Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-12-14
10 the Senate and House of Representa-

svorthy prosperity. SGcL prosperity Is
az course primarily due to the high IN
dividual average o. our citizenship, taken
together w.t' our great natural re-
sources; but = important factor therein
IS the working If our lOng-contnned
governmental r,oiicies. The enlargement
1f sope Of tie functions Of the national
government required by our development
as nation involves, OF course, increase
of expenses; and the period OF prosperity
through which the country IS passing JUS
?. 4ifies expenditures for permanent IN
provements far greater than would pe
wise in hard times. BattleshlpS dhu
forts, public buildings ana improved wat,
arwayS are investments when should
Ae made when we : I've the money put
abundant revenues and large surplus
always invite extravaganza ana constant
care should be t ken 20 guard against
unnecessary increase of the ordinary eX-
penses of government.
Capital and LaDG~
In the vast and complicated nlechan-
ism of our modern civilized lie the conn
nant note is the note If industrl?Ilsin ,
and the relations of capital ana labor;
and especially of organized capital anu
organized labor, to each other ana 10 the
nnhIic of large come second il impor-
fauce only to the intimate questions OF
family life. Our peculiar form OF gov
ernment. with It's sharp division OF au-
fhority between the nation and the sew
eraI States, has been on the Wnoie lat
more advantageous TO our ueNeIoplueu'
than a more strongly centralized govern
rnept But il is undoubtedly responsible
FOR much of the difficulty Of meeting with
ADEQUATE legislation the new propieihs
presented by the total change IN INDUS
trial conditions on this continent during
fbe last haIf-century. In actual practice
a has proyed exceedingly difficult, and
in many cases impossible. to get unanlth-
fly of wise action among the various
States on these subjects. from the very
nature &C the case this IS especlauy true
.of the Laws affecting the employment OF
~.sn;tai ~ h1i-e masses. As long as She
states retain the primary control OF the
Slolice mower the circumstances must De
sItoopther extreme which require utter
Ference by the federal authorities, Wheth-
A. In the vav of safeguarding the rights
of labor or in the way OF seeing that
wrong is not done by unruly persons VINO
shield themselves behind the name OF Ia,
Dor. If there is resistance TO the IeueraI
courts. interference with the mails, or
srtsrState commerce. or mOlestatlon OF
eeder,,I property or If the State author
stias in soms crisis which they are I'M
able To face call for help then the feu-
~caI government may interfere put the
Interference itself simply takes the TORN
of restoring order without regard TO the
questions which have caused the breaeh
81 order | believe that under modern
Industrial conditions 1t Is oIten ue !.
sarv. and even where not necessary 1t Is
yet often wise. that there should be or
xsnization of labor il order better to
secure the rights of tie individual wage
worker. All enCOura cement should be
given to any such organization. so long
a il is conducted with a due and Cecent
regard for the rights OF others. But
when any labor union seeks improper
ends. or seeks to achieve proper ends by
tmproper means, all good citizens and
more especially all honorable public ser
wants must oppose the wr0ngdoing as
sesolutely as they world oppose the
wrougdoing Of any great corporation. OF
course auy violence, brutality or cOrrup-
ton should not for one moment be toll
erated.
Wa ge-worhers have an entire right TO
o-ganlZe and hy all peaceful and hon0ra-
Die means to Nndeav0r 20 persuade their
fellows to j0ia with them in organiza-
tons They lave legal right, which.
according to circumstances, may or may
not be moral right, to refuse to work
in company with men who decline to join
their organizations. They have under
no circumstances the right to commit viO-
Ience upon those, whether capitalists or
wage-W workers. who refuse to support
their organizations. or who side with
those with whom they are at odds for
mob rule is intoleruble in any form.
Prevention "a Railroad Accidents.
The ever-fncreasing casualty list upon
cur railroads is matter of grave public
concern. and urgently calls for action By
the Congress. Many Of our leading roads
have been foremost in the adoption of
the most approved safeguards for the
protection If travellers and employees, yet
the list of clearly ay0idable accidents
continues unduiy large. / would point
out 60 the Congress the urgent need Of
legislation in the interest of the public
safety limiting the hours of labor for
railroad employees in train service upon
railroads engaged in interstate commerce.
and providing that only trained and ex
perienced persons be employed in posi-
lions of responsibility connected with
the operation Of trains. OF course moth
ing can ever prevent accidents caused By
human weakness or misconduct: rud
there should be drastic punishment for
any railroad employee. whether officer or
man, who by issuance of wrong orders
or by disobedence of orders causes dis
aster.
The Bureau of Labor.
Much can be done by the government
ia labor matters merely by giving pub
hcity to certain conditions. I IL Bureau
of Labor has done excellent work Of this
kind in many different directions. [
shall shortly lay before you ia a special
message the full report Of the iuvcSti
CATION Of the Bureau @. Labor into the
Colorado mining strike. as this is a strike
in which certain very evil forces. which
are more or less az work everywhere an
der the conditions of modern Industrial
ism, became startlinGly prominent.
Dealing with Corporations.
When we come to deal with yreat cor
p0rltions the need for the government
10 act directly is far greater than in the
case Of labor. because great corporations
can become such only hy engaging in in
terstate commerce, and interstate com
mercc IS peculiarly the field of the gen.
eral government 1t is an absurdity to
expect 20 eliminate the abuses in grea
corporations by State action. The ma
tional government alone can deal AIDE
quatcly with these great corporations
The American people nced 10 continue
to show the very qualities that they have
ehown-thut is. moderation. good sense
the earnest desire to avoid doing any
damage. and yet the quiet determination
70 proceed. step by step. without halt
and without hurry, I'D eliminating or al
feast in minimizing whatever Of mischief
or of evil there Is 10 Interstate commerce
In the conduct Of great corporations
They are acting in no spirit of hoStiiity
t. wealth, either individual or corporate
They are not against the rich man auy
more than against the poor man. On the
contrary, they are friendly alike towart
Tich man and toward poor IN, provided
only that each acts in n spi, lt of justice
and deCency toward his j Tvs
Great corporations d 't uCccSSary, ans