The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-12-09
To the Senate and House of Represen.

To the Senate and House of Represen-
The nation continues to enjoy note
worthy prosperity. such prosperity is of
course primarily due to the high individ-
ual average OF our citizenship. taken
together with our great natural re-
sources; but an important factor there
in Is the working OF our long continued
governmental poiIcies. The people have
emphatlcaiiy expressed their approval OF
the principles underlying these policies,
and their desire that these principles
be kept substantially unchanged, al
though OF course applied In a progressive
spirit to meet changing conditions.
CAUTION AGAINsf EArtAVA-
GANCE.
The enlargement of scope of the func-
tions OF the national government requir-
ed by our deveIopmeht nation in
wolves OF course, increase of exepnse;
which NJ the &c country 'OpsS IS passing justifes
expenditures for permanent improve
ments rar greater than would be wise In
hard times. Battle ships and forts, pub
lc buildings, and improved waterways
are investments which should be made
when we have the money; but abundant
revenues and large surplus always In
vite extravaganza, and constant care
should be taken to guard against un-
necessary Increase OF the ordinary ex-
penses of government. The cost OF doing
government business should be regulat-
ed with the same scrutiny as the cost Of
doing a private business,
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
In the vast and complicated mechan-
ism of our modern civilized life the dom
tnant note IS the note of industrialism:
and the relations of capital and labor,
and especially OF organized capital and
organized labor, TO each other and to the
public at large come second In import
ance only to the intimate questions of
family life. Our peculiar form of gov
ernment, with it's sharp division of au-
thority between the nation and the sever
al states, has been on the whole far
more advantageous to our development
a
ment. But 1t Is undoubtedly responsible
for much Of tho difficulty of meeting
with adequate legislation the new prob
lens presented by the total change in
Industrial conditions on this continent
during the last half century. In actual
practice Il has proved exceedingly diff
fcult, and In many cases impossible. to
get unanimlty of wise action among the
various states on these subjects From
the very nature OF the case this Is espec-
tally true OF the laws Affecting the en-
ployment of capital In huge masses
With regard to labor the problem Is
no less important, but It is simpler. As
long as the states retain the primary
control Of the police power the circum-
stances must be altogether extreme
which require interference by the feder-
authorities, whether In the way of safe
guarding the rights Of labor or in the
way of seeing that wrong is not done
by unruly persons who shield them
selves behind the name of labor. II
there Is resistance to the federal courts,
Interference with tho mails, or Interstate
commerce, or molestation of federal
property, or II the state authorities in
some crisis which they are unable to
s face call for help, then the federal gov
ernment may interfere; but though such
interference may be caused by condi-
ton Of things arising out of trouble con-
nected with some question OF labor, the
Interference itself simply takes the form
of restoring order without regard to the
questions which have caused the breach
of order-for to keep order Is a primary
duty and In time of disorder and Hio-
lence all other questions sink into abey-
ance until order has been restored. In
the District OF Columbia and in the ter
ritortes the federal law covers the en-
tire field Of government; but the labor
question Is only acute in populous CEN
ters of commerce, manufactures, or min
ing. Nevertheless, both in the enactment
and In the enforcement of law the fed
eral government within its restricted
sphere should set an example to the
state governments, especially in mat
ter so vital as this affecting labor. be-
lieve that under modern industrial con-
ditlons II is often necessary and even
where not necessary 1t Is yet often wise,
that there should be organization of la
Dor in order better to secure the rights
of the Individual wage-worker. All en-
Couragement should be given to any
such organization, so long as 1t Is con-
Quoted with due and decent regard for
the rights Of others. There are in this
country some labor unions which have
habltually, and other labor unions which
have often, been among the most enec-
ship and for uplifting the condition OF
those whose welfare should be closest
to our hearts. But when any labor un-
ion seeks improper ends, or seeks TO
achieve proper ends by improper means,
all good citizens and more especially all
honorable public servants must oppose
would oppose the wrongdoing Of any
great corporation. OF course any vio-
lence, brutality, or corruption, should not
for one moment be tolerated. Wage
ri haU N right
and by all peaceful and honorable means
to endeayor to persuade their Fellows TO
join with them in organizations; Ihey
circumstances, may o. may not be
moral right, to refuse to work in com
pany with men who decline to Join their
organizations. They have under no cir
cumstances the right to commit violence
upon those, whether capitalists or wage
workers, who refuse TO support their or
ganizations, or who side with those with
whom they are at odds: for mob rule Is
intolerable In any form.
EMPLOYER LIABILITY LAW.
titled to the protection and the encour-
agement of the law. From the very
very nature of their occupation railroad
men, for instance, are liable to be MAIN |
profession, unless the railroa- compan- |
les are required by law to make ample |
provision for their safety. the admins
tration has been Jealous in enforcing che
existing law for this purpose. The law
should be amended and strengthened |
Wherever the national government has
power there should be stringent em-
ployer's liability law, which should ap- |
ply to the government itself where the
government Is an employer OF labor.
In my message to the F'ifty-seventh
congress- at its second session, ] urged
the passage OF an employers liability
law for the District of Columbia. i now
renew that recommendation, and further |
recommend that the congress appoint
commission TO make comprehensive
study of employers liability with the
View OF extending the provisions OF
great and constitutional law TO all em- |
ployments within the scope of federal
MEDALS OF HONOR.
The government has recognized hero |
ism upon the water and bestows medals
of honor upon those persons who by
extreme and heroic daring have endan- |
gered their lives in saving, or endeavor- |
ing TO save lives from the perils of the
sea In the waters over which the United
States has jurisdiction. or upon an Amer |
ican vessel. This recognition should be
extended TO cover cases of conspicuous |
bravery and self-sacrifice in the saving |
OF life In private employments under the |
Jurisdiction of the United States, and
particularly in the land commerce of
the nation.