Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-12-10
Presidents Message

IIUuiuohl MoouuSU
President R~oosevelts has
been delivered to ean. It's naain
features are as f3
The enlargement of sco9e Of the
functions of the national government
required by our Development rs i 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 a large surplus always
invite extravagance, and constant care
should be taken to guard against I'M
necessary Increase Of the ordinary ex-
penses Of government
CAPITAL AND LABOR
The relations Of capital and labor,
and especially Of orsarized capital and
organized labor. to each other and to
the public at large come second In Inn
portance only 70 the intimate questions
Of family life. Our peculiar form Of
government, with It's sharp division Of
authority between the nation and the
several states, has been on the whole
far more advantageous to v develop
ment than a more strongly centralized
government. But It 10 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 II 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 u especially true of
the laws affecting the employment Of
capital In huge masses.
With regard TO labor, the problem u
no less important but It is simpler. Az
long as the states retain the primary
control OF the police power the cscum-
stances must be altogether extreme
which require interference by the fed
eral authorities, whether In the way OF
safeguarding the rights Of labor or In
the way Il seeing that wrong y not
done by unruiy persons who shield
themselves behind the name Of labor.
II there i resistance to the federal
courts, interference with the malls or
interstate commerce or molestation OF
federal property. OF II the state authori-
tfes in some crisis which they are I'M
able 30 faes call for help, then the fed
eral government may interfere; but
though sueh interference may be AUS
cd by q condition Of things arising out
Of trouble connected with some CUES
ton Of labor, the interference itself
simply 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 and
in the territories the federal law COW
ers the entire field Of government. But
the labor question Is only acute In
populous centars Of commerce. manu-
factures or mining. Nevertheless both
In the enactment and In the enforce
ment of law the federal government
within IT. restricted sphere should set
an example 10 the state governments,
especially Tn a matter so vital as this
affecting labor.
LABOR UNIONa
I believe that under modern indus
trial conditions it Ia often necessary and
even where not necessary it u yet Of
ten wise that there should be organiza-
ton Of labor In order better TO secure
the rights OF the individual wagework-
er. All encouragement should be given
to any such organisation 30 long as 1t
is conducted with a 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.
Wagsworkers have an entire right
to organize and by all peaceful and
honorable means to endeavor TO per-
suade their fellows to join with them
In organizations. They have a legal
right, which, according to ctrcum-
stances, may or may not be a moral
right, to refuse to work IN company
with men who decline to join their or
ganiset1ona. They have under no cir
eumstances the right to commit vio-
leucs upon those, whether capitalists
or wageworkers, who refuse 10 support
their organizations or who side with
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