognized heroism |
upon the water and bestows medals of honor |
upon those persons who by extreme and he |
roic daring have en- |
Medals of Honor. dangered their lives in |
saving. endeavOring I
20 save, lives from the perils of the sea in 4
the waters over which the United States has I
or upon American vessel 1
This recognition should be extended to cover /
cases of conspicuous bravery and self-sacri- 4
fee in the saving OF life in private employ I
rnents under the jurisdiction Of the United 4
States, and particularly in the land COM /
Inerce OF the Nation.
The ever-increasing casualty list upon our
Is a matter Of grave public concern, I
and urgently calls for action by the Con- 1
gress in the matter Of speed and comfort