The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-12-10

/ a. - -SAAAPtOSe6I ana IN order that
/ us provisions may be properly carried ont
the force OF inspectors provided for nv an.
| ptoptiattoh should be largely increased This
ssrVAcs Is analogous to the Steamboat Inspec-
tton service and deals with even more inn
portant interests It has passed the expert
mental stage and demonstrated its utility
s 1no should receive generous recognition by
government forming or belonging to unions;
| put the Government can neither discrim-
mate Tor nor discriminate against nonunion
men who are in its employment or who
seek to be employed under 1t, Moreover. Il
| rs very grave improperly for Government
employees to band themselves together for
] me purpose OF extorting improperly high sal
aries from the Government EspecialIy is
this true of those within the classified sery-
| ice The letter-carriers, both municipal and
rural are as a whole an excellent body of
PUBIC servants. They should be amply paid.
But their payment must be obtained by ar
| guing their claims
Unions OF fairly and honorably
| Covaroman. before the Congress,
| and not by banding
EmpiOyes. together for the de-
| - feat of those Con-
gressmen who refuse to give promises which
they cannot in conscience give. The Admin
lstratlon mas already taken steps to prevent
and punish abuses of this nature; but it will
| be wise for the Congress to supplement this
action by legislation.
Much can be done by the Government in
| certain conditions. The Bureau of Labor has
done excellent work of this kind in many
different directions. I shall shortly lay
| before you in a spe-
bureau OF LABOR Cial message the full
report of the investi-
| cation of the Bureau of Labor into the Colo
| RADIO mining strike, as this is a strike in
| which certain very evil forces which are
conditions of modern industrialism, became
starthngiy prominent. 1t is greatly to be
wished that the Department of Commerce
ana Labor, through the Labor Bureau, should
compile and arrange for the Congress a list
OF the labor laws of the various states, and
should be given the means to investigate and
report to the Congress upon the labor condi-
tons in the manufacturing and mining re-
gions throughout the country both as to
wages as to 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. Such an investigation must
necessarily take into account many of the
problems with which this question of child
labor Is connected These problems can be
actually met. in most cases. only by the
states themselves; but the lack of proper
legislation in one state in such a matter as
child labor often renders 1t excessively diff
cult to establish protective restriction upon
the work in another state having the same
industries, SO that the worst tends to drag
down the better. For this reason. 1t would
be well for the Nation at least to endeavor
to secure comprehensive Information as to
the conditions Of labor of children in the
different states. Such investigation and pub
lcation by the National Government would
tend toward the securing of approximately
uniform legislation of the proper character
among the several states
When come to deal with great corpo-
rations. the need for the Government to act
directly is far greater than in the case of
labor, because great corporations can become
such only by engaging in Interstate COM
merce, and interstate
Corporations. commerce Is peculiar
y ly the field of the
General Government. 1t is an absurdity to
expect to eliminate the abuses in great cor
porations by state action. 1t Is difficult to
be patient with an argument that such mat
ters should be left to the states. because
more than state pursues the policy of
creating on easy terms corporations which
are never operated within that state at all,
but in other states whose laws they ignore.
The National Government alone can deal ad-
eQuately with these great corporations. TO
try to deal with them in an Incorporate.
destructive, or demagogic spirit would in all
probability, mean that nothing whatever
would be accomplished. and. with absolute
certainty. that II anything were accomplished
it would be of harmful nature. The Amer
lean people need to continue to show the
very qualities that they have shown-that
is moderation, good sense, the earnest de-
sire to avoid doing any damage, and yet the
quiet determination to proceed, step by step.
without halt and without hurry, in eliminat-
ing or at least in minimizing whatever of
mischief or of evil there is to interstate com
merce in the conduct of great corporations.
They are acting in no spirit of hostility to
wealth. either individual or corporate. They
are not against the rich man any more than
against the Door man. On the contrary,
they are friendly alike toward rich man and
toward poor man, provided only that each
acts in spirit of justice and decency toward
his fellows. Great corporations are neces-
sary and only men of great and singular
mental power can manage such corporations
| successfully. and such men must have great
| rewards But these corporations should be
managed with due regard to the interest of
| the public as whole. Where this can be
| done under the present laws 1t must be done.
Where these laws come short, others should
be enacted to supplement them
Yet we must never forget the determining
factor in every kind of work, of head or
hand must be the mans own good sense.
| courage and kindness. More important than
any legislation is the gradual growth of a
feeling of responsibility and forbearance
among capitalists and wageworkers alike; q
I feeling Of respect on the part or each man
| for the rights of others; a feeling Of broad
| community of interest not merely of capital
lists among themselves. and of wageWorkers
among themselves, but of capitalists and
| wageworkers in their relations to each other
and of both in their relations to their TEL
| lows who with them make up the body pol
| itic There many captains of industry
\ MANY labor leaders. who realize this. A
| TpPRnt speech
| great railroad systems to the employees OF
| that system contains sound common sense
| II runs in part as follows;
| cit is my belief we can better serve each
| other better understand the man as well as
his business, when meeting face to face, eX-
| changing views, and realizing from personal
| contact we serve but one interest. that OF
| our mutual prosperity
"Serious misunderstanding cannot occur
! where personal good will exists and opportu-
nItv for personal explanation is present
| i'm INV early business life had experience
| with men of affairs of character to make
me desire to avoid creating a ike feellng OF
rasantment to myself and the interests in my
| charPe should fortune ever place me In au-
| shorty. and / am solicitous OF measure OF
| confidence on the part Of the public and our
emnioyss that shall hope may be warranted
b., the fairness and good fellowship Intend
Soii nreveil in our relationship
put do not feel am disposed to grant
| urea sonable requests, spend the money OF
80 connany unnecessarily or without value
| received, nor expect the days OF mistakes are
| Accommodating, or that cause Tor COMPANY
| will not continually occur, simply 10 cofFect
s,tcb ahuses as may be discovered to better
Su,d,tjons as fast as reasonably may be ex-
Docted constantly striving, with varying sue
| ppess for that improvement we all oesire' 70
Convince you there is force al WORK IN inc