Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-08

The ever increasing casualty list up
on our railroads is a matter of grave
public concern and urgently calls for
action by the congress. In the matter
of speed aud comfort Of railway travel
our railroads give at least as good
service as those of any other nation,
and there is no reason why this serv-
ice should not also be as safe as hui
man ingenuity can make it. Many Of
our leading roads have been foremost
in the adoption of the most approved
safeguards for the protection of travel
ers and employees, yet the list Of clear
" ayoidable accidents continues I'M
duly large. The passage of law re-
quiring the adoption of a block signal
system has been proposed to the con-
gress. earnestly concur in that rec
ommendation and would also point out
to the congress the urgent need of leg
islation in the interest of the public
safety limiting the hours of labor for
railroad employees in train service up
on railroads engaged in interstate COM
merce and providing that only trained
anu ChpSAANhSCh pCloOao NC SAplOJ SA
in positions Of responsibility connect
ed with the operation Of trains. OF
| course nothing can ever prevent acct
dents caused by humnn weakness or
misconduct, and there should be dras-
tic punishment for any railroad en-
ployee, whether officer or man, who by
Issuance of wrong orders or by disobe-
dience Of orders causes disaster. The
law Of 1901 requiring interstate rail-
roads to make. monthly reports Of all
accidents topassengers and employees
on duty should also be amended so as
to empower the government to make
personal investigation through proper
officers of all accidents involving loss of
life which seem to require Investigation,
! with n requirement. that the results of
such investigation be made public.
The safety appliance law as amend
ed by the act Of March 2, 1903, las
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 is analogous to the steamboat in
spection service and deals with even
more important interests 1t has passed
the experimental stage and demon
strated it's utility and should receive
generous recognition by the congress.
Unions of Government Employees.
| There is no objection to employees Of
! tho ornv
! to unions, but the government can ne-
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 a very
grave improperly for government EN-
ployees to band themselves together
. for the purpose of extorting iOorpeTly
high salaries from the government.
Especially is this true Of those within
the classified service. The letter carri-
ers, both municipal and rural. are as a
whole an excellent body of public sery-
ants. They should be amply paid. But
their payment must be obtained by
arguing their claims fairly and honor
ably 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
already taken steps to prevent and
punish abuses of this nature, but it
will be wise for the congress to sup
plement this action by legislation.
Bureau of Labor.
Much can be done by the government
in labor matters merely by giving pub
i 'icity to certain conditions. The bu-
! reau of labor has done excellent work
of this kind in many different direc-
tons. ! shall! shortly lay before you in
special message the full report of the
investigation of the bureau of labor
into the Colorado mining strike. as this
is q strike in which certain very evil
forces which are more or less at worl
everywhere under the conditions Of
modern industri1lism became startling
~ prominent. 1t is greatly to be wished
that the department of commerce an(
labor, through the labor bureau, should
compile and arrange for the congress
list of the labor laws of the yariou.
1 states and should be given the mean