Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1904-12-08

in positions Of responsibility connected
with the operation Of trains.
The safety appliance law, as amend
ed by the act of March 2, 1903, has
proved beneficial to railway employees,
and in order that it's provisions may be
properly carried out the force of In
spectors provided for by appropriation
should be largely increased. This serv-
ice has passed the experimental stage
and should receive generous recogni-
ton by the congress.
Unionism In Government Offices.
There is no objection to employees OF
the government forming or belonging
to unions, but the government can neil
Their discriminate for nor discriminate
against nonunion men who are in Its
employment or who seek to be en-
ployed under it. Moreover, it Is very
grave improperly for government en-
ployees to band themselves together
for the purpose Of extorting Improperly
high salaries from the government.
Especially is this true Of those within
the classified service. The letter car
riers, both municipal and rural, are as
whole an excellent body Of public
servants. They should be amply paid.
But their payment must be obtained
by arguing their claims fairly and hon
orably before the congress and not by
banding together for the defeat OF
those congressman who refuse to give
promises which they cannot In con-
science give. The administration has
taken steps to prevent and punish
abuses Of this nature, but it will be
wise for the congress to supplement-
this action by legislation.
Bureau of Labor.
Much can be done by the government
in labor matters merely by giving pub
licity to certain conditions. The bureau
of labor has done excellent work of
this kind in many different directions.
I shall shortly lay before you in spe-
clal message the full report Of the in
vestigation of the bureau of labor into
the Colorado mining strike, as this is
strike in which certain very evil forces,
which are more or less at work every
where under the conditions Of modern
industrialism, became startlingly prom
inent. 1t Is greatly to be wished that
the department Of commerce and Ia
Dor, through the labor bureau, should
compile and arrange for the congress
list of the labor laws of the various
states and should be given the means
to investigate and report to the con-
gress upon the labor conditions In the
manufacturing and mining regions
throughout the country, both as TO
wages, as toR hours Of labor, as to
the labor Of women and children and
as to the effect in the various labor
centers of immigration from abroad
In this investigation especial attention
should be paid to the conditions OF
child labor and child labor legislation
In the several states.
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great
corporations the need for the govern
mert to act directly is far greater than
in the case of labor, because great cor
porations can become such only by en-
gaging in interstate commerce, and In
terstate commerce is peculiarly the
field Of the general government. 1t IS
an nbsurdity to expect to eliminate the
abuses in great corporations by state
action. 1t is difficult to be patient with
4 II lraurnent that such matters should
Is Ie e to the states, because more than
s|.N state pursues the policy OF Great
"a easy terms corporations which
&, s z5sser Generated within that state
= N but III other states whose laws
AoFe. The national government
. aafs deal adequately with these
zorporatfons. To try to deal
noun In an incorporate, destruc-
H ienaagogic spirit would in all
Il 81 litE mean that nothing what
IL be accomplished, and with
certainty that If anything
6eDnplished it would be of
nature. The American peo-
ID continue to show the very
u k HAT they have shown-that is,
i; |son. good sense, the earnest
4 4 l t0 avoid doing any damage and
n rIliiet determination to proceed,
+ s 81 step, without halt and without
ID eliminating or at least in
& ia ling whatever Of mischief or of
Il III here is to Interstate commerce
|s ziis conduct of great corporations
iie5 are acting in no spirit of hostility
is wealth, either individual or cor
p0rafe. They are not against the rich
man any more than against the poor
man. On the contrary, they are friend
IL alike toward rich man and toward
poor man, provided only that each acts
In spirit of justice and decency to-
ward his fellows Great corporations
are necessary, and only men Of great
and singular mental power can man
age such corporations successfully,
and such men must have great re-
wards. But these corporations should
be managed with due regard to the
interest of the public as whole.
Where this can be done under the pres
ent laws it must be done. Where
these laws come short others should
be enacted to supplement them.
Euraau of COruOratiOus,